The Jay Hoffman Collection of United States Stamps continued...

VERY FINE AND EXCEEDINGLY RARE. OUR CENSUS RECORDS ONLY TWELVE UNUSED PAIRS AND ONE UNUSED SINGLE. ONE OF THE FINEST PAIRS OF ONE OF THE RAREST STAMPS OF 20TH CENTURY PHILATELY.

Armstrong, in his book United States Coil Issues 1906-38, recorded 33 stamps in total certified by the Philatelic Foundation. Our census of Scott 316 as published in the Zoellner catalogue and available at our website at http://siegelauctions.com/enc/census/316/316.htm records twelve unused pairs and an unused single, for a total of 25 stamps. Armstrong probably double-counted a few pairs that were certified more than once. In addition, the strip of four in his notes has since been broken into two pairs, and the strip of three has been broken into a pair and a single.

Census No. 316-OG-PR-01. With 1960 and 2004 P.F. certificates. This is the first example we have offered since our Zoellner sale in 1998. (Image)

VERY FINE AND CHOICE MINT NEVER-HINGED PAIR OF THE RARE 5-CENT 1908 VERTICAL COIL. THIS IS EXCEEDINGLY RARE IN MINT NEVER-HINGED CONDITION.

The 5c 1908 Coil stamps, which were stripped by hand, are almost always strongly centered to one side. This pair, in Mint N.H. condition and with wide margins, is one of the finest extant.

With 2004 P.F. certificate. As an indication of rarity, we have offered only one other Mint N.H. pair at auction, in our 1992 Rarities sale. (Image)

VERY FINE AND CHOICE EXAMPLE OF THE ONE-CENT 1908 COIL, SCOTT 318.

With 1955 P.F. certificate for pair. This issue is rarely offered as a single. (Image)

VERY FINE. A RARE STRIP OF FOUR OF THE ONE-CENT 1908 HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 318.

There are probably fewer than six strips of four in existence, which are the largest recorded multiples. Most have been broken to feed collector demand for pairs and singles.

With 2001 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as two pairs (Image)

FRESH AND VERY FINE PAIR OF THE 2-CENT 1908 HORIZONTAL COIL.

Armstrong notes that only 167 examples had been certified by the Philatelic Foundation as of 1980. The frequency with which this coil appears at auction would indicate that it may in fact be rarer, and that Armstrong's census information may contain duplicate records. Issued on July 31, 1908, and intended only to be used by private vending machine companies, Scott 322 is only known with the Die II widened line at lower left.

Ex Vineyard. With 1983 and 1995 P.F. certificates (Image)