Great Britain - King George V Coil Identification

Hi,

I don't know how to identify coil stamp SC 177-178/SG 397-398. I think they have straight perf at left and/or right but i'm not sure.

Is this one can be a coil?



There are some doubling on perf :



Thank you!

CDNum.

This stamp is ( or was ) perforated on four sides, therefor it is most likely not a coil.

Peter

GB coils were perforated on all sides, usually cut from sheets. Information about identifying them by watermark orientation can be found in this link:

http://www.linns.com/howto/refreshe...rcourse.aspx

These 2 completed auctions both describe the coil by the watermark.



Great Britain, 1913, ½d-1d King George V coil stamps complete. Royal Cypher Multiple watermark, o.g., lightly hinged, F.-V.F. SG No. 397-398.
Scott No. 177-178 $435.

Realized: $230



Great Britain, 1929, ½d-1½d P.U.C., sideways watermark. Coil strips of 4, Very Fine and scarce.
Scott No. 205a-207a $1,200.

Realized: $550

http://www.rumseyauctions.com/aucti...er/26/134/20

Hi,

OK, sideway WM is the key. This stamp is not a coil because WM orientation is OK.

Thank you all!

CDNum.

My Stanley Gibbons Concise says that s.g.#397 can have normal, sideways or inverted watermark. S.G.#398 can have normal or inverted watermark.

I think the key decider would be the watermark being the MULTIPLE Royal Cypher.

Bump. Stanley Gibbons has these uncommon coil leaders on offer, providing a good illustration of how these stamps were made from perforated stock. Shade also appears important for identification and a certificate is advisable when buying singles,

They can be yours for just £ 1,950.

As long as you can trust the source there is little need for a certificate as singles are recognisable by the watermark (Multiple Cypher) that was only used for these coils.

Correct. I confused myself by noting that the same watermark was used for SG346 and SG349, but those are different designs.

I acquired this pair from BB Stamps in England.

Coincidentally they arrived on the day that QE2 died, in packaging franked with high-value Machins and interior packing festooned with Union Jacks.

festooned
The Lexicographer in me, loves that word

Here are the ones that I acquired in a larger collection. The perforations are slightly cut in, as are most coil stamps.


As mentioned, you need to see the MULTIPLE Royal Cypher, not the single. Sometimes very hard to differentiate.

It should be noted all watermarks (Simple Royal Cypher, Multiple Royal Cypher, and Block Cypher) exist from stamp rolls.
Rolls for all watermarks were made up from sheets.
All Multiple Royal Cypher rolls were made up from sheets.
There was a (late) Single Royal Cypher stamp roll printed from continuous reels. The stamp itself can be distinguished from the sheet issue.
All stamp rolls with either Royal Cypher watermark should have the watermark upright and cannot have the watermark sideways.
The Block Cypher coils take all formats, including sideways delivery coils printed from continuous reels that have sideways watermark.

Blocks of the Multiple Royal Cypher stamp have been found, but the stamp was only intended for stamp rolls. The blocks come from the sheets used to make up the rolls.

Edit: 22crows, in 2013, also correctly posted the coils were perforated on all four sides. A stamp issued with a straight edge never is from a stamp roll. However, some rolls were cut so badly the perforated edge was cut straight.