Hickcox, John H. AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF AMERICAN COINAGE. First

Hickcox, John H. AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF AMERICAN COINAGE. First edition. Albany: Joel Munsell, 1858. 8vo, contemporary or slightly later marbled sides and endpapers, skillfully rebacked with modern green half leather; spine with five raised bands, lettered in gilt; top page edges gilt. viii, 151, (1) pages; 5 plates of coins, well-engraved and printed by J.E. Gavit of Albany, New York, the first two in two colors. Light wear to board edges; else near fine. Hickcox's Historical Account is the first substantial work ever written on American coins. Only 200 copies were issued. The author writes in the preface: "The design of this work is to give an account of the legally authorized coinage of the United States of America during the periods of their colonial history and their existence as a united republic. Nothing as comprehensive has heretofore been attempted, nor is there any separate publication on either our colonial or early federal coinage. The materials have been collected by consulting early periodicals, congressional and legislative documents and other works, and through an extensive correspondence with gentlemen in other states. In the concluding chapter is given a catalogue of pieces which have been neither legally issued, nor can they, with one or two exceptions, be considered as tradesmen's tokens, but were the inventions of individuals, sometimes proposed as specimens or patterns of coinage for the newly formed republic... The modern coinage of the United States having been quite fully exhibited in the valuable treatise by Messrs. Eckfeldt and Du Bois, it has been deemed expedient not to repeat the engravings contained in that work." Unfortunately for Hickcox, his pioneering work was almost immediately overshadowed by Montroville Wilson Dickeson's American Numismatical Manual. Though smaller in size and scope, Hickcox's work is richer in historical detail and more elegant in style. It will always remain a landmark in American numismatic literature. Clain-Stefanelli 11884. Davis 510. Sigler 1223. Ex Frederick W. Skiff Library, with his engraved bookplate; ex December 2, 2000 Kolbe sale, lot 1073, binding handsomely restored thereafter; ex Craig Smith Library (Kolbe Sale 95, lot 157); ex Syd Martin Library.