VARIETIES OF THE COPPER ISSUES OF THE UNITED STATES MINT IN THE YEAR 1794

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The One Hundred Greatest Items Of United States Numismatic Literature Rank: Number 92


Clain-Stefanelli 12319, Davis 652-653, Sigler 1685

When one encounters a long list of books dedicated to a single issue, it is safe to assume that the subject must be 1933 double eagles or 1794 large cents. Maris got the party started in 1869, but unfortunately bears great similarity to Heaton's A Treatise On The Coinage Of The United States Branch Mints (#30 in our survey) – more important for what it represents than for its actual content. Bob Schuman, writing in The Asylum (Vol. XIX, no. 3), summed it up. “It has no great functional value. It is not useful for pedigree research. It is not helpful for variety attribution.” Davis' American Numismatic Literature (#44) similarly points out that the American Journal Of Numismatics made an identical observation at the time of issue. That aside, Maris inspired generations of future authors to more thoroughly explicate the 1794s, even driving them to substantial obsessions. If this monograph can assume but a sliver of credit for the subsequent works, it is more than a worthy entrant onto our Top 100 list.

1st Edition

First edition. Photo courtesy of George Frederick Kolbe - Fine Numismatic Books.
First edition.
Photo courtesy of George Frederick Kolbe - Fine Numismatic Books.

MARIS, Edward. VARIETIES OF THE COPPER ISSUES OF THE UNITED STATES MINT IN THE YEAR 1794.
Philadelphia, PA: 1869
15pp
Octavo: 18.5 x 12 cm
Softbound: Printed tan wrappers

Limited to 100 copies.


2nd Edition

Second edition. Photo courtesy of George Frederick Kolbe - Fine Numismatic Books.
Second edition.
Photo courtesy of George Frederick Kolbe - Fine Numismatic Books.

Philadelphia, PA: 1870
16pp
Octavo: 18.5 x 12 cm
Softbound: Light salmon paper covers

Note: Only about a dozen or so thought to have survived.

A collected reprint by John W. Adams was published by Quarterman in 1976. Titled Monographs Of Varieties Of United States Large Cents 1793-1794, it included both Maris editions on the 1794's as well as Crosby's The United States Cents Of 1793, Crosby's The United States Coinage Of 1793, Frossard-Hays' Varieties Of United States Cents Of 1794, Gilbert-Elder's Varieties Of United States Cents Of 1794, Champan's The United States Cents Of 1794, and Frossard's Monograph Of United States Cents And Half Cents


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