US Treasury Department Specimens Presentation Album

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/16/2022

Also known as BEP presentation albums, were published by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) from the mid-1860s through the 1910s. Prepared upon request of the United States Secretary of the Treasury, albums were generally presented to Cabinet members, select Members of Congress, diplomats and visiting dignitaries. Some extant albums still in their original binding bear the name of the recipient impressed in gold lettering on the cover. While no two presentation albums have exactly the same contents, each book usually contained portraits (54), scenes (53), and images of buildings (6). Specimen books which contain whole proof images of currency are extremely rare. This book was presented to Benjamin Perley Poore, a prominent American newspaper correspondent, editor, and author in the mid-19th century. Condition of book is good with binding completely intact. Leather wear exists on cover as well as foxing on almost all pages as well as interleaving. In 2001 the numismatic community knew of 47 BEP specimen books and suspected the existence of 10 to 15 more. Rarely seen!