Sale 1093 — The Curtis Collection: U.S. 20th Century and Air Post
Sale Date — Monday-Tuesday, 23-24 February, 2015
Category — 1914-16 Rotary Press Coils (Scott 448-459)
1c Green, Coil (448). Mint N.H. joint line pair, bright color, Very Fine and choice, ex Scarsdale, with 1998 P.F. certificate
2c Red, Ty. I, Coil (449). Lightly hinged, bright color, two small corner creases, small signature in ink and pencil note on gum, appears Very Fine, ex Fox, with 1991 P.F. certificate
2c Red, Ty. I, Coil (449). Pair, attractive margins and centering, characteristic rich color.FINE PAIR OF THE 1915 2-CENT TYPE I VERTICAL COIL.
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).
With 1997 P.F. certificate
2c Red, Ty. I, Coil (449). Mint N.H. joint line strip of four, top pair light purple "Jan 6, 1916" backstamp, bottom pair pencil notations on gum, perfectly even imperforate margins, characteristic deep Red color, detailed impressionVERY FINE. AN EXTRAORDINARILY RARE JOINT LINE STRIP OF FOUR OF THE 1915 2-CENT TYPE I VERTICAL COIL.
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 strip of four offered here is the only example contained in Power Search in Mint N.H. condition (despite the markings on the gum). The Zoellner collection contained a hinged example.
With 1972 and 2008 P.F. certificates, the latter stating Mint N.H.. Scott Retail as Mint N.H.
2c Red, Ty. I, Coil (449). Joint line pair, bright color, choice centering for this difficult Rotary coil issueVERY FINE JOINT LINE PAIR OF THE 2-CENT VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 449. VERY SCARCE IN ANY 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).
Dealer's tiny backstamp on bottom stamp (Ward). Pencil notation on gum of top stamp. With 1967 P.F. certificate
2c Red, Ty. I, Coil (449). Joint line pair, lightly hinged, attractive color in the characteristic shadeFINE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM JOINT LINE PAIR OF THE 2-CENT VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 449.
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).
Ward handstamp on reverse and with 2003 P.F. certificate
2c Red, Ty. I, Coil (449). Choice centering, neat wavy-line machine cancel, Very Fine, with 2000 P.F. certificate
2c Red, Ty. I, Coil (449). Pair, radiant color, New York duplex cancel, well-centered for this difficult issueVERY FINE AND CHOICE USED PAIR OF THE 2-CENT TYPE I VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 449.
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).
With 1963 and 2003 P.F. certificates
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 http://siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/449/449.pdf , records a total of ten plus one in a strip of four. Of these at least six have faults.
Census No. 449-CAN-LP-10. With 1971 and 2003 P.F. certificates
2c Red, Ty. I, Coil (449). Tied by "New Haven Conn. Westville Sta. Mar. 18, 1916? 4 PM" duplex cancel on mourning cover to Bridgeport Conn., matching enclosure acknowledging a sympathy message, Very Fine, with 2004 P.S.E. certificate
2c Carmine, Ty. III, Coil (450). Joint line pair, intact perforations at top and bottom, radiant color, machine cancel, Fine and scarce, ex Natalee Grace, with 2012 P.S.E. certificate (VG 50), the numeric grade is a bit harsh
2c Carmine, Ty. III, Coil (450). Bright color, tied by bold "New York N.Y. Station O Dec. 21, 1915 5-PM" machine cancel on importer's corner card cover to Melrose Mass., stamp lifted and replaced to confirm watermark, Very Fine, the earliest documented use of Scott 450, ex Hadley and Berkun, with 1989 P.F. certificate
1c Green, Coil (452). Mint N.H. joint line pair, bright color, wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $500.00)
1c Green, Coil (452). Joint line pair, crisp impression and bright shade, neat duplex and slogan cancels, Very Fine, surprisingly scarce in used condition, ex Twigg-Smith and Natalee Grace, with 2001 and 2012 P.F. certificates (VF 80)
2c Carmine Rose, Ty. I, Coil (453). Mint N.H., intense shade and impression on bright paper, gorgeous centering with Jumbo margins, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb stamp, with 2005 P.F. and 2006 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $1,250.00 as 95, $2,500.00 as 98), this is the highest grade awarded and it is shared by only one other, it is a difficult stamp to obtain in the higher grades
2c Carmine Rose, Ty. I, Coil (453). Joint line strip of four, lightly hinged, well-balanced margins, Very Fine, with 2004 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine Rose, Ty. I, Coil (453). Two joint line pairs, unused with slightly mount glazed original gum, pencil notation, Fine, used with bold duplex cancel, small faint stain spot between stamps, Very Fine, with 2003 P.F. certificate
2c Red, Ty. II, Coil (454). Mint N.H. pair, choice centering with bright color, Extremely Fine, with 1991 P.F. and 2005 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90; SMQ $575.00)
2c Red, Ty. II, Coil (454). Mint N.H. joint line pair, beautifully centered with parts of adjoining stamps at sides, deep rich color, Extremely Fine, with 2000 P.F. certificate
2c Red, Ty. II, Coil (454). Mint N.H. joint line strip of four, bright color, Very Fine and choice, with 1992 P.F. certificate
2c Red, Ty. II, Coil (454). Joint line pair, bright color, bold oval duplex cancel, Extremely Fine
3c Violet, Coil (456). Lightly hinged, detailed impression, unusually wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2012 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, Superb 98; SMQ $750.00), this is the highest grade awarded
3c Violet, Coil (456). Lightly hinged, brilliant color, well-balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 2012 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF 90; SMQ $775.00)
3c Violet, Coil (456). Joint line pair, crisp impression and bright color, balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 1986 P.F. certificate
3c Violet, Coil (456). Joint line strip of four, lightly hinged, fresh color and proof-like impression, right stamp with light vertical crease, otherwise Very Fine and choice, with 2002 P.F. certificate
3c Violet, Coil (456). Joint line pair, beautiful centering and fresh color, bold "Niles Mich." oval cancels, Very Fine and choice, ex Twigg-Smith, with 1987 and 2001 P.F. certificates
4c Brown, Coil (457). Mint N.H. pair, rich color on fresh paper, wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2011 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $400.00)
4c Brown, Coil (457). Mint N.H. joint line strip of four, brilliant color, a few minor perf separations between right pair, still Extremely Fine, with 2005 P.F. certificate
4c Brown, Coil (457). Joint line pair and single, both with portion of manila leader tape at right, cancelled by Annapolis Md. double ovals on Navy Athletic Association registered cover to Philadelphia, Nov. 5, 1915 Annapolis backstamp, Nov. 6, 1915 Philadelphia receiving backstamp, slightly reduced at bottom, Very Fine, the earliest documented use of Scott 457 as well as a rare use of a line pair on cover, this coil was apparently released for general use in Feb. 1916 but a small quantity was sent to Annapolis in late 1915 and used on covers to send tickets for the Army-Navy game, ex Siskin (who speculated that this was a first day cover), Agris and Berkun, with 1989 A.P.S. certificate
5c Blue, Coil (458). Mint N.H. joint line pair, incredibly well-centered with balanced margins, wonderfully fresh, strong color, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $1,000.00)
2c Carmine, Ty. I, Imperforate Coil (459). Mint N.H. pair, brilliant color, ample margins, Very Fine
2c Carmine, Ty. I, Imperforate Coil (459). Mint N.H. joint line pair with the usual crease between, fresh and Fine-Very Fine, with 1991 P.F. certificate