Holy Grail Of PNC FDCs

It's not often that a collector makes an amazing discovery, but I was lucky enough to find an extraordinary one-of-a-kind cover.

On March 31, 2024, I purchased a PNC (plate number coil) FDC (first day cover) online with Scott 1906, 17¢ Electric Auto coil having a joint line pair with plate number 4 (shown below). I received the cover on April 8, 2024 and sent it to the Philatelic Foundation (PF) the next day for certification.

Although the cover appeared to be legitimate, I wanted a certificate as this is a truly unique cover. In the nearly 43 years since this stamp was issued on June 25, 1981, only plate numbers 1 and 2 have ever been found/reported on FDCs.

Today, April 22, 2024, I received the certificate from PF (shown below) stating "IT IS GENUINE".

Honestly, I was expecting to receive the bad news that it was a fake or fraudulent cover. As a PNC FDC researcher and collector, I'm thrilled to add this to my collection and wanted to share it here first.


Scott

A keen eye is its own reward in this hobby.

Well done Scott

Congrats Scott!


Peter

Good eye, congratulations.

If there is a repository for recording these, like the Scott catalog, or some census, I suppose you should submit an update.

An excellent demonstration of the power of knowledge! (And very fast turnaround time at the PF!)

While the Siegel Auction website has published census lists for a number of important and rare older stamps/covers, there are very few true "census" lists for U.S. stamps or postmarks for post-1920 items. The closest one seems to get to census lists are the specialists in narrow fields making their own private compilations, which are seldom made available outside very closed circles or else put in specialized journals of modest circulation. Nor is there a website compiling links to these scattered lists.

Since Scott does not attempt to price PNC FDCs by each plate number, they give no hint to which numbers were available on the issue date and which ones may be more/less common. This is the end point for most average collectors. It is for me. It is highly likely that other #4 FDC covers exist, perhaps yes, making this the "discovery copy" to philately, but probably not ultimately one-of-a-kind. Having looked at Scott, the average collector holding any PNC FDCs has little clue to look further, or even to suspect that specialist societies exist for things like for PNCs or FDCs, and sees no reason to "report" them to anyone or any organization, etc.

John,

I appreciate you for your comments. I was also impressed by the quick response from PF, especially after my last experience with them that took more than 6 months to get a certificate on an item.

You're correct that there are very few "true" (read accurate) census lists for post-1920 items, but there are resources and specialists that share information within the PNC (and wider) community. PNC3 (Plate Number Coil Collectors Club) has many dedicated members who regularly report finds and updates of items such as this cover. If another had been found before now, it would have been reported by PNC3 members, Linn's Stamp News, here on the SCF website, or elsewhere. I was assured by the seller (who actually created the cover) that only 1 was made.

While the Scott Specialized Catalogue doesn't price PNC FDCs by each plate number, the Scott/Mellone U.S. First Day Cover Catalogue & Checklist does just that. It was last published in 2009 and the author, Michael A. Mellone passed away in 2018. The PNC portion of the catalogue was written and priced by Larry Graf, whom I've spoken with several times and corresponded with for years while researching the book I'm in the process of writing on PNC FDCs. The 1995 Plate Number Coil Catalog (edited by Richard Nazar) is another resource that delves deeper into each individual PNC issue by plate number. The Plate Number Coil Handbook by Ken Lawrence also covers PNCs in depth. There's also 36 years of monthly PNC3 newsletters covering every aspect of PNC collecting to include FDCs.

You're also correct that this may only be the "discovery copy" and may not be one-of-a-kind. In my many years of researching and collecting PNC FDCs, I can report that no others have been reported much less certified. Are there others? Perhaps...perhaps not. Only time and accurate reporting will determine whether the item is unique.

Having reached your end point, to me, simply means you no longer have interest in the discovery. There is still much more to learn, share, and discuss for those of us who specialize in PNCs generally and PNC FDCs specifically.


Scott

I have not lost interest, although FDCs are an area in which I seldom go beyond Scott. The point being these coils are still very modern (i.e., many/most still held by the original collectors who bought them) and that discoveries can be made as they become more knowledgeable or their collections enter the secondary market. Also, the majority of collectors are not as "deep in the woods" as you are about these. You cite various excellent sources for information, but these are *not* on the shelves of the average collector - just saying. In other words, I am trying to think like an average collector in this area.

I agree with you that there are more discoveries to be made. I never expected to find a plate number 4 FDC of 1906, yet there it was.
There may be a few dozen (or more) hardcore PNC FDC collectors like me. The sources are generally well known in either the PNC or the FDC communities. The 2009 Scott/Mellone catalogue is difficult to find and can be expensive (generally $150-$200). My post about the existence and certification of the cover was simply to share with others who may be interested. I have no expectation that the "average" collector would find this to be exciting. Similarly, I don't find plating the Penny Black or fancy cancels to be very exciting, yet still read about them when they pop up.

Our approach to collecting, what motivates us, and our differences are the strengths that make each of us (and our collections) a unique part of this community.

The average collector *should* find it exciting (and even profitable!), but they don't have this level of information readily available to detect gems in their collections. I have a very decent philatelic library, but lack the Scott/Mellone volume. Yes, this thread may get people looking!

As a distant tangent of going beyond the common literature to the realm of the unlisted, I enjoyed part of the evening looking for Ohio machine cancel varieties. Fred Langford's ""Standard Encyclopedia of Deormus Machine Cancels" states "A variety is not creaed by any of these: ... 5. A change of cancelers ... resulting in a different number of vertical bars being used at same town within the same Chart Type..." Thus he does not list them. I disagree and find this to be a significant and collectible change in the cancel format. I was happy to find this pair from Marion, Ohio, documenting a change from 16 to 19 bars sometime in 1906, note the different rate of bar spacing. There is no public clearinghouse for finding data of this detail.

Very good find. Scott.

Hmm... thought I just submitted a reply, but don't see it. Trying again.

" they give no hint to which numbers were available on the issue date "

The date of issue of not the relevant date. There is a "grace" period after the FD during which covers can be submitted and still receive the FD cancel. Also, there have been shenanigans played at times to get around the cutoff date.