1906 Washington-Franklin 2-Cent Coil (Perf 12 Horizontally)

Scott #316, the 1906 2-cent Washington coil stamp perforated 12 horizontally, is one of the great rarities of American philately. With fewer than 100 copies known to exist, and with values running from thousands to tens of thousands of dollars for verified examples, this stamp occupies the same rarefied tier as the 1¢ Blue Boy or the 1869 inverts in terms of genuine scarcity within the broad US collection.

The Coil Stamp Background

In the early 1900s, mechanical improvements in postal operations drove the development of coil stamps: stamps wound in continuous rolls that could be fed through stamp-vending machines and stamp-affixing machinery. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing experimented with coil production using existing flat plate sheet stamps.

The process for creating early coils involved cutting sheets of normally perforated stamps apart and then joining them into rolls. The cuts were made along perf lines that were parallel to the direction of feed, leaving intact perforations on two sides of each stamp while the other two sides showed straight edges (from where the coil was cut from the sheet).

However, in 1906, the Bureau also experimented with creating coils by perforating only in one direction (either horizontally or vertically) and leaving the other dimension imperforate. The "perf 12 horizontally" coil means the stamps have perforations along the top and bottom edges only, with straight (imperforate) edges on the left and right sides.

Why So Few Survived

The 1906 horizontal perf coils were a limited experimental production. They were sent out to test the vending machines and affixing equipment of a few businesses. Because they were not widely distributed and because they looked similar to normally perforated stamps at casual inspection, most were used on mail and discarded.

The small number that survived were identified by eagle-eyed collectors examining early coil stamps. The philatelic community began documenting these in the early 20th century, and the total known census has grown slowly as examples emerge from old collections. Today, fewer than 100 copies are recorded, and examples in fine or better condition are genuinely rare within that small population.

Identification: The Critical Issue

Authentication is the central concern with Scott #316 and related coil rarities. The key characteristics:

• Perforations present on top and bottom edges (gauge approximately 12)

• Straight (imperforate) edges on left and right

• Two-cent carmine design (Washington-Franklin portrait)

• Paper and gum consistent with 1906 production

The danger: ordinary imperforate-on-two-sides stamps can be created by trimming a normally perforated stamp on two sides. Expert examination by the Philatelic Foundation (PF) using measurement tools, paper analysis, and gum examination is essential for any purchase.

A PF certificate is not merely recommended for Scott #316, it is mandatory for any serious transaction. The PF has authenticated many genuine examples and rejected many attempts to pass off altered stamps.

Values

All meaningful values require certification. A raw uncertified example claiming to be Scott #316 is essentially valueless until authenticated, and an uncertified copy should not be purchased at premium prices under any circumstances.

The Collecting Achievement

Scott #316 represents exactly the kind of stamp that serious US philatelists search for across decades. It is not rare because of a printing error or a design choice. It is rare because of the specific circumstances of early machine distribution testing in 1906. That mundane origin makes the stamp a piece of postal history that almost nobody intended to preserve, which is exactly what makes it precious to those who do.

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