Sale 976 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Friday, 29 September-2 October, 2009
Category — 1910-13 Washington-Franklin Issue (Scott 374-396)
2c Lake (375b). Dark true Lake color, fresh and crisp, Fine, scarce shade variety, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate
2c Lake (375b). Faintly hinged, small natural gum creases at left, otherwise Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate
5c Blue (378). Mint N.H., wide margins, almost perfectly centered, beautiful color, Extremely Fine Gem, with 1991 and 2005 P.F. certificates
8c Olive Green (380). Mint N.H. with part bottom imprint selvage, huge Jumbo margins and perfectly centered, very strong color on bright paperEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SPECTACULAR JUMBO-MARGINED 8-CENT 1908 ISSUE.
With 1986 P.F. and 2007 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $1,600.00 for 95, $6,500.00 for 98). This is one of only four awarded this grade, with only one higher
10c Yellow (381). Mint N.H. with part imprint selvage at bottom, vibrant color as fresh as the day it was printed, well-balanced margins, Extremely Fine, a pretty stamp, with 2003 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates
15c Pale Ultramarine (382). Mint N.H., choice margins and nearly perfect centering, beautiful pastel color, Extremely Fine, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $760.00), undergraded in our opinion
1c Green, Coil (387). Guide line pair, lightly hinged, certificate states "left stamp tiny toned spot top left" (appears to have been an inclusion that someone has since removed), otherwise Fine-Very Fine, with 2001 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Coil (388). Wavy-line machine cancel, centered top and right, Fine, very scarce used coil single, with 2003 P.S.E. certificate
3c Deep Violet, Orangeburg Coil (389). Deep rich color, neat wavy-line machine cancel from Orangeburg, small flaws incl. thin spotsFINE APPEARING EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 3-CENT ORANGEBURG COIL.
The Orangeburg coil was made by the Post Office Department in 1911, specifically for use by the Bell Pharmaceutical Company. The 3c coil stamps were used to send samples of their products to physicians. Due to the quantity of mail, they were put through the first-class cancelling machine at Orangeburg, New York. The Orangeburg coil stamps' use on third-class mail, and the fact that philatelists were generally unaware of their production accounts for their rarity.
With 1978 P.F. certificate
1c Green, Coil (390). Mint N.H. guide line pair, mathematically perfect centering, deep rich color on bright white paper, Extremely Fine Gem, a superb line pair in every respect, with 2009 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100; not priced in SMQ above the grade of 98, $640.00 as 98), only one other example has achieved this desirable grade with none higher
1c Green, Coil (390). Guide line pair, nicely centered, "Kansas City, Mo." roller cancel and two different Los Angeles markings, one appears to possibly be a flight cachet, Very Fine, with 2009 P.S.E. certificate
2c Carmine, Coil (391). Mint N.H. pair, remarkably well-centered, fresh, rich color, Extremely Fine, with photocopy of 2006 P.S.E. certificate for strip of four
1c Green, Coil (392). Pair, lightly hinged, perfectly centered with vibrant color, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2007 P.F. (for pair) and 2009 P.S.E. certificates (Gem 100; not priced in SMQ above grade of 98, $210.00 as 98), one of only two pairs (the other a guide line pair) to achieve this grade in the P.S.E. Population Report
3c Deep Violet, Coil (394). Guide line pair, choice margins and centering, duplex cancel with slight oily bleed, Extremely Fine, with 2009 P.S.E. certificate
4c Brown, Coil (395). Mint N.H., mathematically perfect centering with wide margins, brilliant color on post-office fresh paperEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS GORGEOUS COIL HAS BEEN GRADED GEM 100 BY P.S.E., WHICH IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO DATE.
Coils are especially difficult to find graded 100, because with perfs on two sides and no perfs on the other two, the measurements are almost never perfect.
With 2000 P.F. and 2009 P.S.E. certificates (Gem 100; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 98, SMQ $1,100.00 as 98). This is the highest grade awarded to date and the only example to achieve this grade.
5c Blue, Coil (396). Mint N.H., wide balanced margins, strong color and clear impression, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2006 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $1,050.00)