Sale 1093 — The Curtis Collection: U.S. 20th Century and Air Post
Sale Date — Monday-Tuesday, 23-24 February, 2015
Category — 1908-10 Washington-Franklin Coils (Scott 348-356)
1c Green, Coil (348). Mint N.H., deep rich color, exceptional centering with wide and balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $275.00)
1c Green, Coil (348). Mint N.H. guide line strip of four, rich color, Very Fine, Scott Retail as guide line pair and two singles
1c Green, Coil (348). Guide line pair, lightly hinged with pencil notations on gum, rich color, well-centered, Extremely Fine, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, VF-XF 85; SMQ $350.00)
1c Green, Coil (348). Guide line strip of four, deep rich color and proof-like impression, bold strikes of "Chicago Ill. Oct. 30" duplex cancel, Very Fine and choice, a scarce used line strip of four, with 2002 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail as guide line pair and two singles
1c Green, Coil (348). Guide line pair, outstanding centering, oval cancels, top stamp small expert repair in right margin, otherwise Extremely Fine, scarce used guide line pair, with 2000 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Coil (349). Mint N.H. pair, vivid color, unusually choice centering, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2009 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $2,100.00)
2c Carmine, Coil (349). Guide line pair, bright color, well-centered, Very Fine and choice, ex Lessin, with 1992 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Coil (349). Wide margins, tied by "San Francisco Cal. May 14, 1909 11:30 AM" machine cancel on tea merchant multicolored corner card cover to Saginaw Mich., cover with some mounting scuffs not affecting the stamp, markings or corner card, Very Fine, the earliest known use of Scott 349, ex Berkun, with 2002 A.P.S. certificate
4c Orange Brown, Coil (350). Mint N.H. pair, deep rich color, attractive margins and centering, fresh and Very Fine, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (VF 80; SMQ $1,000.00), this pair is exceedingly difficult to find Mint N.H. in the higher grades -- only three have been graded higher than 80
4c Orange Brown, Coil (350). Mint N.H. guide line strip of four, rich color, attractive centering, fresh and crispVERY FINE AND SCARCE MINT NEVER-HINGED LINE STRIP OF FOUR OF THE 1909 4-CENT COIL, SCOTT 350.
With 1990 P.F. certificate
4c Orange Brown, Coil (350). Guide line pair, lightly hinged, handsome wide imperforate margins, almost perfectly centered with rich colorEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A BEAUTIFUL GUIDE LINE PAIR OF THE 4-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 350.
Ex Killian. With 1988 P.F. and 2006 P.S.E. certificates (OGph, XF-Superb 95; SMQ $3,250.00).
4c Orange Brown, Coil (350). Guide line strip of four, top stamp h.r., others (incl. guide line pair) Mint N.H., deep rich color, Fine-Very Fine, with 2011 P.S.E. certificate, Scott Retail as a guide line pair and two singles
4c Orange Brown, Coil (350). Guide line pair, deep rich color, Very Fine, violet backstamps "-1913" on top and "-1914" on bottom, with 1998 P.F. certificate
4c Orange Brown, Coil (350). Guide line pair, bright color, Benton Harbor Mich. oval cancel, diagonal wrinkle at upper left of top stamp, appears Fine, according to Johl (Vol. 1, page 153), this coil was issued approximately 18 months after the horizontal coil Scott 354 and was in use for a short period of time, our census of used guide line pairs records only seven, plus one contained in a strip of four, five of the eight were used in Benton Harbor Mich., with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (G 30)
5c Blue, Coil (351). Lightly hinged, unusually wide margins all around, almost perfect centering, Extremely Fine Gem, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF-Superb 95 Jumbo; SMQ $400.00 as 95, $725.00 as 98)
5c Blue, Coil (351). Mint N.H. guide line strip of four, deep rich color, bottom pair with tiny natural gum skipsVERY FINE MINT NEVER-HINGED GUIDE LINE STRIP OF FOUR OF THE 5-CENT VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 351.
Ex Argentum. With 1999 P.F. certificate
5c Blue, Coil (351). Guide line strip of four, top stamp lightly hinged, other three (incl. the guide line pair) Mint N.H., exceptionally bright and fresh, Very Fine, with 2002 P.F. certificate, catalogued as a guide line pair and two singles
5c Blue, Coil (351). Guide line pair, deep rich color, bold strike of duplex cancel, top stamp small thin spot at left not mentioned on accompanying certificate, Fine appearance, scarce used guide line pair, ex Lake Shore, with 1997 P.F. certificate
5c Blue, Coil (351). Tied by "Boston Mass. Sep. 21, 1909 2-AM North Postal Station" machine cancel on cover to Flores, Buenos Aires, receiving backstamp, stamp with small corner crease and small surface scrape, cover including original contents with some edgewear, Very Fine appearance, the earliest documented use of Scott 351, which is rare on any contemporary cover, Power Search contains no other examples, ex Hadley and Berkun, with 1992 P.F. certificate
1c Green, Coil (352). Mint N.H. pair with 2mm spacing, intense shade and impression, choice centering with well-proportioned margins, fresh and Extremely Fine, this coil is considerably more difficult to find with such choice centering with 2mm spacing than it is with 3mm spacing, ex Whitman, with 2003 P.F. certificate
1c Green, Coil (352). Guide line pair, lightly hinged, choice centering, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, XF 90; SMQ $1,500.00)
1c Green, Coil (352). Pair with 2mm spacing, well-centered, bold strikes of Kansas City double oval cancel, bright color, Very Fine, with 2002 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Coil (353). Guide line pair, single hinge mark with small h.r., bright color and crisp impressionEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING GUIDE LINE PAIR OF THE 2-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 353.
With 2008 P.S.E. certificate (OGh, XF-Superb 95; SMQ $2,250.00). This is the highest grade awarded to any guide line pair of Scott 353, either hinged or Mint N.H. and it is shared by only one other. The highest Mint N.H. grade is a 90.
2c Carmine, Coil (353). Guide line strip of four, wide imperforate margins, bright color, couple minor perf separations in line pair, Very Fine and choice, with 2002 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Coil (353). Guide line pair, lightly hinged, bright color, fresh and Fine, with 2002 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Coil (353). Pair, bold 1911 duplex cancel, right stamp small corner crease, Fine appearance, we have offered only one used guide line pair of Scott 353 (see lot 134), used pairs are also very rare, ex Lake Shore, with 2007 P.F. certificate
2c Carmine, Coil (353). Guide line pair, deep rich color and proof-like impression, bold strikes of Salem Mass. oval registry cancels, separated and expertly rejoined, small surface scrape at lower right, otherwise Fine, apart from the 10c (Scott 356), this is the rarest of the Perf 12 coils to obtain as a used guide line pair, ex Natalee Grace, with 2003 P.F. certificate on a 1911 registered cover (cover accompanies which also has an 8c stamp on it)
4c Orange Brown, Coil (354). Mint N.H., choice centering with Jumbo margins, intense shade, Extremely Fine, a huge stamp, ex Scarsdale, with 1998 P.S.E. and 2000 P.F. certificates
4c Orange Brown, Coil (354). Pair with 3mm spacing, lightly hinged, rich color, extra wide margins, Very Fine and choice, with 2008 P.S.E. certificate
4c Orange Brown, Coil (354). Guide line pair, brilliant color, perfectly centered with wide and balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB GUIDE LINE PAIR OF THE 4-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 354.
With 2007 P.S.E. certificate (OGph, Superb 98; SMQ $4,750.00). This is the only line pair in any gum condition to receive a Superb 98 grade. The next highest grade is a 95 (highest Mint N.H. is a 90).
4c Orange Brown, Coil (354). Guide line pair, h.r. on left stamp, wide margins, rich color, Very Fine, with 2007 P.S.E. certificate (OGh VF 80; SMQ $1,500.00)
4c Orange Brown, Coil (354). Jumbo margins, lovely color, Washington D.C. oval cancel, Very Fine, with 2010 P.S.E. certificate
4c Orange Brown, Coil (354). Guide line pair, rich color, bold cancel, Fine and scarce, with 1999 P.F. certificate
5c Blue, Coil (355). Guide line pair, minor h.r., rich color on fresh paper, Extremely Fine, an elusive line pair with such choice centering, with 2002 P.F. certificate
5c Blue, Coil (355). Guide line strip of four, lightly hinged, pretty bright color, well-centered, fresh and Very Fine, with 1995 P.F. certificate
5c Blue, Coil (355). Guide line pair, bright shade, neat strikes of oval cancel, sensible hinge reinforcement between but only a couple minor perf separations, tiny nick above top right perf on left stamp, otherwise Fine, this is an exceedingly rare used guide line pair, we have offered only two others since 2001, with 2006 P.S.E. certificate for a strip of four
10c Yellow, Coil (356). Vivid color, extra wide top and bottom margins, bright and freshVERY FINE AND CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE SCARCE 1909 10-CENT PERF 12 COIL, SCOTT 356.
Ex Golden Oak. With 1980 P.F. certificate
10c Yellow, Coil (356). Pair, spectacular color, attractive margins and centering, accompanying P.S.E. certificate mentions a tiny scuff in the bottom right margin of the right stamp, it is all but invisible and not mentioned on two P.F. certificatesFINE-VERY FINE PAIR OF THE 1909 10-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 356.
With clear 1988 and 2008 P.F. certificates (F-VF 75). With 2007 P.S.E. certificate mentioning a tiny scuff (OGph, F-VF 75, SMQ $4,650.00).
10c Yellow, Coil, (356). Mint N.H. guide line pair, radiant color on post-office fresh paper, left stamp tiny natural inclusion in Washington's foreheadVERY FINE. THE 10-CENT PERF 12 COIL IS EXCEEDINGLY RARE AS A GUIDE LINE PAIR IN CHOICE MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION.
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.
With 1972 P.F. certificate
10c Yellow, Coil (356). Guide line strip of four, sensibly reinforced with hinges, classic bright color of this rare and elusive coil, nicely centeredVERY FINE. A RARE GUIDE LINE STRIP OF FOUR OF THE 10-CENT PERF 12 COIL, SCOTT 356.
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. Most guide line strips have been broken to feed collector demand for guide line pairs and singles.
With 2005 P.F. certificate
10c Yellow, Coil (356). Bright color, wide and well-balanced margins, bold oval cancel, light diagonal creases at top and tiny corner thin spot at top rightVERY FINE APPEARING USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1909 10-CENT COIL, SCOTT 356.
With 2006 P.F. certificate
10c Yellow, Coil (356). Pair, vivid color, two neat strikes of Washington D.C. double oval cancelFINE. ONLY FIFTEEN GENUINE USED MULTIPLES OF THE 10-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 356, ARE RECORDED.
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 twelve pairs, one strip of four and two strips 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. (this pair was not on that cover). It also contained other denominations. 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.
Census No. 356-CAN-PR-14. 1960 P.F. certificate no longer accompanies. With 2000 P.F. certificate.