[DCRM-L] Publication date question

[Carpenter, Jane]

I think when smaller roman numerals precede larger ones, you subtract, rather than add.  See also the Wikipedia article on Roman numerals, which specifically mentions the use of IIX to represent "8".
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From: dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu [dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu] On Behalf Of Poremski, Molly D [molly.d.poremski at Vanderbilt.Edu]
Sent: Monday, November 22, 2010 1:54 PM
To: DCRM Revision Group List
Subject: Re: [DCRM-L] Publication date question

Ahhh, interesting! Thank you so much!

From: dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu [mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu] On Behalf Of Deborah J. Leslie
Sent: Monday, November 22, 2010 3:53 PM
To: DCRM Revision Group List
Subject: Re: [DCRM-L] Publication date question

I take it back. It doesn't appear to be a typo, but an alternate German way of spelling 1708. I did a keyword search in OCLC on the characters MDCCIIX, and a bunch of records came up with 1708 in the date field.

From: dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu [mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu] On Behalf Of Poremski, Molly D
Sent: Monday, 22 November, 2010 16:41
To: DCRM Revision Group List
Subject: Re: [DCRM-L] Publication date question

It’s: Historia ecclesiastica novi testamenti … / Christiani Kortholti.

There are a few records similar to it in OCLC (#38742277), all with the date of 1708, but that makes me think it could be 1712 as well.

Thank you!

From: dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu [mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu] On Behalf Of Deborah J. Leslie
Sent: Monday, November 22, 2010 3:36 PM
To: DCRM Revision Group List
Subject: Re: [DCRM-L] Publication date question

What's the book, Molly?

It must be a typo; if a printer really could realize savings from the printing of 7 characters instead of 8, he would have just used an Arabic date, which is only 4.

From: dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu [mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu] On Behalf Of Poremski, Molly D
Sent: Monday, 22 November, 2010 16:32
To: dcrm-l at lib.byu.edu
Subject: [DCRM-L] Publication date question

Hello everyone,

I’m currently cataloging a work with the publication date of: “MDCCIIX” printed in red ink.

Is this 1708 or 1712? Is it possible that the date was shortened by one character (MDCCIIX as opposed to MDCCVIII) to conserve printing costs? Was this a normal practice or merely a typo?

Thank you very much,
Molly

Molly D. Poremski
Cataloging Librarian
Jean and Alexander Heard Library
Vanderbilt University
419 21st Ave. S.
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 343-1965
molly.d.poremskI at vanderbilt.edu