Values And Definition For Coil Stamps With Precancel (1297-1305)

Hello,

I have read several times, also here in this forum, that stamps with precancel are considered as used, no matter whether they were really used (additionally cancelled), and also whether they have gum.

In Scott I find some stamps that are listed with precancel and with both values for used and mint, I want to ask this for the coil stamps Scott 1297-1305.

- what does the "used" column mean: no additional cancel or full gum both?

and what I wonder some time now and in topic case the question can be included:
- if in Scott a value for a pair and a line pair is given, what would be for example the value for a strip of more than 2 stamps, so let's say a strip of 3 or 5 stamps? I guess it's more value than a pair, but how compares a strip of 5 with a line pair of this mentioned issue?

thank you.

Used on a precancel means just that: used. A precancel is usually not cancelled, hence the name. But this not being a perfect world you sometimes find a cancelled precancel. And by the way, a mint precancel still would have gum. Also, with the advent of the plate number coils things have changed. Now collectors can use with a special permit these stamps, so you can find these cancelled as well as mint.
PNC's are worth more in strips - I do not know about older precancels

Peter

By it's very definition, a precancel - even if mint, never hinged - is used. Period, end of story.

Precancels are rarely listed in Scott, and when they are, they are only the Bureau precancels, never the local precancels.

When valuing a strip of four, it would be worth 2x a pair. A strip of three would be valued as a pair and a single. You get the idea...

The best place to find out more about precancels would be the Precancel Stamp Society. If you are interested, let me know and I'll sponsor you.

Thank you - yes, I thought just like you.

But the section of the prominent Americans coils (1297-1305) has the values for used and unused for the precancel stamps, and in some cases with quite big differences. Let's take the 1305, the value for used is 1 USD, the value for unused is 20 USD. There must be a difference in the stamp's condition and in the definition of a precancel used or unused for those stamps.

I don't think that an additional cancel is the reason, as this is not the rule. Normally I would see it like:
- precancel unused: gum
- precancel used: no gum

But here we come to definition problems, as the "used" should normally be "original no gum" or "unused no gum", if there is no cancel.

Has anybody any precancel coils of that section and an opinion when we see a stamp like this as used or unused?

I always assumed that all precancels were considered as used and do not really worry much about this topic. But I do collect coil leaders and trailers and I guess a case could be made that these are truly 'mint'.

I also assume that some of the issue is that a precancel can be used, come off a parcel with gum, and it would be indistinguishable from a mint precancel.
Don

Yes, this would be another special case, I am just interested in "the rule", so what collectors of the mentioned coils (1297-1305) assume as used or unused.

Precancelled 1297-1305 coil trailers and leaders are the same as shown above, I just didn't have a scan of one handy.

The precancels for 1297-1305 (and others) are not listed in Scott because the have a precancel but because they are untagged and the main listings for these are for tagged stamps and untagged examples of these stamps do do exist without the precancel (except for untagged errors). The value in the right column is for used which is defined as no gum, and the value in the left column is for mint which is defined as with full gum. (pre)Cancelled, yes, used, no.

thank you very much, this answers all my questions about them.