| Description |
"The work completed today will go down in numismatic history."First printing. Racine: Whitman, 1962. 8vo, original brown textured cloth lettered in silver. 144 pages; illustrated. Inscribed to Eric P. Newman by Ken Bressett on the front flyleaf, with a handwritten note commenting upon this copy by Newman affixed to the page opposite. Fine. The rare first printing of this classic work, copies of which are more accurately considered bound page proofs issued in very small numbers immediately before the presses were fired up to print the entire run. The story behind this volume is the stuff of numismatic legend. Newman and Bressett's work had led them to the conclusion that the story of sets of 1834 and 1804 coins being issued for the Imam of Muscat and the King of Siam were myths--they found no evidence of such gifts having been issued. The book was due to be printed during the 1962 ANA convention, at which the discovery of the King of Siam set (including the 1804 dollar) was announced. Editorial brakes were frantically applied as Newman and Bressett had to accommodate this new information and revise their publication to take it into account. Kenneth E. Bressett warmly inscribed this copy to his co-author, Eric P. Newman, on August 26, 1962. His inscription reads: {blockquote}"To Eric P. Newman Your writing efforts have made this a truly fantastic book. The pleasant memories of working with you on this book will remain long after the disappointments have been forgotten. It doesn't seem possible that the discovery of but one new coin could cause 60 pages of changes in this text--but it sure did! The work completed today will go down in numismatic history. (signed) Kenneth E. Bressett / August 2."{/blockquote} Newman's note concerning this copy reads: {blockquote}"This is the printing with the erroneous Chapter IX. It is not the final changed and corrected printing. By August 26, 1962 all the changes to 60 pages had been written up by me, but the book was not ready for sale until October, 1962. The tribute could not have been nicer. To 'go down' in numismatic history may have meant ? or may have meant ?."{/blockquote} Estimate $750. Ex: Eric P. Newman Numismatic Education Society.
Heritage Auctions 11/2018 (Newman XI), lot15354 (realized $900).
Heritage link: http://www.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=1283&lotIdNo=11412 |
