|
|
SET IV - The Perf 8.5 Coils of 1910
In late 1910, after complaints about the coil stamps tearing apart too easily, the perforations were reduced in number to the perforated 8.5 variety, i.e. about eight
and one-half perforation holes per two centimeters versus the twelve holes per two centimeters on the existing coil stamps. Only the one cent and two cent stamps were produced perforated 8.5 horizontally, while the 1c through 5c stamps were produced perforated 8.5 vertically. These stamps are listed as Scott numbers 390 through 396.
Perf 8.5 New Design of 1912: In 1911, the designs and colors of U.S. stamps were changed to conform with the rules of the Universal Postal Union; a numeral, as well as a designated color, was to be used to denote each denomination. These new designs were incorporated in the 1912 issues of the perforated 8.5 coil stamps, listed as Scott numbers 410 through 413, the equivalent first design stamps being Scott 390-393, the 1c and 2c horizontally and vertically perforated coils respectively. Note that any stamp other than the one and two cent stamps would be virtually indistinguishable from the corresponding 1910 stamp since there was no design change in the three, four and five cent stamps, Scott 394-396. Thus Scott 414-416 are the listings for the new designs of the 8c, 9c and 10c perf 12, single-line watermarked stamps, not the 3c, 4c and 5c perf 8.5 coils, as one might expect.
The importance of the 8.5 coil. Until the advent of the perf 8.5 coil, collectors paid little attention to the coil stamps since it was thought that a coil stamp could be simply manufactured from the fully perforated stamp by trimming off two opposing sides. Since the 8.5 perforation was used with the express purpose of making coil stamps less prone to separating in vending machines, with no intention of use on fully perforated stamps, it was obvious that the perf 8.5 coil stamp could not be manufactured from any fully perforated stamp. Voila! Coil stamps took their rightful place in American philately. Unfortunately the concept of trimming the sides of fully perforated stamps was an idea that was not lost in time. Many of the more sinister forgeries in philately are of trimmed copies of fully perforated stamps.
Next: Set V
The New Designs - Perf 12 - Single-line Watermark of 1912
A Guide to the Washington Franklins 1908 · 1909 · 1910 · 1912 · 1914 · 1915 · 1916 · 1916 Coils · 1917 · 1918 · 1919 · 1919 Shanghai