#388 1911 2¢ Coil

Basic Information

Color: Carmine
Subject: George Washington
Watermark: SINGLE-lined USPS
Printing method: Flat plate
Perforations: 12 vertically
Scott #: 388
Quantity issued: 3,554,500
Issued: January 4th, 1911

Value for singles

An unused stamp with perfect gum: $15,500-$16,000
An unused stamp with gum and a hinge mark: $1,750-$3,750
A used stamp: $75-$150

Value for pairs

An unused pair with perfect gum: $100-$250
An unused pair with gum and a hinge mark: $75-$200
A used pair: $75-$200

About #388

A used #388

#388 was only on sale for a month. However many were collected by philatelists so whilst uncommon, it is not rare. The 12 gauge perforations were not a success, like all 12 perforations it made the stamps break apart from each other too easily. This problem was excerbated by the fact that these coils primary purpose was for stamp machines. They were replaced with the 8.5 perf, which caused the opposite problem.

TWO THIRDS OF #388 ARE FAKES. A certificate is a must.

As in the previous issues 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.

Usage

A first day of issue cover, January 4th, 1911

The 2¢ Washington stamp paid the standard ½ ounce rate.

The Plates

The plate numbers on the top and bottom were cut off and those on the sides were covered by the paste up. Normally the plate number would be covered by the pasted end of the next strip, however in a few instances the plate number is still visible.

#388 was issued with the following plate #'s

Number only
5334, 5351

Identifying the Watermark on #388

The SINGLE lined USPS watermark of #388

A DOUBLE 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 purpose of the change in the watermark was to strengthen the paper and to give it a more uniform thickness. The old double line watermark covered too much space and made the lettered area quite a bit thinner than the rest of the paper, which caused variation in the shrinkage of the paper. The new watermark was also smaller, occurring 400 letters to a full sheet instead of 360.

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.