PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION.
That this work merits the encouraging praise and high appreciation it has met with seems to be confirmed by its rapid sale and by the permanent, steady demand yet existing for it, as well now as when it was first issued in 1849. Various miserable imitations of it (infringements of the copyright) have been attempted in the form of circulars, pamphlets, and pretended outlines of it published in newspapers and Bank-note Lists, but of such a superficial and abortive character as to entirely fail of being a truthful synopsis and answering no particularly useful purpose in the detection of counterfeits. This work stands pre-eminent and alone. The only objection heretofore made to it was its high price. It is now reduced to as low a price as it can possibly be afforded, and the present edition improved.
H. C. F.