Sale 1150 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday, 1 March, 2017
Category — 1908 First Government Coil Rarities (Scott 316-322)
1c Blue Green, Coil (316). Pair, h.r., deep rich color and proof-like impression, small tear in right margin of bottom stamp, tiny pinhole in upper left margin of top stamp is barely noticeableVERY FINE APPEARANCE. THE ONE-CENT VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 316, IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL UNITED STATES STAMPS. ONLY TWELVE PAIRS AND ONE SINGLE ARE RECORDED.
According to Johl, these first government coils were an experiment, and collectors and dealers were generally unaware of their existence. Regular sheets of 400 were printed and then perforated in only one direction. They were then cut into strips of 20. The strips were then pasted together to form rolls (one paste-up pair is known).
It is unknown exactly how many of these experimental coils were produced. They were superseded less than a year later by the Washington-Franklin issue coils, the first of which were issued on December 29, 1908.
Our census of Scott 316, which is available at our website at http://siegelauctions.com/enc/census/316.pdf , records nine pairs, three line pairs (one of which is rejoined) and an unused single, for a total of 25 stamps. None are known used.
Census No. 316-OG-PR-04 and offered to the market for the first time in more than 40 years. With 1976 and 2017 P.F. certificates
5c Blue, Coil (317). Pair, deep rich color, top stamp h.r.FINE. AN ATTRACTIVE PAIR OF THE RARE 5-CENT 1908 COIL, SCOTT 317.
Each with bold "HHH" backstamp. With 1973 P.F. certificate
5c Blue, Coil (317). Pair, deep rich color, some strengthened perforations between stampsFINE APPEARING PAIR OF THE RARE 5-CENT 1908 VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 317.
With 1964 P.F. certificate
1c Blue Green, Coil (318). Strip of four with paste-up and guideline at right, lightly hinged, deep rich color, choice centering for this difficult coil with unusually well-balanced top and bottom margins, light pencil notation on left stampVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE STRIP OF FOUR OF THE ONE-CENT 1908 HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 318.
There are probably fewer than six strips of four in existence, which are the largest recorded multiples. Most have been broken to feed collector demand for pairs and singles. The two examples listed in Power Search have a narrower top margin.
With 2017 P.S.E. certificate. Scott Retail as two pairs
1c Blue Green, Coil (318). Pair, h.r., deep rich colorFRESH AND VERY FINE PAIR OF THE 1908 ONE-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 318.
With 1970 P.F. certificate
1c Blue Green, Coil (318). Mint N.H., rich color, detailed impression, wide marginsVERY FINE. THIS MAY WELL BE THE ONLY MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1908 ONE-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 318, IN EXISTENCE.
This stamp is the basis of the Scott listing. No others, as singles or as part of multiples, are contained in either Power Search or the online records of The Philatelic Foundation.
Ex Whitman as part of a strip of three. With 1951, 2001 and 2009 P.F. certificates as strip of three. With 2016 P.F. certificate as Mint N.H. single. Scott Retail is outdated
2c Carmine, Coil (322). Pair, h.r., radiant color, wide marginsVERY FINE PAIR OF THE 1908 2-CENT SHIELD HORIZONTAL COIL.
With 1963 P.F. certificate for strip of four
2c Carmine, Coil (322). Lightly hinged, brilliant color, detailed impression, choice balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1908 2-CENT SHIELD HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 322.
With 1996 P.F. (for a pair) and 2017 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, XF 90; SMQ $10,000.00). Only two singles have been graded higher
2c Carmine, Coil (322). Brilliant color, lightly hingedA FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 1908 2-CENT SHIELD HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 322.
With 1975 P.F. certificate
2c Lake, Ty. II, Imperforate (320a). Mint N.H. with bottom plate no. 4704, massive margins all around and showing significant parts of all five adjoining stamps, deep rich color and proof-like impression, Extremely Fine Gem, a magnificent stamp and very desirable with the plate no., with 2017 P.S.E. certificates (Gem 100 Jumbo; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 100, SMQ $875.00 as Gem 100 from normal position)
2c Scarlet, Ty. I, Imperforate (320b). Mint N.H., Jumbo margins all around showing significant portions of all eight adjoining stamps, vivid color, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2015 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100 Jumbo; SMQ $750.00 as 100, unpriced in 100 Jumbo grade)