Orangeburg Coil Introduction

3¢ Orangeburg Coil (Scott 389) From Siegel sale 804, Lot 586 (Zoellner Collection)

The Orangeburg coil was made by the Post Office Department in 1911 specifically for use by the Bell Pharmaceutical Company. The 3¢ 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 and mailed via third-class.

The Orangeburg coil stamps’ use on third class mail and the fact that philatelists were generally unaware of their production account for their rarity today. Approximately twelve covers have been certified as genuine by the Philatelic Foundation.