#350 1910 4¢ Coil

Basic Information

Color: Orange Brown
Subject: George Washington
Watermark: Watermarked double-lined USPS
Printing method: Flat plate
Perforations: perf 12 Horizontally
Scott #: 350
Quantity issued: 283,000 (all 1908/10 4¢)
Issued: August 15th, 1910

Value for pairs

An unused pair with perfect gum: $900-$1,500
An unused pair with gum and a hinge mark: $450-$675
A used pair: no recorded sales
Values are for stamps with two margins

Value for singles

An unused stamp with perfect gum: $350-$600
An unused stamp with gum and a hinge mark: $80-$130
A used stamp: $150-$180
Values are for stamps with two margins

About #350

A paste-up pair of #350

It was not until early in 1908 that the Post Office Department issued some coil stamps of the 1902 series for use in vending and stamp affixing machines, but purely as an experiment. They were found to be satisfactory and as the Department realized that a demand existed for this type of stamp it was less than three weeks after the new design had been issued in the ordinary form that it was also available in coil form.

As in the previous issue they were made from the regular 400 subject sheets which were perforated twelve in the horizontal spaces between the stamps and then cut into strips of twenty. The horizontal guide line appeared in the middle of each of these strips, which were pasted together by hand and rolled into coils of 500 and 1,000. These were coiled on one half inch diameter pasteboard cores. A "paste up" or line pair, therefore, occurred every twentieth stamp and are about eight times scarcer than the ordinary pairs.

This type of coil was never as popular among users as the endwise coil.

Paste-up Pairs

A paste up pair

Sheets of 400 were perforated, cut into strips and rolled into coils of 3,000. A paste up, occurred every twenty stamps, each strip being divided by the guide line running in the same direction as the perforations. The primary reason for issuing imperforate stamps in sheets being for the use in stamp machines.

Guide Lines

A guide line pair

Stamps with a guide line between two stamps command a 30% premium. The line can be seen along the perforating in the middle of the pair.

Usage

#350 - Earliest documented date of use, March 22nd, 1912

In 1910, standard domestic first-class letters cost 2¢ per ounce. Therefore, the 4¢ stamp was primarily used to pay double-weight first-class postage for letters weighing up to 2 ounces.

Because 4¢ did not align with a single standalone rate, the stamp also had several other practical uses:

Registry Fees: Two 4¢ stamps were used to pay the 8¢ domestic registry fee.
Special Delivery: Three 4¢ stamps could cover a 10¢ special delivery fee plus a standard 2¢ domestic letter.
Mixed Usage: Patrons frequently combined 4¢ stamps with other denominations to fulfill larger package weights or complex international mail rates.

The Plates

The plate numbers on the sides having been cut off and those on the top and bottom being covered by the paste up. As a consequence no plate numbers can be found on the vertical coils perforated horizontally.

Proofs

334-P1

Click image to enlarge

Identifying the Watermark on #350

The DOUBLE lined USPS watermark

The SINGLE lined USPS watermark

Between 1895 and 1916 the U.S. government used two different watermarks, double line and single line with the letters "USPS".

By placing the watermark face down on a dark surface or holding it up to bright light you might be able to see the watermark. If you cannot see the watermark it might be a good idea to invest in watermark fluid and a watermark tray. Ronsons lighter fluid works just as well as watermark fluid. Both fluids evaporate quickly.

Pour a little fluid in the tray, lay the stamp face down. In a few seconds the stamp will absorb the fluid and reveal the watermark to you.

As you will see from the illustrations the letters can span several stamps, so on the watermark, for instance, you can see only part of the letter S in one corner and only part the letter P in the other corner.

The Inspiration for the Design

George Washington bust by Jean-Antoine Houdon

The vignette was based on a bust of George Washington by french sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon.

Created in 1785 the bust is considered the most accurate likeness of the first U.S. president. Based on a life mask and clay model made at Mount Vernon, it captures Washington at age 53 with precise facial details, blending a Roman, toga-style aesthetic with realistic aging. It is considered one of the most accurate representations of Washington.