Question About Coil Strips

rodgcam,

Yup, you got it. Just keep in mind that, since the entire sequence is 27 stamps, it's possible to get a strip of 25 that doesn't show that one design has been skipped. It's also possible to get a strip of 25 that doesn't have a plate number, despite the product being described as a strip of 25 with plate number. I'm not aware of this happening with the Mountain Flora but one collector has reported receiving three strips of 25 of the new US Flag issue, out of 8 ordered, that didn't include a plate number.

The plate size of 594 would be a plate/cylinder that's 27 stamps around by 22 stamps wide.

"OK. Just to make sure I'm understanding this correctly, what you are saying is that, given a 27 stamp circumference, one of the 4 stamp designs has to be eliminated on the strip, and which stamp takes the axe is a decision of the printer. But once this decision is made, all trips regardless of the starting sequence will have the same stamp missing somewhere on any given strip."

each strip of 27 will be missing the same one stamp design once

This instance is a good one for using philately to teach mathematics to middle and high schoolers. Heck even first year undergrads.