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Nick Kirke Collection - The Number One Finest Set of All Time

1908-09 Washington Franklin Issues (Used)

Registrant's Email Address: kirke@philatelist.cz

Owner's Comments:
It is appropriate to say something about the Washington Franklin 'Heads' with this first issue. They are neither modern nor old. At a first glance they appear much the same, even boring. The few rarities that exist such as the 'Orangeburg Coils' are extremely expensive. Collected in mint never hinged condition a deep pocket can accumulate full sets in fabulously centred condition in a matter of months. Although this is all possibly true it was these stamps that taught me to look further at a stamp than just it's picture. I would go thru dealer's accumulations placing the stamps, date order, in 3 piles. The perf 12's, 10's and 11's. Then the perf 11's into another two - the regular and the rotary press printings. Then the piles would be further subdivided by watermark. What fun - what excitement to discover a scarcer stamp! Nothing boring here. Before long I learnt to recognise the perf variations without using a perf gauge. Watermarks remain difficult to identify where they are only partly visible or on the 6c oranges and 10c yellows - but occassionally even the expert committees cannot agree, particularly on the 10c yellows. I would concur that seried rows of mint Washington Franklin stamps can look like rows of soldiers leaving little to the imagination. But in the used state they can present a different picture especially if some have socked on the nose circular datestamps. Also, without question, superlative used copies, virtually across the board, are infinitely more challenging to find than their mint counterparts. I came late into coils. Someone suggested as much as 70 percent of used coils are fake, either with non contemporary cancels or as trimmed perforated stamps. My purchases at bourses tend to confirm this figure. Collecting pairs is only a part solution - they can still bear fake cancels. The answer is to ensure that coils have a certificate of worthiness from a recognised committee such as PSE or the Philatelic Foundation in New York.

Nick Kirke Collection
Item	Scott No.	Issue Date	Denom	Color	PSE Grade	Pop*	Pop Higher*	J Pop Higher*	Condition	Owner's Comments
1c	331	1908	1c	Green	100J	6	0	0	Used
2c	332	1908	2c	Carmine	100J	3	0	0	Used
3c	333	1908	3c	Deep violet	95J	1	2	2	Used
4c	334	1908	4c	Orange brown	98J	4	0	0	Used
5c	335	1908	5c	Blue	95	5	1	1	Used
6c	336	1909	6c	Red orange	95	6	1	1	Used
8c	337	1908	8c	Olive green	95	6	1	0	Used
10c	338	1909	10c	Yellow	95	3	1	0	Used
13c	339	1909	13c	Blue green	98	1	0	0	Used
15c	340	1909	15c	Pale ultramarine	98J	1	0	0	Used
50c	341	1909	50c	Violet	98	1	1	1	Used
$1	342	1909	$1	Violet brown	95	3	1	0	Used

* Pop (population) values are the number of stamps graded by Scott number and condition for each item listed.
Pop Higher values represent the number of stamps which are worth more points in the Registry, taking into account bonus points for Jumbos whereas 80J = 83, 85J = 88, 90J = 93, 95J = 97, 98J = 99, 100J = 102. J Pop Higher values are the number of Jumbos graded higher for each item listed.