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A Plated Catalogue of the Harlan P. Smith Collection

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:300.00 USD Estimated At:500.00 USD
A Plated Catalogue of the Harlan P. Smith Collection
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Chapman, S.H. & H. CATALOGUE OF THE MAGNIFICENT COLLECTION OF COINS OF THE UNITED STATES FORMED BY THE LATE HARLAN P. SMITH, ESQ., NEW YORK CITY. Philadelphia: Davis & Harvey, May 8-11, (1906). 4to, original white cloth-backed boards, gilt. (6), 138, (10) pages; 2416 lots; 14 very fine photographic plates; prices realized list laid in. Binding worn and soiled, with spine heavily worn; a number of inner plate margins chipped but not affecting any coin images; covers and contents a bit loose; portion of text waterstained. A working copy. A most important sale of American coins, rich in all series but particularly notable for Smith’s superb collection of large cents and United States gold and silver coins. The sale also included a small but choice offering of ancient and foreign gold and silver coins. The Chapmans wrote in the preface: “The late Mr. Harlan P. Smith for a great many years was an ardent amateur collector of coins, and during the later period of his life engaged actively in dealing in them, but always endeavored to improve his own private cabinet, and collectors will here find a collection that takes rank with the finest that have ever been sold as regards completeness, rarity, and preservation.” Three plates depict colonials, three illustrate United States gold coins and three are of United States silver coins, two depict large cents (“All in magnificent preservation”), one is of half cents, one illustrates patterns and the final plate depicts ancient and foreign coins. The H. P. Smith sale justly has always been among the most desired in the plated Chapman series. It is the second large format sale to employ actual photographic prints and the first to also have been issued in a special hardbound edition (all prior large format Chapman catalogues were issued only in paper covers). Adams A+: “ ‘Non Vi.’ ‘Liber Natus.’ Outstanding gold: 1815, 1822 $5. MS 1802 25¢. 1849 ff proof sets. Excellent patterns. A landmark sale.” Ex December 2, 1984 Kolbe/Spink sale, lot 44; ex Kolbe Sale 89, lot 807.