US Coil Plate Number Location Question...

Let us make an assumption...

If a US stamp Coil issue is on a coil of all the same design stamp,
(using letters here):
A-B-C-D-E, then it would be desirable to have the plate number under "C"
or if collected as a set of three stamps....
A-B-C, the plate number would be under the "B" stamp.

Now the question.:
On the "Wild Orchids Issue Coil, there are 10 different designed stamps.

If one collects the stamps as:
A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J (where each letter represents a different pattern)
I would guess the location of the plate number does not matter (since a center number is not possible)?

OR, what if one collected the strip as:
A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-A (11 stamps with A repeated on each end) would the plate number be located under the "F"
(to center the number on the strip) be the appropriate way to collect this item?

Since the fool coil comes in a 10K number per roll, I really can't see purchasing one that would allow this, as the strips of 25 from the USPS do NOT give one the proper option.

What do the bulk of collectors think on this?

Thanks.

The plate number should ideally be in the middle of a PS3, 5, 7, 9 or 11. This is with the orchids not possible.
Scott gives supposedly some solutions in the 2021 special catalog - I do not own one.
PNC3, the Plate Number Coil Collectors Club was suggesting to save this as a PS11. This way the strip will show the Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid twice, one with and one without the plate number


Peter

As I recall, when the coils went to numbers (replacing the joint line) the pair was replaced with a strip of 3...and then a strip of 5. So, If I were collecting these (with 10 designs), I would probably save a strip of 11, with the number on the middle stamp.

The mount length (215 mm) may determine how some collectors will choose to collect these.

Sorry. PS11 stands for Plate Strip of 11


Peter

As I understand the situation, Scott recommends collecting the orchid coils as a PS10 with the plate number on the 9th stamp. If you purchase a strip of 25 from USPS, you are not guaranteed that you can get a PS10 containing all of the designs from your strip. You will have a plate number, just not in some instances a PS10 with the 10 different designs. On the other hand, if you order a strip of 20 or more orchid coils from the Oneco,CT postmaster, you are guaranteed the PS10. And he ships the stamps to you for FREE!

Like Bookbndrbob suggests, I plan to collect a PS11, with the plate number on the middle stamp. That is how I have collected PS11 strips in the past. They fit diagonally on the album page. I think the first US coil with 10 different stamps was issued in 2003, the presorted rate Eagle stamp.

Just be forewarned that your PS11, if it indeed has the plate number on the center stamp of the strip, will not contain all 10 designs. It is for this reason that Scott recommends a PS10 with the plate number on the 9th stamp. Such a PS10 does contain all 10 designs.
The reason for this seemingly anomalous coil is the repeating pattern of 27 stamps that occurs throughout the coil roll. Designating the designs as A thru J, a 27-stamp strip would be:
A B C D E F G H I J A B C D E F G H I J D E F G H I J
with the plate number on the 2nd occurrence of design I (the 9th). Due to the missing A, B & C designs in the final strip of 7 stamps, a PS11 with centered plate number containing all 10 designs cannot occur.

I guess it was a mistake to have approached this USPS item logically.

JLLebbert,
Thanks for pointing this out. I will go for the PS10. Is this the first time a coil issue is non-sequential?

I do believe the orchids are the first coil issue in which the sequence of designs have, in a sense, been altered. In my example, had the final seven stamps in the 27-stamp sequence been normal ... e.g., A B C D E F G ... then a plate-centered PS11 would be possible. I believe that the eagle coils that you mention follow this pattern.