Possible "Experimental Coil" Covers

the odds of finding one of these coils is very long, the odds of a collector having two of them must be astronomical

Agreed, Don. The odds of having just the more "common" #318 is akin to winning the lottery. To have #316 also.....well, I hate to ever say impossible, but???

I'd argue that someone who has a 316 is way more likely to also own a 318. Probably, and almost certainly from buying them at high end auctions...
Through self discovery? that makes the lotto ticket more likely.

So the first one seems to short. and the second one it seems to be wide enough. we would need measurements and more close ups. but I think we should be trying to determine where this was used and where these we made available as a start.

Stamps travel to get used. So while the distribution points are important, it is not the end-all.

The important initial step of the 316 is to do the overlay and confirm/deny whether this is from sheet or booklet stock. So easy. No speculation or guessing required. Sorry to harp on this, but the question has a very good chance of being answered this way.

I do not dispute or ignore that a direct assessment of the stamps in hand is critical.

Nonetheless, I am still curious about Armstrong's information about the point of origin. It seemed he used it as an initial indicator of further heightened skepticism, beyond the statistical, followed (or preceded) by measurement and careful inspection of the patient on cover.

First of all, welcome back Rob!

If it were me (he said with a grin) I would send them both in to the PF. If one or both fail then you eat the minimum charge. If one or both are authenticated you pay a larger fee and throw a massive party with dancing zebras and free flowing champagne (non-alcoholic for those so inclined).

We have all wasted more money on gambler lots or wine, women/men and song.

I can't wait to see the dancing zebras.......

I do agree John simplest way to move forward on this.

Thank you for the welcome back!

I submit quite a few coins for certification/grading through my rare coin firm. Thankfully, I am right more than I'm wrong. This is accomplished through some rudimentary due diligence prior to submission. Though I admittedly don't possess the same skill set in philately, I nonetheless employ the same tactics. I had my doubts about both stamps (which I expressed prior). This, combined with the additional evidence presented on this thread, has convinced me to save the customer his grading fees, and perhaps opt for the aforementioned dancing zebras, which seems like a much surer thing!

The next best thing.

I hope we get invited. I've never danced with a Zebra; a few foxy ladies, married a couple of Cougars--That's another story for another
time over some good wine or cheap beer....

Hello all. Was directed to this forum from Introduce Yourself because of questions about a 318 that I recently discovered in an inherited collection so please bear with my small amount of talent. I'm not sure I have the talent to make the measuring template or the skill to use it but I will attempt ASAP. I will attach a recent scan and two more scans with the same general issue. 321 & 322
Think I agree that sending them to be authenticated or exposed while only expecting the latter is the way to go. Fascinated by the knowledge on this forum.
Thanks Ed