Sale 1140 — Outstanding United States Stamps, featuring The Irwin Weinberg Inventory
Sale Date — Wednesday-Friday, 9-11 November, 2016
Category — 1908-10 Washington-Franklin Issues (Scott 331-356)
1c Green (331). Jumbo margins and precise centering, wavy-line machine cancel, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2009 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98 Jumbo; SMQ $235.00), only six have been graded higher
4c Orange Brown (334). Mint N.H., Jumbo margins and choice centering, Extremely Fine, with 1999 and 2007 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90 Jumbo; SMQ $325.00)
5c Blue (335). Part imprint selvage at bottom, barely hinged, intense shade and impression, Jumbo margins and perfect centering, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb stamp, with 2016 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, Superb 98 Jumbo; unpriced in SMQ as previously hinged above the grade of 95), this is the highest grade awarded to an unused example of Scott 335 and is equaled by no others (five Mint N.H. are graded 98)
15c Pale Ultramarine (340). Full top imprint and plate no. 4951 block of six, exceptionally fresh, mixed centering, including a well-centered and wide-margined stamp at top left, hinged in the top middle and bottom right stamps, other four Mint N.H., Fine-Very Fine, ex Todd
50c Violet (341). Lightly hinged, pretty pastel shade on bright paper, balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 1980 P.F. and 2015 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, XF 90; SMQ $475.00)
$1.00 Violet Brown (342). Mint N.H., intense shade on post-office fresh paper, outstanding centeringEXTREMELY FINE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1909 $1.00 WASHINGTON, SCOTT 342. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT DENOMINATIONS OF THE SET TO OBTAIN IN SUCH CHOICE CONDITION.
With 1981 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90; SMQ $2,750.00). Only three have graded higher (two at 95 and one at 98), and only four others share this grade.
$1.00 Violet Brown (342). Block of four, small h.r. at center, top right stamp small internal tear at bottom, otherwise Fine block
5c Blue, Imperforate (347). Mint N.H. top margin pair with guide line and arrow, huge margins all around, rich color on fresh paper, Extremely Fine Gem position pair, with 2016 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100; pairs unpriced in SMQ)
2c Carmine, Coil (349). Guide line pair, lightly hinged, bright color, fresh and Very Fine, with 1975 P.F. and 2015 P.S.E. certificates
2c Carmine, Coil (349). Guide line pair, slightly disturbed original gum, strong color, nice margins, number in pencil on gum, Very Fine, with 2016 P.F. certificate
1c Green, Coil (352). Mint N.H. guide line pair, rich color and detailed impression, extra wide margins and exceptionally well-centeredEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED GUIDE LINE PAIR OF THE ONE-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 352.
This is easily one of the finest line pairs of Scott 352 we have encountered. With 1984 and 2016 P.F. certificates
2c Carmine, Coil (353). Guide line pair, lightly hinged, slight color oxidation, near perfect centering, Extremely Fine, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF 90; SMQ $1,500.00), with note from P.S.E. stating this will grade 95 if the oxidation is reversed
2c Carmine, Coil (353). Guide line pair, radiant color, Very Fine and choice, with 2007 P.F. certificate
4c Orange Brown, Coil (354). Guide line pair, barest trace of hinging, deep rich color, outstanding centering and margins, Extremely Fine, a lovely guide line pair, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF 90; SMQ $2,500.00)
4c Orange Brown, Coil (354). Guide line pair, h.r, well-centered, left stamp diagonal crease and writing ink on back, appears Very Fine
4c Orange Brown, Coil (354). Guide line pair, rich color, couple minor perf separations, Fine
4c Orange Brown, Coil (354). Mint N.H., Jumbo margins, fresh and Very Fine, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate
5c Blue, Coil (355). Pair, intense shade and impression, well-centered, New York registry oval cancels, Very Fine and choice, rare this nice, with 1979 P.F. and 2016 P.S.E. certificates
10c Yellow, Coil (356). Mint N.H., vivid color, centered to top right but perfs clear of designFINE AND SCARCE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 356.
With 2010 A.P.S. certificate
10c Yellow, Coil (356). Pair, outstanding centering with well-balanced margins, vivid color, neat strikes of Philadelphia Pa. double oval cancel, completely soundEXTREMELY FINE. THIS IS THE FINEST OF ONLY SEVENTEEN RECORDED GENUINE USED MULTIPLES OF THE 10-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 356. A GREAT RARITY OF THE WASHINGTON-FRANKLIN ISSUES.
According to Johl (Volume 1, page 181), only 10,000 of the 10c Washington coil stamp were issued. They were made especially for a New York firm to send out advertising samples, similar to the 3c Orangeburg coil. Only a few rolls were sold to the firm, and the remaining rolls were distributed to some of the large post offices across the country. Dealers acquired several rolls, but because most contemporary collectors did not collect coils, many were used and destroyed.
Our census of Scott No. 356 in used multiples, available at http://siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/356/356.pdf , contains 14 pairs, one strip of four and one strip of three. Four of the pairs originated on the same cover, which was prepared by Henry Hammelman and mailed in August 1911 from Washington D.C. A guide line pair has been certified as genuine, but the cancel needs to be reexamined to see if it is one of the fakes produced during the last 20 years. Of the recorded pairs, only five or six are sound. Of the sound pairs, this is the best centered by far, making it an exceptional condition rarity among an already rare population of genuine used coils.
Census No. 356-CAN-PR-17. With 2016 P.F. certificate