Sale 1202 — The James Depew Collection of Superb U.S. Coils and 20th Century Imperforate Issues
Sale Date — Wednesday, 22 May, 2019
Category — 1915 Perf 10 Vertical Rotary Press Coils, Single-Line Watermark (Scott 448-449)
1c Green, Coil (448). Mint N.H. joint line pair, outstanding centering, rich color, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2010 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $875.00), collectors lulled into the belief that this fairly common rotary press coil can be found in abundance in the higher grades should take note -- this 95 is the highest grade awarded to a Mint N.H. joint line pair and it is shared by only one other
1c Green, Coil (448). Mint N.H. pair, mathematically perfect centering, fresh color and paper, Extremely Fine Gem, a stunning coil pair, with 2011 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100; SMQ $2,000.00), the highest grade awarded to a pair of Scott 448 and it is shared by no others, the highest graded joint line pair is the 95 offered in the previous lot
1c Green, Coil (448). Mint N.H., mathematically perfect centering with wide margins, bright color on crisp paper, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100; SMQ $1,000.00), this is one of only three to achieve this perfect grade, with only one higher at 100J
1c Green, Coil (448). Joint line pair, wide margins and choice centering, neat strike of Hyden Ky. duplex cancel, Extremely Fine, with 2017 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90; SMQ $675.00), collectors lulled into the belief that this fairly common rotary press coil can be found in abundance in the higher grades should take note -- this 90 is the highest grade awarded to a used joint line pair and it is shared by only one other
1c Green, Coil (448). Pair, choice centering, rich color, neat Columbus Ga. circular datestamp cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $575.00), the highest grade awarded to a used pair and it is shared by only two others
1c Green, Coil (448). Outstanding centering, light face-free cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2014 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $475.00), only three grade higher
2c Red, Ty. I, Coil (449). Mint N.H. joint line pair, exceptional centering with wide margins all around, brilliant color and detailed impression.VERY FINE AND CHOICE. AN EXTRAORDINARILY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED JOINT LINE PAIR OF THE 1915 2-CENT TYPE I VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 449. AN OUTSTANDING RARITY.
The 2c Type I rotary plate was used very briefly to make vertical coils issued in late 1915. It was briefly used because the Type I plate was not very deeply engraved and the curvature of the rotary press yielded impressions lacking in some of the details. The Bureau noticed this immediately, and quickly replaced it with the Type III plate (according to Scott, the EDU for No. 449 is Oct. 29, 1915, and the EDU for Type III is Dec. 10, 1915). The joint line pair offered here, in Mint N.H. condition and with such choice centering and color, is a major rarity. Only a handful exist in such condition.
With 2002 P.F. and 2014 P.S.E. certificates (VF 80; SMQ $28,000.00). This is one of only three Mint N.H. joint line pairs of Scott 449 to achieve this grade, with only one higher (at 90)
2c Red, Ty. I, Coil (449). Mint N.H. pair attached to lead-in strip from end of the coil roll with printed "500 2c stamps rolled lengthwise perforated auto-wound", also with purple printed "4-of 148 - A.L."VERY FINE. A RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED PAIR OF THE 1915 2-CENT TYPE I VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 449, FROM THE END OF THE COIL ROLL.
The 2c Type I rotary plate was used very briefly to make vertical coils issued in late 1915. It was briefly used because the Type I plate was not very deeply engraved and the curvature of the rotary press yielded impressions lacking in some of the details. The Bureau noticed this immediately, and quickly replaced it with the Type III plate (according to Scott, the EDU for No. 449 is Oct. 29, 1915, and the EDU for Type III is Dec. 10, 1915). This Mint N.H. pair with the attached lead-in tape is a major rarity.
With 2000 P.F. certificate
2c Red, Ty. I, Coil (449). Mint N.H., brilliant color, beautiful centering with wide marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1915 2-CENT TYPE I VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 449, GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED.
The 2c Type I rotary plate was used very briefly to make vertical coils issued in late 1915. It was briefly used because the Type I plate was not very deeply engraved and the curvature of the rotary press yielded impressions lacking in some of the details. The Bureau noticed this immediately, and quickly replaced it with the Type III plate (according to Scott, the EDU for No. 449 is Oct. 29, 1915 and the EDU for Type III is Dec. 21, 1915).
With 2005 (copy, for a pair) and 2010 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $14,000.00). This is the highest grade awarded to any unused Scott 449, and it is shared by only one other Mint N.H. single
2c Red, Ty. I, Coil (449). Joint line pair, radiant color, duplex datestamp cancel, intact perfs and well clear at top and bottom, center perfs into bottom stamp, but this actually serves a good purpose by leaving the joint line complete, bottom stamp two light vertical creasesFINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE USED JOINT LINE PAIR OF THE 2-CENT TYPE I VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 449. ONE OF THE GREAT RARITIES OF UNITED STATES COIL COLLECTING.
The 2c Type I rotary plate was used very briefly to make vertical coils issued in late 1915. It was briefly used because the Type I plate was not very deeply engraved and the curvature of the rotary press yielded impressions lacking in some of the details. The Bureau noticed this immediately, and quickly replaced it with the Type III plate (according to Scott, the EDU for No. 449 is Oct. 29, 1915, and the EDU for Type III is Dec. 10, 1915).
Our census of Scott 449 used joint line pairs, available at our website at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/449 , records a total of ten plus one in a strip of four and one in a strip of seven. Of these at least seven have faults and three have not been examined in recent years so condition is unknown to us.
Census No. 449-CAN-LP-10. Ex Curtis. With 1971, 2003 and 2015 P.F. certificates
2c Red, Ty. I, Coil (449). Pair, radiant color, New York duplex cancel, well-centered for this difficult issue, completely soundVERY FINE AND CHOICE USED PAIR OF THE 2-CENT TYPE I VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 449. VERY RARE IN THIS CONDITION.
The 2c Type I rotary plate was used very briefly to make vertical coils issued in late 1915. It was briefly used because the Type I plate was not very deeply engraved and the curvature of the rotary press yielded impressions lacking in some of the details. The Bureau noticed this immediately, and quickly replaced it with the Type III plate (according to Scott, the EDU for No. 449 is Oct. 29, 1915, and the EDU for Type III is Dec. 10, 1915).
Ex Curtis. With 1963, 2003 P.F. and 2015 P.S.E. certificates (VF 80; SMQ $7,250.00). This is the highest grade awarded to a used pair of Scott 449, and it is shared by only one other
2c Red, Ty. I, Coil (449). Essentially perfect centering, brilliant color, neat machine cancelEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST USED EXAMPLES OF THE 2-CENT VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 449, IN EXISTENCE. THIS STAMP HAS BEEN GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E. -- THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED.
With 2008 and 2014 P.S.E. certificates (Superb 98; SMQ $4,500.00). This is the highest grade awarded to an example of Scott 449 in any format or condition. Only three other used singles share this lofty grade.
2c Carmine, Ty. III, Coil (450). Mint N.H. joint line pair, brilliant color, choice centering with wide margins side-to-sideEXTREMELY FINE. THE 2-CENT 1915 TYPE III VERTICAL ROTARY COIL, SCOTT 450, IS VERY RARE AS A MINT NEVER-HINGED JOINT LINE PAIR IN ANYTHING APPROACHING A HIGH GRADE.
Ex "Hanover". With 2005 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $1,300.00). This is the highest grade awarded to a Mint N.H. joint line pair of Scott 450 and the only example to achieve it. The SMQ value is out of date as this pair realized $3,750 hammer in our 2016 sale of the "Hanover" collection
2c Carmine, Ty. III, Coil (450). Mint N.H. pair, flawlessly centered, bright color, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $750.00), as mentioned in the previous lot this is a notoriously difficult stamp to find in superb Mint N.H. condition, not surprisingly this is the only pair of this stamp to have been awarded the lofty grade of 98, with none graded higher, SMQ is very low in our opinion
2c Carmine, Ty. III, Coil (450). Mint N.H., radiant color on crisp paper, phenomenal centering with wide and balanced margins all around, Extremely Fine Gem, superb in every respect, with 2011 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $375.00), the highest grade awarded and shared by only two others, SMQ is very low in our opinion
2c Carmine, Ty. III, Coil (450). Pair, outstanding centering and margins, deep rich color, neat "Benton Harbor Mich. Mar. 28, 1918" duplex datestamp, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2002 and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $575.00), this is a notoriously difficult stamp to find in superb condition -- either unused or used, this is the only used pair awarded the grade of 95 with none higher, the highest graded used joint line pair is only 75 (the late Mr. Depew had one but he did not deign to place it into his main collection, so it is not offered here), SMQ is very low in our opinion
2c Carmine, Ty. III, Coil (450). Outstanding centering and margins, fresh color, oval grid cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2016 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $225.00), despite the modest SMQ value this is a rare coil to find in the higher grades, only one grades higher (at 100) and six share this grade