2016 Rarities of the World continued...

FINE AND SOUND. ONE OF FOUR RECORDED PASTE-UP EXAMPLES OF THE 1911 3-CENT ORANGEBURG COIL.

The paste-up process was necessary to produce rolls of coils from half-sheets of 20 stamps wide. Only one of every ten coil pairs was a paste-up. This single is one of four recorded 3c Orangeburg paste-ups, including the unused pair.

With 1945 and 1998 A.P.S. certificates. With 2005 P.F. certificate (Image)

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VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 3-CENT ORANGEBURG COIL ON A FRESH COVER. ONLY 13 ORANGEBURG COIL COVERS HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED AS GENUINE BY THE PHILATELIC FOUNDATION.

The Orangeburg coil was made by the Post Office Department in 1911, specifically for use by the Bell Pharmaceutical Company. The 3c coil stamps were used to send samples of their products to physicians. Due to the quantity of mail, they were put through the first-class cancelling machine at Orangeburg, New York. The Orangeburg coil stamps' use on third-class mail, and the fact that philatelists were generally unaware of their production accounts for their rarity.

With 1970 and 2001 P.F. certificates. (Image)

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VERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL AND RARE FIRST DAY USE OF THE ONE-CENT PANAMA-PACIFIC EXPOSITION ISSUE. ONLY TWELVE ARE KNOWN.

From February 20 to December 4, 1915, the Panama-Pacific Exposition was held in San Francisco, to commemorate Balboa's discovery of the Pacific Ocean and to celebrate the opening of the mankind's greatest engineering achievement, the Panama Canal. As early as 1912 commemorative stamps were planned to promote the exposition, in 1c, 2c, 5c and 10c denominations. Special cancels to promote the exposition were produced for certain west coast post offices.

The stamps were in use for over three years. However, only twelve known First Days are recorded -- six are on cards and six are on covers.

With 1987 AFDCS certificate. (Image)

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VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL WIDE TOP SELVAGE PLATE NUMBER SINGLE OF THE 10-CENT PERF 10 PANAMA-PACIFIC ISSUE.

Ex "Golden Oak" (Image)

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VERY FINE APPEARANCE. ONE OF THE BETTER-CENTERED EXAMPLES OF THE RARE 1914 ONE-CENT PERF 10 x 12 ISSUE.

Our census of Scott 423D, available at http://www.siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/423D/423D.pdf, contains 55 stamps (including five covers). All genuine stamps are used, including a majority with precancels.

Census No. 423D-CAN-19. With 1984 and 2001 P.F. certificates. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING STAMP IN EVERY RESPECT -- COMBINING PERFECT MARGINS, CENTERING, COLOR AND GUM. THIS IS THE ONLY EXAMPLE TO ACHIEVE THE ULTIMATE GRADE OF GEM 100 JUMBO FROM P.S.E.

Ex Merlin. With 2009 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100 Jumbo; unpriced in SMQ at this grade, SMQ $5,800.00 as 100). This is the only example to achieve this highest possible grade in any condition category (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE SINGLE-LINE WATERMARKED 50-CENT PERF 10 FRANKLIN ISSUE. THIS STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE GRADE OF SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E.

With 2009 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $12,000.00). Only one has graded higher. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. AN EXTREMELY RARE PAIR OF THE U.S. AUTOMATIC VENDING COMPANY COIL, WHICH WAS MADE FROM THE IMPERFORATE COIL STOCK, SCOTT 459. IT IS BELIEVED ONLY THREE PAIRS ARE KNOWN.

The Belasco book (p. 161) notes only two or three pairs exist; none are known used. We are aware of two other pairs: one ex Lilly and Dr. Agris, and the other ex "Christopher" collection (1990 Ivy, Shreve & Mader sale).

With 1999 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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VERY FINE. A DESIRABLE EXAMPLE OF THE 2-CENT TYPE Ia IMPERFORATE. THIS ISSUE IS ONLY KNOWN WITH SCHERMACK PERFORATIONS. THE EXAMPLE OFFERED HERE IS DESIRABLE, IN ESSENTIALLY SOUND CONDITION AND WITH THE SCHERMACK PERFORATIONS ON BOTH SIDES.

Scott 482A, like its slightly more famous predecessor, Scott 314A, was issued imperforate by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and sold to the Schermack Company for use in its patented stamp-affixing machines. The Schermack "Sealer and Stamper" machine typically applied stamps one at a time, and, in most cases, the hyphen-hole perfs on one side would be cut off. Unlike Scott 314A, the release of imperforate sheets printed from the experimental Type Ia plates escaped the notice of contemporary collectors, and, therefore, has a very small survival rate.

Our census of Scott 482A, available at our website at http://siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/482A/482A.pdf , records three covers, one unused single, a used pair and 40 used singles for a total of 46 stamps. Most examples are either cut well into the design or have the Schermack perfs trimmed away on one side.

Census No. 482A-CAN-45. With 2005 P.F. certificate (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST USED JOINT LINE PAIRS OF THE 2-CENT ROTARY TYPE II, SCOTT 491. OUR CENSUS RECORDS JUST NINE USED JOINT LINE MULTIPLES.

Unlike many other issues, the horizontal coil is actually scarcer than the vertical coil. It was in production for only a short period of time before being replaced by the Type III, Scott 492.

Our census of used joint line multiples of Scott 491, available at our website at http://siegelauctions.com/dynamic/census/491/491.pdf , records eight joint line pairs, a strip of three, and a strip of five. Most are off-center either top to bottom or side to side or both.

Census No. 491-CAN-LP-08. This used to be the center joint line pair in a strip of four. With 2016 P.F. certificate as joint line pair. (Image)

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