Sale 968B — The Alan B. Whitman Collection, Part Three: 1902-34 Issues, B-O-B
Sale Date — Tuesday-Friday, 22-25 September, 2009
Category — 1908-10 Washington-Franklin Issues (Scott 331-356)
10c Yellow, Coil (356). Mint N.H. pair, incredibly wide margins, essentially perfect centering, intense colorEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED PAIR OF THE 10-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 356, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED XF-SUPERB 95 BY P.S.E. THIS IS BY FAR THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED TO ANY MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THIS COIL.
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 computerized records encompass fourteen years of auctions. In that time we have offered in Mint N.H. condition only four singles, three guide line pairs (including the single and line pair offered in this sale) and three pairs.
With 1996 P.F. and 2008 P.S.E. certificates (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $35,000.00). This is the only Mint N.H. example of Scott 356 in any format to achieve the grade of XF-Superb 95. A Mint N.H. pair has been graded 80, and two pairs and one single in OGph condition have been graded 95.
