Sale 968B — The Alan B. Whitman Collection, Part Three: 1902-34 Issues, B-O-B
Sale Date — Tuesday-Friday, 22-25 September, 2009
Category — 1902-08 Issue (Scott 315-318)
5c Blue, Imperforate (315). Mint N.H. pair, huge margins incl. top sheet margin with part arrow, intense shade and impression, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 1999 P.F. certificate
5c Blue, Imperforate (315). Mint N.H., huge margins incl. bottom right corner sheet margins, intense shade and impression, Extremely Fine, a beautiful position piece, with 1994 P.F. certificate
1c Blue Green, Coil (316). Guide line pair, top stamp h.r., bottom stamp lightly hinged, intense shade and impression, top stamp tiny surface scuff in margin at top centerVERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS ONE OF ONLY TWO INTACT GUIDE LINE PAIRS OF THE 1908 ONE-CENT VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 316. ONE OF THE GREATEST RARITIES OF 20TH CENTURY UNITED STATES PHILATELY.
According to Johl, these first government coils were an experiment, and collectors and dealers were generally unaware of their existence. Regular sheets of 400 were perforated in only one direction. They were then cut into strips of 20. The strips were pasted together to form rolls.
It is unknown exactly how many of these experimental coils were produced (one paste-up pair is known). They were superseded less than a year later by the Washington-Franklin issue coils, the first of which were issued on December 29, 1908.
Our census of Scott 316 (available at http://siegelauctions.com/enc/census/316.pdf) records nine pairs, three line pairs (one of which is rejoined) and an unused single, for a total of 25 stamps. No used examples are known.
Census No. 316-OG-LP-10. Ex Newport. With 1975 and 2008 P.F. certificates
1c Blue Green, Coil (316). Pair, lightly hinged, deep rich color and proof-like impression, choice centering with well-balanced marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE PAIR OF THE RARE ONE-CENT VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 316. OUR CENSUS RECORDS ONLY TWELVE PAIRS AND ONE SINGLE. THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST PAIRS IN EXISTENCE.
According to Johl, these first government coils were an experiment, and collectors and dealers were generally unaware of their existence. Regular sheets of 400 were printed and then perforated in only one direction. They were then cut into strips of 20. The strips were then pasted together to form rolls.
It is unknown exactly how many of these experimental coils were produced (one paste-up pair is known). They were superseded less than a year later by the Washington-Franklin issue coils, the first of which were issued on December 29, 1908.
Our census of Scott 316, which is available at our website at http://siegelauctions.com/enc/census/316.pdf records nine pairs, three line pairs (one of which is rejoined) and an unused single, for a total of 25 stamps. None are known used.
Census No. 316-OG-PR-05. Ex Agris. With 1956, 1982, 1997 and 2008 P.F. certificates.
1c Blue Green, Coil (316). Barest trace of hinging, deep rich colors, proof-like impression, choice centering on post-office fresh paperVERY FINE AND CHOICE. THIS IS THE UNIQUE SINGLE OF THE 1908 ONE-CENT VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 316. ONLY TWELVE UNUSED PAIRS AND ONE UNUSED SINGLE ARE RECORDED. ONE OF THE RAREST STAMPS OF 20TH CENTURY UNITED STATES PHILATELY.
According to Johl, these first government coils were an experiment, and collectors and dealers were generally unaware of their existence. Regular sheets of 400 were perforated in only one direction. They were then cut into strips of 20. The strips were pasted together to form rolls.
It is unknown exactly how many of these experimental coils were produced (one paste-up pair is known). They were superseded less than a year later by the Washington-Franklin issue coils, the first of which were issued on December 29, 1908.
Our census of Scott 316 (available at http://siegelauctions.com/enc/census/316.pdf) records nine pairs, three line pairs (one of which is rejoined) and an unused single, for a total of 25 stamps. No used examples are known.
Census No. 316-OG-02. Ex Engel as part of a strip of three. With 1961, 1987 and 1997 P.F. certificates
5c Blue, Coil (317). Mint N.H. guide line pair, intense shade and impression on crisp paperFINE-VERY FINE. THIS MINT NEVER-HINGED GUIDE LINE PAIR IS THE ONLY RECORDED COMPLETELY SOUND GUIDE LINE MULTIPLE OF THE 1908 5-CENT COIL. ONE OF THE KEYS TO A COMPLETE COLLECTION OF 20TH CENTURY COILS.
The 5c 1908 Coil stamps, which were stripped by hand, are almost always strongly centered to one side. Five guide line multiples of the 5c coil have been certified by The Philatelic Foundation. Only this pair is completely sound. Two of the certified pairs are hinged and have small faults. Each of the other two guide line pairs is Mint N.H. and located within a strip of four. However, both of those multiples are affected by gripper marks from the Parkhurst vending machine. Therefore, this is the only sound Mint N.H. multiple known to us.
Ex Col. Green as a strip of four (Sale 2--another strip of four with creases was offered in Sale 26). With 1945 A.P.S. and 2004 P.F. certificates.
5c Blue, Coil (317). Mint N.H. pair with plate no. 2952 at top, barest trace of hinging in selvage only, deep rich color and proof-like impression which shows every nuance of the engraving, wide marginsVERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED PAIR OF THE 5-CENT VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 317. THIS IS UNIQUE WITH THE PLATE NUMBER.
According to Johl, these first government coils were an experiment, and collectors and dealers were generally unaware of their existence. Regular sheets of 400 were printed and then perforated in only one direction. They were then cut into strips of 20. The strips were then pasted together to form rolls.
It is unknown exactly how many of these experimental coils were produced. They were superseded less than a year later by the Washington-Franklin issue coils, the first of which were issued on December 29, 1908.
With 1970 and 2004 P.F. certificates. Scott value for Mint N.H. pair without any premium for the plate number.
5c Blue, Coil (317). Pair, lightly hinged, deep rich color and proof-like impression, unusually choice centering with wide and balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE. A MAGNIFICENT SUPERBLY-CENTERED PAIR OF THE 1908 5-CENT VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 317.
With 1987 and 1995 P.F. certificates
5c Blue, Coil (317). Mint N.H., intense shade and impression on crisp paper, unusually wide and balanced marginsEXTREMELY FINE. A RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1908 5-CENT VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 317.
The 5c 1908 Coil stamps, which were stripped by hand, are almost always centered to one side. The example offered here, with wide margins on both sides, is a rarity for the issue. Factoring in its Mint Never-Hinged gum, this stamp is certainly one of the finest examples of the issue
With 2004 P.F. certificate
1c Blue Green, Coil (318). Strip of three, left stamp Mint N.H., rich color, detailed impression, wide marginsVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A PHENOMENAL STRIP OF THREE OF THE 1908 ONE-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 318, CONTAINING A MINT NEVER-HINGED SINGLE -- THIS IS THE FIRST MINT NEVER-HINGED COPY WE HAVE OFFERED IN ONE OF OUR AUCTIONS SINCE KEEPING COMPUTERIZED RECORDS.
The largest recorded multiple is a strip of four -- approximately six are known. This strip of three, with one Mint N.H. stamp, will likely be broken into a hinged pair and a Mint N.H. single. The Mint N.H. stamp in this strip is the basis of the Scott listing.
With 1951 and 2001 P.F. certificates. Scott Retail as Mint N.H. single and hinged pair