AMERICAN HALF CENTS: "THE LITTLE HALF SISTERS"

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The One Hundred Greatest Items Of United States Numismatic Literature Rank: Number 46

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Clain-Stefanelli 12278, Davis 268

Cohen’s book, like many others, came about from the author’s desire “that for the last twenty years I have wanted to read it.” Thus, the self-published work appeared in 1971, likely at considerable expense to the author – a labor of love and a gift to the hobby. While half cents had been previously treated by Ebenezer Gilbert in 1916, Cohen felt a need to update the work and rework Gilbert’s emission sequences. Cohen produced a complete photographic record by die variety, though some of the halftones are less than ideal for attribution purposes - a second edition in 1982 addressed this shortcoming. Beyond Gilbert, Cohen spent a considerable amount of time in the National Archives chasing information on planchet and coinage shipments. The work is superceded by Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia Of United States Half Cents 1793–1857 (#25), but as collectors may acquire both for less than the cost of a nice half cent, why not?

1^st Edition

COHEN, Roger S. AMERICAN HALF CENTS: "THE LITTLE HALF SISTERS".
Bethesda, MD: 1971
105pp
Quarto
Hardbound: Tan cloth, lettered in black

2^nd Edition

Bethesda, MD: 1982
131pp
Quarto
Hardbound: Yellow cloth, lettered in black

2^nd Edition, Deluxe

Bethesda, MD: 1982
131pp
Quarto: 28.5 x 22.5 cm
Hardbound: Full brown pebble-grained morocco, spine ruled, lettered in gilt

Limited to 20-25 copies.