2014 Rarities of the World continued...

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VERY FINE. A RARE USE OF THE 10-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 356, ON A REGISTERED COVER.

According to Johl (Volume 1, page 181), only 10,000 of the 10c Washington coil stamp were issued. They were made especially for a New York firm to send out advertising samples, similar to the 3c Orangeburg coil. Only a few rolls were sold to the firm, and the remaining rolls were distributed to some of the large post offices across the country. Dealers acquired several rolls, but because most contemporary collectors did not collect coils, many were used and destroyed.

With 1988 P.F. certificate (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE PANE OF 100 OF THE 2-CENT LINCOLN ON BLUISH PAPER, WITH TWO MINT NEVER-HINGED PLATE BLOCKS AND 82 OTHER NEVER-HINGED STAMPS.

A review using Power Search found only two other panes of 100, both with a handful of hinged stamps. One is a lower left pane from the 400-subject plate with shorter selvage in the bottom plate block (both of which are hinged). This example, a top left pane with full selvage and two Mint N.H. plate blocks, is very desirable.

Scott Retail as two plate blocks and singles (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB LIGHTLY HINGED PLATE BLOCK OF THE 15-CENT SINGLE-LINE WATERMARK PERF 12 ISSUE, SCOTT 382.

This is the finest centered wide top plate block contained in Power Search. With 2014 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; plate blocks unpriced in SMQ). (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A MAGNIFICENT MINT NEVER-HINGED GUIDE LINE PAIR OF THE 4-CENT HORIZONTAL COIL, SCOTT 395. GRADED GEM 100 BY P.S.E.

This is the highest grade the P.S.E. has given to a No. 395, and the sole guide line pair to reach this exalted grade.

With 2014 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 98; SMQ $6,500.00 as 98) (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS THE FINEST GRADED EXAMPLE OF THE 10-CENT PANAMA-PACIFIC PERF 10, HAVING ACHIEVED A GEM 100 GRADE FROM P.S.E.--NO OTHER SCOTT 404 HAS REACHED THE PERFECT 100-POINT GRADE.

The Panama-Pacific Exposition commemorative set was originally released in late 1912 and officially placed on sale on January 1, 1913, two years in advance of the actual exposition (the stamps are inscribed "San Francisco 1915"). The stamps were first issued with 12-gauge perforations. When the Bureau of Engraving and Printing changed to 10-gauge perforations in late 1914, sheets of Panama-Pacific stamps were issued in Perf 10 form. This modification was not officially announced or widely recognized by stamp collectors; therefore, the Perf 10 stamps are much scarcer than their Perf 12 counterparts.

The 10c design depicts the "Discovery of San Francisco Bay," based on a painting by Charles F. Mathews (Johl, Vol. 1, pp. 69-70). It depicts the Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portola and his crew with the Muwekma Ohlone natives. In 1769 Portola led the first expedition and observed San Francisco harbor. In 1775 Juan Manuel de Ayala, captain of the Spanish ship San Carlos, was the first to enter the harbor, which led to the establishment of the earliest European settlements.

The 10c was first issued in the standard Yellow used for the regular-issue 10c stamp, but the design was difficult to see in this shade (Scott 400). The stamp color was changed to a darker Orange and issued with 12-gauge perforations (Scott 400A). When the 10-gauge perforations were introduced, a much smaller supply was issued as Orange Perf 10 (Scott 404).

The 10c Panama-Pacific Perf 10, Scott 404, typically comes poorly centered. It is also plagued by short perfs--for a reason. The wide-spaced 10-gauge perfs were introduced by postal officials to strengthen the sheets during handling. Postmasters complained that the Perf 12 sheets broke apart too easily, but the move to Perf 10 went too far, and postmasters then started complaining that they were tearing apart stamps while trying to separate them (Perf 11 ended up being just right). Scott 404 is also much scarcer than its Perf 12 counterparts, Scott 400 and 400A. Only two panes of 70 are reported to survive, and singles bought by collectors were almost invariably hinged in albums.

With 2012 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100; unpriced in SMQ in any grade higher than Superb 98). This is the highest grade awarded to date and the only example to achieve this grade. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A STUNNING STAMP GRADED GEM 100 BY P.S.E.

This is the highest grade P.S.E. has assigned this stamp and the only example to achieve this stellar grade.

With 2000 P.F. and 2013 P.S.E. certificates (Gem 100; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 98; SMQ $4,750.00 as 98) (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB MINT NEVER-HINGED GUIDE LINE PAIR OF SCOTT 446.

With 2014 P.S.E. certificate (XF-Superb 95; SMQ $5,250.00). Only two have graded higher (at 98) (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST USED SINGLES OF THE 2-CENT VERTICAL COIL, SCOTT 449, IN EXISTENCE. THIS STAMP HAS BEEN GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E.

With 2008 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $4,500.00). This is the highest grade awarded and only two others share it. (Image)

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VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE USED JOINT LINE STRIP OF FOUR OF THE 1915 TYPE III ROTARY COIL, SCOTT 450.

The Type III single-line watermarked coil, Scott 450, is normally overshadowed by its more famous Type I counterpart, Scott 449. However, in used condition, a joint line pair of Scott 450 is as rare or rarer than Scott 449 -- with only two used line pairs plus this line strip of four certified by the P.F., versus ten used line pairs and a line strip of four of Scott 449 (a joint line pair we sold in 2012 with a P.S.E. certificate later received a P.F. certificate as the unwatermarked issue). Given the high catalog value of Scott 449, it stands to reason that more examples would have been submitted, but in any case we are confident in stating that this used joint line strip of four is a great rarity.

With 2013 P.S.E. and P.F. certificates. Significantly undercatalogued in Scott at $300.00 for a pair (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED PAIR OF THE 1916 3-CENT COIL, SCOTT 456, WHICH HAS BEEN GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E. THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED.

With 2013 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98; SMQ $5,250.00). This is the only pair to achieve this grade, with none higher. Three have been graded 95 (Image)

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