The difference between a copy of an item and the item itself is huge. For example, I have a copy of the Constitution that supposedly was printed on the same press that the Constitution was printed on. However, my copy of the Constitution clearly has no more significance to the public than my copies of the textbooks I own. It is the original that has staying power, and it is the original that makes people want copies of it. The same goes for books; the original book is much, much more intriguing than the less-than-perfect copies. With old manuscripts, the original is still even more valuable, but the copies are extremely valuable as well. In seeing hand-done work, you are able to tell so much about the author or penman, and how each individual book has its own flavor to it. Even though we looked at the Nuremberg Chronicle last week, I couldn’t help but think that to see that book in person, and see all of the woodcut pictures and maps, was truly amazing. No current-day printed copy could have captured the magnificence of that book.

http://www.beloit.edu/nuremberg/inside/about/editions.htm