Newcomb, Howard R. THE UNITED STATES CENTS OF THE YEARS 1801-1802-1803. Detroit: Liberty Printing Co., 1925. 4to [31 by 24.5 cm], original black full morocco, bordered on both sides with double gilt fillets; gilt inner dentelles; title in gilt on the upper cover; four raised spine bands with double gilt rules on either side; original cardboard-tipped green silk marker. 85, (1) pages; 5 fine photographic plates with tissue guards [plates included in pagination]; erratum slip tipped in on page 73. Loosely laid in are the October 1928 and July 1931 photographic supplemental plates describing and depicting new 1801 varieties and both versions of the January 1928 photographic supplemental plate describing and depicting a new 1803 variety. Autographed and inscribed on the title in black ink: "Howard R Newcomb, Aug 23rd 1925, One of the ten copies of the De Luxe Edition." Minor marks and scuffs to binding. Housed in a tan cloth slipcase, lettered in gilt on the upper side. The Deluxe Leatherbound Edition, one of only ten copies issued. This special edition was little known until the appearance of the striking full-color illustration on the cover of the 1986 Robinson Brown, Jr. sale catalogue, reportedly depicting the R.E. Naftzger copy. Until the appearance of the example at hand, the exact number of copies made appears to have been unknown and, of the ten copies issued, about half are currently known to have survived. Of those, this copy remains the only one of which we are aware that is signed and inscribed by the author. Concerning Newcomb and this work, Dr. Sheldon wrote: "during the first quarter of the twentieth century and until his death in 1945, Howard R. Newcomb was so closely identified with the big cents that to mention cents was to mention Newcomb... The United States Cents of the Years 1801-1802-1803... marks a milestone in the cent literature. Approaching a field which had been left almost in chaos by the Doughty book, Newcomb assembled a vast quantity of numismatic material, ordered and reordered it, finally set up a new classificational system and a list which seemed adequate; and after testing the new list for upwards of a decade, published. The verdict of time on this work has been favorable." Not only does this copy have both supplemental plates, it has both versions known of each supplemental plate (see my article on the subject in the Spring 2016 issue of The Asylum). Ex August 8-9, 1968 Colby Ritzman sale, lot 64; ex Harry W. Bass, Jr. Library (Kolbe Sale 75, lot 207, at $7000 hammer); ex Twinleaf Library (Kolbe Sale 107), lot 69 at $7000 hammer; ex Jim Neiswinter Library.