HEATH'S INFALLIBLE COUNTERFEIT DETECTOR, AT SIGHT. ILLUSTRATED WITH ENTIRE NEW PLATES OF BOTH GREENBACKS AND NATIONAL BANK NOTES...
Heath, Laban.
Boston & Washington: Heath, 1877. Twelfth pocket edition. Newman 12-P-2. 16mo, original blindstamped green cloth; front cover lettered horizontally in gilt. 47, (1) pages; printed title preceded by a finely engraved title; 10 engraved plates depicting the right-hand sides of United States Notes and National Currency respectively in $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 denominations, followed by three new plates depicting the right-hand sides of the backs of the National Currency notes of the $2 and $5, $10 and $20, and $50 and $100 denominations, all printed in green and black; unnumbered advertising pages including ones for Heath's magnifiers (with one illustration). Front hinge cracked; title pages and plates a bit foxed. Otherwise a near fine copy with bright covers. Item #6198
Newman 12-P-2. A well-preserved example, with vivid plates. The first printing to include a new prefatory chapter, "A Few Hints to Aid in Detecting Counterfeit Money," by George W. Casilear, which now appears before Chapter 1. In introducing the new edition and its plates, Heath writes, "we resolved to revise the text of the Detector, and to embellish it with new plates of genuine work printed from the original dies. Consequently, we petitioned the Treasury Department, asking the privilege of using sectional portions of the new issues of the greenbacks and national bank notes, with which to illustrate the new edition of the Detector. To accomplish this object we have spared neither time nor money, and are pleased to say, after due consideration, and for the better protection of the public, the Treasury Department granted our petition, reserving, however, the right of mutilation, as in their best judgment would be a safe protection against the counterfeiter's nefarious art. (See the line of mutilation across the face of each sectional portion of bank notes illustrating this work.)".
See all items in Special Offerings, Paper Currency, United States
See all items by Laban Heath