Lot 4190
1908, 5¢ blue, experimental coil, perf 12 horizontally, pair, o.g., lightly hinged, rather well-centered with fresh color, F.-V.F. example of this very rare coil pair; Signed RHW Co (Weill), with 1957, 1999 & 2007 P.F. certificates.Scott Nos. 317 $15,000.
According to Johl, these first government coils were an experiment, and collectors were generally unaware of their existence. Sheets of 400 were printed and then perforated only in one direction. They were subsequently cut into strips of 20. The strips were then hand pasted together to form rolls. As such, they are almost always strongly off centered to one side.
Realized: $7,250