| Description |
First Known Appearance of the Dollar Sign in Print, with Earliest Known Illustration of a U.S. CoinLansingburgh: Printed by William W. Wands, 1797. 12mo, original full brown calf; spine ruled in gilt; black morocco spine label, gilt. Frontispiece engraving of coins in current usage in the U.S. by A. Reed; 297, (15) pages. Moderate browning and foxing; closed tear to plate. Very good. This early American accounting and bookkeeping manual contains what is often believed to be the first appearance in print of the dollar sign ($). It also includes, as a frontispiece, an engraving depicting a 1795 U.S. eagle, which Eric Newman has called "the earliest known illustration of a United States coin." Also included on the engraving are the Spanish pistole, French "guinea," British guinea, and Portuguese Johannes and half moidore. Eric P. Newman did not entirely agree that the dollar sign in Lee is a predecessor of our modern dollar sign, and discusses it in his "The Dollar $ign: Its Written and Printed Origin" in America's Silver Dollars (New York: ANS, 1995). Evans 32366: "It is claimed that this work was the first to use the dollar mark, $." Howes L196 (aa): "First book to adopt the dollar sign." A scarce volume, of exceptionally high importance. Estimate $750. Ex: Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society.
Heritage Auctions 11/2018 (Newman XI), lot15329 (realized $660).
Heritage link: http://www.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=1283&lotIdNo=11199 |
