He is chiefly remembered for his work "The Art of Excerpting" which in its day could be considered to be a precursor to the computer hard disk.

He studied at Helmstadt, and after travelling in France and Italy, he returned to his native city, where he practiced at the bar, and was appointed professor of morals and eloquence, which post he held until his death in 1699.

His principal work is a curious bibliographical piece respecting anonymous and pseudonymous writers, entitled "De Scriptis et Scriptoribus anonymis atque pseudonymis Syntagma".

Alexander Chalmers' General Biographical Dictionary provides the following information about Vincent Placcius:[6] Vincent Placcius was an eminent philologer of Hamburgh, where he was born in 1642, completed his studies at Helmstadt and Leipzig, and improved his talents by travelling in France and Italy.

When he returned, he applied himself to the bar, and afterwards became professor of morals and eloquence, in which situation he continued twenty-four years.