Census of 2c Carmine, Ty. I, Imperforate Coil (Scott 459)
According to information in both the Johl and Armstrong books, the 2c
imperforate coil, Scott 459, was actually the first rotary press coil to be
issued, prior to Scott Nos. 448-458. Armstrong notes that 21,000 imperforate
horizontal coils were ordered by the U.S. Automatic Vending Machine Company,
which consisted of fourteen rolls of 1,000 and fourteen rolls of 500. These were
intended for private use. No notice was given or mentioned that this order was
filled with the new rotary press stamps, and so its existence went unnoticed.
They were issued on June 30, 1914.
Its existence was not "discovered" until 1917, after all but two rolls (one of 1,000 and one of 500) had been used for postage. These two rolls were discovered by noted dealer Philip H. Ward, Jr. in Washington D.C., and it is likely that he used some on mail, as examples are known with either a nondescript wavy-line machine cancel or cancels dated after 1917. This is also the source of virtually all known unused examples. The example offered here, with a clear December 1914 cancel, predates the philatelic discovery of this unusual coil. This is therefore a number of firsts:
* The only recorded genuine used joint line pair of this coil
* The earliest documented use of this rare coil.
* The first Rotary Press printing of any kind to be issued (earlier than Scott 448-458)
* The only rotary press coil to be issued in imperforate form
Its existence was not "discovered" until 1917, after all but two rolls (one of 1,000 and one of 500) had been used for postage. These two rolls were discovered by noted dealer Philip H. Ward, Jr. in Washington D.C., and it is likely that he used some on mail, as examples are known with either a nondescript wavy-line machine cancel or cancels dated after 1917. This is also the source of virtually all known unused examples. The example offered here, with a clear December 1914 cancel, predates the philatelic discovery of this unusual coil. This is therefore a number of firsts:
* The only recorded genuine used joint line pair of this coil
* The earliest documented use of this rare coil.
* The first Rotary Press printing of any kind to be issued (earlier than Scott 448-458)
* The only rotary press coil to be issued in imperforate form
