Chapman, S. Hudson. THE UNITED STATES CENTS OF THE YEAR 1794. Second edition, first printing. Philadelphia, 1926. 4to, original blue cloth, gilt; front cover and spine lettered in gilt. 29, (3) pages; 4 collotype plates. Mourning card of Mrs. S. Hudson Chapman, 1128 Spruce Street, laid in, on which has been written, "To replace obsolete 1923 edition of Hudson's Cents of 1794." Very minor wear to binding, else fine. [with] Chapman, S.H. FOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES DEPICTING 1794 LARGE CENTS. Four 8 by 10.5 inch photographic plates, being the original photographs from which the collotype plates of Chapman's book were prepared. Plates depict 1794 cents on a black background; annotated by hand in pencil. Marginal chips and folds, most not affecting images; one plate with fold affecting two images; marginal tape repairs to one plate, not touching images; S.H. Chapman's ink stamp on verso of Plate 3. Very good. A highly important copy of the revised second edition of this work, from the library of the author, accompanied by the calling card (with black border denoting mourning) of Mrs. S. Hudson Chapman, and—most importantly—the original photographic plates taken for (both editions of) the book. These are clearly the photographs from which the collotype plates in the published volumes were prepared. They are similar to other Chapman photographs, bear his stamp, and are annotated by him in pencil. The images are clear and, aside from some minor wear relegated mostly to the blank margins, they are well preserved. It is generally believed that only 200 copies were printed of the 1926 edition, split between two issues: the first has lettering on the spine and is apparently always encountered numbered; the second does not have spine lettering and is unnumbered. As far as we can tell, the 1923 first edition is always numbered under 100; the first printing of the second edition is always numbered between 100 and 200. Copy No. 100 exists, though nothing about it indicates that it was treated differently than any other copy. This is copy No. 101, and it obviously is special and was retained by the author. Of this work, Dr. Sheldon wrote: "The Chapman monograph is illustrated by excellent plates, and it is perhaps the most generally adequate presentation of the subject. However, the older Hays numbers seem to have taken deep root in the affections of cent collectors, and it now appears likely that the name Hays will long be associated with this the most extensive one-date series of American coins." Denis Loring was the first to draw attention to the two printings of this edition, in the Fall 1994 issue of The Asylum. In addition to the differences in the bindings (by which they are most readily distinguished), he enumerated a number of textual differences observed as well—the plates are identical in the 1923 edition and both printings of the 1926 edition. Davis 228. Sigler 468. Ex Wayne Homren Library.