Sale 1188 — United States Stamp Treasures: The William H. Gross Collection
Sale Date — Wednesday, 3 October, 2018
Category — 1902-1908 Issue Coil Rarities, 6c 1918 Air Post First Day Cover
This cover bears a genuine example of one of the rarest stamps in the world, the 1908 2¢ Vertical Coil, Scott 321, of which four pairs are in private hands and one other single is recorded, but has not been seen in the last 47 years--from the perspective of provenance, this is the most fascinating of allDESCRIPTION
2¢ Carmine, Type I, Vertical Coil (321), deep rich color, well-centered, tied across both sides by “Indianapolis, Ind. Oct. 2 3:30PM 1908” postmark and wavy-line machine cancel on light blue cover addressed to “Mr. Randolph Prelate, Baker Vawter Co., Chicago, Ill.”, backflap with engraved McKinley Club seal of a “GOP” elephant, monogram “MC” and “INDIANAPOLIS” city location, sender’s signature “R. C. Griffith” below the printed design, with original letter enclosure on matching McKinley Club engraved stationery--mentions looking for employment, selling a house for “mother” and running into an old girlfriend
PROVENANCE
* Edwin P. Seebohm, San Francisco, June 1939, Sale 68, lot 16, to Milton
* Maxwell C. Milton (collection bought and sold privately through Weills; the cover sold privately to Zoellner, 1993)
* Robert Zoellner, Siegel Auction Galleries, 10/8-10/1998, Sale 804, lot 531, to William H. Gross
CENSUS, LITERATURE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES
* Siegel census no. 321-COV-01
* https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/321
* World Stamp Show 2016 Court of Honor (Gross)
CERTIFICATION
* The Philatelic Foundation (1994)
* Accompanied by notarized affidavit from Randolph Prelat, the addressee, dated June 21, 1939, attesting that: ...the certain United States Postage Stamp described on Page 4 of catalogue of Edwin P. Seebohm (68th Public Auction) as Lot No. 16 has not been tampered with and has been in my possession since it was originally mailed from Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1908
CONDITION NOTES
* Extremely Fine stamp and cover
VIEW PDF OF HISTORY AND COMMENTARY at https://siegelauctions.com/2018/1188/104.pdf
