Sale 1253 — The Melvin Getlan Collection of U.S. Vending & Affixing Machine Perfs Part 1
Sale Date — Tuesday, 5 April, 2022
Category — U.S. Automatic Vending Company

![Sale 1253, Lot 312, U.S. Automatic Vending Company, U.S. Automatic Vending Co., [No Denomination] Red, Coil Test Stamp, Ty. I Perforations (TD24) Sale 1253, Lot 312, U.S. Automatic Vending Company](/image_manip/image.php?src=/2022/1253/312.jpg)

![Sale 1253, Lot 313, U.S. Automatic Vending Company, U.S. Automatic Vending Co., [No Denomination] Red, Coil Test Stamp, Ty. I Perforations (TD24) Sale 1253, Lot 313, U.S. Automatic Vending Company](/image_manip/image.php?src=/2022/1253/313.jpg)

![Sale 1253, Lot 314, U.S. Automatic Vending Company, U.S. Automatic Vending Co., [No Denomination] Red, Coil Test Stamp, Rosback Perf 11.75 (TD24C) Sale 1253, Lot 314, U.S. Automatic Vending Company](/image_manip/image.php?src=/2022/1253/314.jpg)

![Sale 1253, Lot 315, U.S. Automatic Vending Company, U.S. Automatic Vending Co., [No Denomination] Green, Coil Test Stamp (TD24E) Sale 1253, Lot 315, U.S. Automatic Vending Company](/image_manip/image.php?src=/2022/1253/315.jpg)












EXTREMELY FINE AND VERY RARE GUIDE LINE STRIP OF FOUR OF THE 5-CENT 1908 IMPERFORATE WITH U.S. AUTOMATIC VENDING CO. TYPE I PERFORATIONS.
A strip of four is the largest recorded multiple and this is the only guide line strip of this issue we have offered since keeping computerized records 30 years ago.
With 1990 P.S.E. certificate. Scott value as a guide line pair is $2,250.00






VERY FINE. THIS IS ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED SCOTT 315 COVERS WITH PRIVATE VENDING OR AFFIXING MACHINE PERFORATIONS AVAILABLE TO COLLECTORS, AND THE ONLY RECORDED ON-COVER PAIR. ONE OF THE GREATEST COVERS OF PRIVATE VENDING AND AFFIXING MACHINE PERFORATIONS AND 20TH CENTURY PHILATELY.
The U.S. Automatic Vending Co. used the 1908 5c Imperforate for a brief period of time to make its Type I coils (Type II and III Scott 315 coils were made only for collectors and are not known on cover). However, there was apparently too little demand for the 5c denomination and it was superseded by the 5c stamp pockets, with two 2c and one 1c stamp.
There are only three recorded on-cover uses of Scott 315 with private vending and affixing machine perforations, each with U.S. Automatic Vending Co. Type I perforations. One of these is in the Miller collection at The New York Public Library, leaving only two available to collectors. In addition, there are only three recorded covers bearing the underlying 5c Scott 315 without private vending machine perforations. The six recorded covers are as follows:
Scott 315:
1) Vertical pair, December 20, 1908, from Indianapolis to Arthur M. Travers, Washington D.C. with 2c vertical coil, Scott 321; the pair was separated from the cover some time after 1954 and has recently been reunited; the 5c pair has few tiny surface scrapes on the top stamp and the 2c has a tear and a crease, 2020 Rarities Sale 1224, lot 190
2) Horizontal pair, April 10, 1909, registered cover from Boston to New York, ex Wagner, Ainsworth and Gross, Sale 1211, lot 551
3) Horizontal pair, April 20, 1917 (out of period use), with two pairs of 2c Hudson-Fulton, 5c pair partly lifted and one thinned with diagonal crease, yeardate of backstamp altered, 1996 Rarities sale
Scott 315 with U.S. Automatic Vending Co. Type I perforations:
4) Pair, used with 2c Carmine Shield, Ty. I, U.S. Automatic Vending Co. Ty. I, Jan. 11, 1909, on Special Delivery cover from New York to 3rd Asst. PMG office, Washington D.C., earliest documented use of the 5c U.S.A.V. Ty. I perforations, the cover offered here
5) Single, Sep. 25, 1914, on 1c Green entire from Fresno Cal. to Bovey Minn., ex Golin, Sale 812, lot 265, currently in the Getlan collection
6) Single, Dec. 18, 1910, used with pair 2c Carmine Shield, Ty. I, U.S. Automatic Vending Co. Ty. I, plus 3c in other normal postage, on U.S.A.V. corner card cover from New York to Portland Ore., Miller collection at The New York Public Library
The address on this cover appears to read "Mr. Travers, Secretary to 3rd Asst. Postmaster General, Washington D.C." Travers was also the recipient of the cover listed above (no. 1) with a pair of Scott 315 and single Scott 321.
From our 1987 Rarities sale.




























VERY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE COVER BEARING A COMBINATION OF THE 1909 5-CENT WASHINGTON AND 2-CENT 1909 HUDSON-FULTON ISSUES WITH U.S. AUTOMATIC VENDING CO. PERFORATIONS.
The Belasco book notes that Scott 347 with U.S.A.V. Ty. I perforations is extremely rare on cover and known only as a philatelic use. The 2c Hudson-Fulton Ty. II is also very rare, and the combination of stamps on this cover is probably unique.
Ex Wagner. With 2002 P.F. certificate. Scott value $7,500.00 for this combination.








EXTREMELY FINE. AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE FIRST DAY COVER OF THE TWO-CENT IMPERFORATE LINCOLN CENTENARY ISSUE WITH U.S. AUTOMATIC VENDING CO. PERFORATIONS. ONLY THREE ARE RECORDED.
We record only three First Day Lincoln imperforate covers with private vending and affixing machine perforations, each with U.S.A.V. Ty. I perforations. All three were postmarked in Brooklyn on Feb. 12, 1909. On that date an advertisement was placed in the New York Times by Frederick Loeser & Co. stating that three vending machines would be selling the new Lincoln stamps in their Brooklyn N.Y. store. In addition to the three mentioned covers, there are only seven First Day covers recorded with the underlying Scott 368 issue.
Scott value as No. 368 First Day cover is $14,500.00.


VERY FINE. A RARE COMBINATION USE OF THE 2-CENT LINCOLN WITH U.S.A.V. TYPE I PERFORATIONS AND THE 4-CENT 1908 ISSUE WITH SCHERMACK TYPE III PERFORATIONS.
Both Stanley Gibbons and Scott Stamp & Coin Co. advertised U.S.A.V. coils for sale and used some on their mail. This dual use with U.S.A.V. and Schermack perforations from Hugh Clark is a wonderful example. Scott value $2,250.00.












EXTREMELY FINE. A RARE AND CHOICE GUIDE LINE PAIR OF THE 5-CENT U.S. AUTOMATIC VENDING CO. TYPE II COIL.
With 1988 P.F. certificate





















VERY FINE AND RARE ON-COVER USE OF THE 2-CENT 1910 ISSUE WITH U.S. AUTOMATIC VENDING CO. TYPE II PERFORATIONS.
The "Two Cent" Washington imperforate with U.S.A.V. Ty. II perforations is very rare on cover, either as the single-line watermark stamp (384), or as the earlier double-line watermark (344). According to the Belasco book, some of the covers identified as Scott 384 based on the date they were postmarked are in fact Scott 344, as U.S.A.V. had not exhausted its supply of that stamp. This is offered as Scott 384 but has not been lifted to confirm. It is immaterial which stamp is correct as both are equally rare and Scott value is the same.
With 2004 P.F. certificate. Scott value $3,000.00








VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE GUIDE LINE PAIR OF THE 2-CENT LINCOLN U.S. AUTOMATIC VENDING CO. TYPE III WITH EXPERIMENTAL GAUGE 11.75 ROSBACK PERFORATIONS.
According the to Belasco book, the 2c Lincoln experimental coil was made from imperforate sheet stamps, with 11.75 gauge perforations applied by a Rosback machine. U.S.A.V. also used the Rosback machine on some of its test coils, as demonstrated in lot 314.
With 1991 P.S.E. certificate


VERY FINE. A RARE PAIR OF THE 2-CENT LINCOLN U.S. AUTOMATIC VENDING CO. TYPE III WITH EXPERIMENTAL GAUGE 11.75 ROSBACK PERFORATIONS.
According the to Belasco book, the 2c Lincoln experimental coil was made from imperforate sheet stamps, with 11.75 gauge perforations applied by a Rosback machine. U.S.A.V. also used the Rosback machine on some of its test coils, as demonstrated in lot 314.
With 1974 A.P.S. certificate.







VERY FINE. A FANTASTIC EXHIBIT COVER SHOWING ALL THREE TYPES OF VENDING MACHINE PERFORATIONS USED BY THE U.S. AUTOMATIC VENDING COMPANY.
While pure "commercial" covers are desirable to many postal history collectors, we are grateful to stamp dealers for creating some of the most striking rarities in the area of vending and affixing machine perforations. W. H. Mackie, a stamp dealer from Bovey Minn., created this cover and was also the addressee on one of the three recorded 5c Lincoln U.S.A.V. Ty. I covers. This cover is almost certainly unique.


VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE PAIR OF THE 2-CENT SCOTT 459 WITH U.S. AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINE COMPANY TYPE III PERFORATIONS. ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL PRIVATE VENDING AND AFFIXING MACHINE ISSUES. ONLY THREE UNUSED PAIRS ARE KNOWN.
The Belasco book (p. 161) states that only two or three unused pairs exist and that no used pairs are known. We are aware of three P.F. certified unused pairs, two of which are sound. The unused pairs are as follows:
1) Original gum, sound, ex Lilly, Voit, Dr. Agris and Belaso, Sale 990, lot 737, 1986 Rarities sale
2) Original gum, h.r., sound, ex "Christopher" collection (1990 Ivy, Shreve & Mader sale), the example offered here
3) Original gum, left stamp tiny thin spot, 2016 Rarities Sale 1129, lot 423
Signed in pencil "George B. Sloane". With 1947 A.P.S. and 1978 P.F. certificates.

FINE AND EXTREMELY RARE USED EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT SCOTT 459 WITH U.S. AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINE COMPANY TYPE III PERFORATIONS. ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL PRIVATE VENDING AND AFFIXING MACHINE ISSUES. ONLY TWO USED STAMPS ARE KNOWN.
The Belasco book (p. 161) states that only two or three used examples exist of Scott 459 with U.S.A.V. Ty. III perforations. We are aware of only two P.F. certified examples, with the stamp offered here the only sound example. The used stamps are as follows:
1) Single, wavy-line machine cancel, sound, the example offered here
2) Single, wavy-line machine cancel, small corner crease, PF 293385
With 1969 P.F. certificate.