The Piedmont Collection of United States continued...

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED GUIDE LINE PAIR IN THE FINEST CONDITION ATTAINABLE.

With 1993 P.F. certificate (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. PROBABLY THE FINEST GUIDE LINE PAIR OF THIS VERTICAL COIL IN EXISTENCE. TRULY REMARKABLE.

According to Johl (Vol. 1, p. 111), the Bureau switched to Perf 8-1/2 for their coils after a very short period of time. The Perf 12 coils proved to be too susceptible to falling apart in the machines used to affix (and make) the coils. Scott 386 was one of the first to be discontinued.

With 1999 P.F. certificate (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THE 2-CENT 1911 PERF 12 HORIZONTAL COIL IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT OF ALL 20TH CENTURY UNITED STATES STAMPS TO FIND IN MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION.

This 2c coil was in production for only a short period of time before being superseeded by the Perf 8-1/2 issue. Due to the greater popularity of the horizontal coils with users, combined with a wary attitude by many collectors that early coils were simply trimmed stamps, many were used and few preserved. The rarity of this stamp in Mint N.H. condition cannot be understated. As an additional rarity factor, an even smaller percentage were produced with the 2mm spacing, making this centered example probably the finest known single.

With 1996 P.F. certificate (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN OUTSTANDING MINT NEVER-HINGED GUIDE LINE PAIR IN THE FINEST CONDITION ATTAINABLE.

The Perf 8-1/2 coil stamps were produced after the Bureau introduced a new machine to assist in the production of coil stamps. The earlier Perf 12 stamps were too fragile for use in the machine, which necessitated the change in perforation gauge from 12 to 8-1/2.

With 1987 and 2001 P.F. certificates (Image)