Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

United States Stamps continued...

**Orangeburg Coils (Scott 389)**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description	Est/Cat	Realized
410		3c Deep Violet, Orangeburg Coil (389). Strip of three with paste-up tab at left, rich color, tied on small purple piece by neat strikes of Orangeburg N.Y. circular datestamp and duplex oval grid, the left stamp (overlaying the paste-up) has a small piece out of corner, right stamp has small piece out at bottom left, a few other small faults mostly on far right stamp FINE APPEARANCE. ONLY TWO USED MULTIPLES OF THE 3-CENT ORANGEBURG COIL ARE RECORDED. ONE OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING TWENTIETH-CENTURY RARITIES. 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 Bell products to physicians. Due to the quantity of mail, most 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. This strip of three was apparently used on a larger package from Bell Pharmaceuticals, and was hand-cancelled. Only two 3c Orangeburg used multiples are recorded: the strip of three offered here and another strip of three, centered sharply to bottom left, with tiny stain spots and small closed tear at bottom left (ex Bissell, Hanschen). No used pairs and no used guide line pairs are known to exist. Left stamp lifted to verify paste-up. With 1961 and 1995 P.F. certificates. (Image)	37,500.00	42,500.00
411		3c Deep Violet, Orangeburg Coil (389). Absolutely perfect centering with enormous margins all around, deep rich color and proof-like impression showing every detail of the engraving, neat wavy-line machine cancel used at Orangeburg N.Y. EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS EASILY THE FINEST KNOWN EXAMPLE OF THE 3-CENT ORANGEBURG COIL IN EXISTENCE. A TRULY REMARKABLE STAMP. Due to their use on mass mailings, many of the existing Orangeburg coils are faulty to some extent. The most common defects are corner creases or tears. Sound and well-centered copies have been recognized by collectors as truly rare, and bidding has been fierce for premium copies. In our Sale 829, a perfectly-centered copy with smaller margins than the stamp offered here realized $35,000, the highest price paid for an off-cover used single. We feel confident that this stamp will exceed that price. With 1952 A.P.S. Board of Experts certificate and note from long-deceased dealer/expert J. M. Bartels stating "unquestionably O.K. Shade and canc. (cancel) are correct and the imperf edges were made with the regular cutting knife. Congratulations." (Image)	11,500.00	42,500.00

Orangeburg Coils (Scott 389)

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

Est/Cat

Realized

410

3c Deep Violet, Orangeburg Coil (389). Strip of three with paste-up tab at left, rich color, tied on small purple piece by neat strikes of Orangeburg N.Y. circular datestamp and duplex oval grid, the left stamp (overlaying the paste-up) has a small piece out of corner, right stamp has small piece out at bottom left, a few other small faults mostly on far right stamp

FINE APPEARANCE. ONLY TWO USED MULTIPLES OF THE 3-CENT ORANGEBURG COIL ARE RECORDED. ONE OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING TWENTIETH-CENTURY RARITIES.

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 Bell products to physicians. Due to the quantity of mail, most 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. This strip of three was apparently used on a larger package from Bell Pharmaceuticals, and was hand-cancelled.

Only two 3c Orangeburg used multiples are recorded: the strip of three offered here and another strip of three, centered sharply to bottom left, with tiny stain spots and small closed tear at bottom left (ex Bissell, Hanschen). No used pairs and no used guide line pairs are known to exist.

Left stamp lifted to verify paste-up. With 1961 and 1995 P.F. certificates. (Image)

37,500.00

42,500.00

411

3c Deep Violet, Orangeburg Coil (389). Absolutely perfect centering with enormous margins all around, deep rich color and proof-like impression showing every detail of the engraving, neat wavy-line machine cancel used at Orangeburg N.Y.

EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS EASILY THE FINEST KNOWN EXAMPLE OF THE 3-CENT ORANGEBURG COIL IN EXISTENCE. A TRULY REMARKABLE STAMP.

Due to their use on mass mailings, many of the existing Orangeburg coils are faulty to some extent. The most common defects are corner creases or tears. Sound and well-centered copies have been recognized by collectors as truly rare, and bidding has been fierce for premium copies. In our Sale 829, a perfectly-centered copy with smaller margins than the stamp offered here realized $35,000, the highest price paid for an off-cover used single. We feel confident that this stamp will exceed that price.

With 1952 A.P.S. Board of Experts certificate and note from long-deceased dealer/expert J. M. Bartels stating "unquestionably O.K. Shade and canc. (cancel) are correct and the imperf edges were made with the regular cutting knife. Congratulations." (Image)

11,500.00

42,500.00