3c Deep Violet, Orangeburg Coil (389). Centered to right, small tear at top, lifted and hinged in place, tied by "Orangeburg N.Y. May 1 5PM 1911" wavy-line machine cancel on light blue envelope with "Bell & Company Incorporated Manufacturing Chemists" corner card to White Plains N.Y., May 2 receiving backstamp, cover with small scuff spots at left from erased pencil notations of no consequence

FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE ON-COVER USE OF THE 3-CENT ORANGEBURG COIL. ONLY 13 ORANGEBURG COIL COVERS HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED AS GENUINE BY THE PHILATELIC FOUNDATION.

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 1991 P.F. certificate. Signed Raymond H. Weill and Spencer Anderson

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