SPECIAL NOTE: There are many United States stamps that look similar to the rarities listed below. Some of the differences between expensive rarities and common stamps can be subtle, including differences in perforation, shade and size. These stamps should have certificates from a recognized expertizing committee, such as The Philatelic Foundation or P.S.E.

Our census of unused Scott 314A records four pairs, two guide line pairs and nine singles, for a total of 21 unused stamps. Of these, one pair and one guide line pair are similarly centered. The pair illustrated above (Census No. 314A-OG-PR-02) has since been broken into two singles. Our unpublished census contains 44 used examples, including three strips of three (one on cover), three singles on separate covers, and 32 single used copies.

With the rising popularity of vending and affixing machines, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing received numerous requests from manufactures for supplies of imperforate stamps, which could then be privately perforated to conform to each firm's machine. In May 1908, a supply of 25 sheets (400 stamps per sheet) of the 4c 1902 Issue, without perforations, was delivered to the Schermack Mailing Machine Co. in Detroit. The entire supply was cut into coils with Schermack Type III perforations, designed for the firm's patented affixing machine and delivered to the Winfield Printing Co. for use on mass mailings of advertising material. Approximately 6,000 were used on a mailing for Hamilton Carhartt Manufacturer, and almost all of the 4,000 balance were used on a mailing for Burroughs Adding Machine Co.

All of the Scott 314A stamps that exist in unused condition originate from a local Detroit stamp collector, Karl Koslowski, who was the only one able to purchase some of the 4c Imperforates--either from the Winfield Printing Company or from the Schermack firm. His earliest account of the event appeared two years later in the Philadelphia Stamp News, and is considered to be the most reliable of several conflicting stories told by Koslowski (and interpreted by others) at later dates. In the 1910 article, Koslowski explains that he purchased 50 stamps and expected to be able to buy more, but the supply was deleted when he returned. We can account for 32 of the 50 stamps Koslowski claims he acquired. There are 21 unused stamps currently in our census, all of which must have come from him, and he used at least 11 stamps on mail to friends, including the strip of three on a Koslowski cover, two used strips of three off cover (the mass mailings were all singles) and
two singles on separate Koslowski covers. The earliest known cover is dated at Detroit on May 27, 1908, from Koslowski to a friend in Austria, and the latest is dated April 8, 1909, which was mailed to him using a sheet-margin single from Sicklerville, New Jersey. Apart from the stamps Koslowski used, there is one recorded commercial cover (June 2, 1908) and approximately 32 used single stamps, most of which were probably removed from the mass-mailing covers.

Census No. History: PFC:	314A-OG-PR-01 Ex Koslowski, Schmalzreidt, Green Lilly Coll. - RAS 2/7/1968, Lot 276 (as strip of five) - $26,000 RAS 4/20/1985 (1985 Rarities), Lot 263 (as strip of five) 150125 as strip of four “Genuine” Originally stamps 4 and 5 of strip of 5 with Census Nos. 314-OG-PR-02 and 314A-OG-14	314A-OG-PR-02 Left stamp Mint N.H. Ex Koslowski, Schmalzreidt,  Col. Green Coll. Lilly Coll. - RAS 2/7/1968, Lot 276 (as strip of five) - $26,000 RAS 4/20/1985 (1985 Rarities), Lot 263 (as strip of five) McNall Coll. - Sup. 10/26/1992, Lot 386 (as pair) Zoellner Coll. - RAS Sale 804, 10/8/1998, Lot 523 - $105,000 150125 as strip of four “Genuine” 153564 “Genuine” Originally stamps 2 and 3 of strip of 5 with Census Nos. 314-OG-PR-01 and 314A-OG-14 Now exists as two singles	314A-OG-PR-03 3524 “Genuine”	314A-OG-PR-04 Cromwell Coll. - Heiman 11/7/1957, Lot 151 - $4,000 Engel Coll. - Corinphila 5/25/1975 8682 “Genuine” 50290 “Genuine”
Census No. History: PFC:	314A-OG-PR-05 Daniels 6/10/1955 - “heavy diagonal crease” Never certified by P.F.	314A-OG-LP-06 Cole Coll. - RAS 2/24/1988, Lot 1555 - $135,000 Christie’s 9/27/1995 190488 “Genuine previously hinged”	314A-OG-LP-07 Kelleher 10/5/1977 Drucker Coll. - RAS Sale 851, 10/9/2002, lot 291 - $200,000 65342 “Genuine”	314A-OG-08 Ambassador Coll. - RAS 4/27/1966, Lot 354 "microscopic tear at left" RAS 6/23/1967 "minute tear at left" 19643 “Genuine with tear at left”
Census No. History: PFC:	314A-UNC-09 Kelleher 5/23/1980 49220 “Genuine without gum”	314A-OG-10 McNall Coll. - Sup. 10/26/1992, Lot 386 259764 “Genuine”	314A-OG-11 RAS 4/29/1981 43666 “Genuine”	314A-UNC-12 Kelleher 1/29/1980 302697 “Genuine, rebacked sealing a large tear which nearly severed the stamp horizontally”
	Illustration Not Available
Census No. History: PFC:	314A-OG-13 Miller Coll., NYPL	314A-OG-14   Mint N.H. Ex Koslowski, Schmalzreidt, Green Lilly Coll. - RAS 2/7/1968, Lot 276 (as strip of five) - $26,000 RAS 4/20/1985 (1985 Rarities), Lot 263 (as strip of five) Originally stamp 1 in strip of 5 with 314-OG-PR-01 and 02

Note: Census No. 314A-OG-PR-02 is now two singles. The left stamp is Mint Never Hinged.

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