A Fine, Complete Set of the Numismatic Chronicle

Royal Numismatic Society / The Numismatic Society. THE NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE AND JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. Title varies slightly. Volumes 1–182 (London, 1838–2022), complete. As follows: (First Series). Volumes I–XX. London, (1838)–1858. Twenty volumes, complete. 8vo, contemporary green half calf with red sides; spines with five raised bands, ruled in gilt; two spine labels, gilt; marbled endpapers and page edges; a few volumes repaired or rebacked and a couple needing attention. (New Series (Second Series). Volumes I–XX. London, 1861–1880. Twenty volumes, complete. 8vo, contemporary green half calf or morocco, gilt, with marbled sides; spines with five raised bands, ruled in gilt; two spine labels, gilt; marbled endpapers and page edges; several volumes repaired or rebacked and a few needing attention. Generally from the Library of the Essex Institute, Robinson Collection of Books on Oriental Coinage, with the institutional bookplate. (Third Series. Volumes I–XX. London, 1881–1900. Twenty volumes, complete. 8vo, contemporary tan half calf with marbled sides; spines with five raised bands, ruled, lettered and decorated in gilt; green and red spine labels, gilt. Some boards loose. (Fourth Series. Volumes I–XX. London, 1901–1920. Twenty volumes, complete. 8vo, Volumes 1–13 in later black quarter morocco with blue sides, spines lettered in gilt; Volumes 14–20 in later red quarter morocco with red sides, spines lettered in gilt. (Fifth Series. Volumes I–XX. London, 1921–1940. Twenty volumes, complete. 8vo, later red quarter morocco with red sides, spines lettered in gilt. (Sixth Series. Volumes I–XX. London, 1941–1960. Twenty volumes, complete. 8vo, later or original red cloth, gilt. (Seventh Series. Volumes I–XX. London, 1961–1980. Twenty volumes, complete. 8vo, publisher’s original red cloth, gilt. (Volumes 141–182 [series numbering having been discontinued]. London, 1981–2022. Forty-two volumes. 8vo, publisher’s original matching crimson cloth, gilt. Also included are the two volumes of the predecessor publication, The Numismatic Journal (1836–1838, 19th-century brown half straight-grained morocco, gilt, with marbled sides, ex Edward Hailstone, with his gilt leather armorial bookplate) and an incomplete volume of the Proceedings of the Numismatic Society for 1836–1839. Most volumes of the main set are near fine or better, with a few exceptions. One of the truly great scholarly numismatic periodicals, certainly the most important ever published in the English language. Within a six-year period, the Revue numismatique, the Numismatic Chronicle, and the Revue belge de numismatique began publication, and today all three remain indispensable storehouses of information on ancient coins, medieval and modern numismatics (especially relating to their respective countries of publication), and on a wide variety of other numismatic topics. Since the late 19th century, virtually all coin illustrations within the Chronicle were reproduced on superb autotype plates, which allow for enlargement of detail under magnification. This innovation, combined with the prolific output of the superb ensemble of numismatists centered around the British Museum, produced a body of numismatic research that today remains of inestimable utility. Complete sets of the Chronicle are rarely offered. The first series is seldom available, and many volumes in the first half of the twentieth century, particularly those issued during and surrounding the World Wars, remain elusive. Early on, W.S. Lincoln & Son described the Numismatic Chronicle as “the most perfect repertory of Numismatic intelligence ever published in England, and containing papers on Coins and Medals of all ages and all countries, by the first Numismatists of the day both English and Foreign.” This is the first complete set that we have handled since we sold the set in the Herb Kreindler Library for $32,500 hammer ten years ago. Clain-Stefanelli 776. Grierson 19.