Transportation coils
The Transportation coils series is a set of definitive stamps issued by the United States Postal Service between 1981 and 1995. Officially dubbed the "Transportation Issue" or "Transportation Series", they have come to be called the "transportation coils" because all of the denominations were issued in coil stamp format.[1] All values except three were printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.[2]
The theme of the series was historical
Plate numbers were printed in small letters at the bottom of the stamps at intervals of twenty-four, forty-eight, or fifty-two depending on the printing press employed and these stamps are known as plate number coils.[2] The series has become popular with stamp collectors, both because of the "classic" engraved designs, and because to the emergence of the plate number collecting. Many issues with specific plate numbers are hard to find and can be valuable.[citation needed]
Stamps of the series (ordered by denomination, not issue date):
- 1¢ Omnibus
- 2¢ Locomotive
- 3¢ Handcar
- 3¢ Conestoga
- 3.4¢ School Bus
- 4¢ Stagecoach
- 4¢ Steam Carriage
- 4.9¢ Buckboard
- 5¢ Motorcycle
- 5¢ Milk wagon
- 5¢ Circus wagon
- 5¢ Canoe
- 5.2¢ Sleigh
- 5.3¢ Elevator
- 5.5¢ Star Route Truck
- 5.9¢ Bicycle
- 6¢ Tricycle
- 7.1¢ Tractor
- 7.4¢ Baby Buggy
- 7.6¢ Carreta
- 8.3¢ Ambulance
- 8.4¢ Wheel Chair
- 8.5¢ Tow Truck
- 9.3¢ Mail Wagon
- 10¢ Canal Boat
- 10¢ Tractor Trailer
- 10.1¢ Oil Wagon
- 10.9¢ Hansom Cab
- 11¢ Caboose
- 11¢ Stutz Bearcat
- 12¢ Stanley Steamer
- 12.5¢ Pushcart
- 13¢ Patrol Wagon
- 13.2¢ Coal Car
- 14¢ Iceboat
- 15¢ Tugboat
- 16.7¢ Popcorn Wagon
- 17¢ Electric Auto
- 17¢ Dog Sled
- 17.5¢ Racing Car
- 18¢ Surrey
- 20¢ Fire Pumper
- 20¢ Cable Car
- 20¢ Cog Railway
- 20.5¢ Fire Engine
- 21¢ Railway Mail Car
- 23¢ Lunch Wagon
- 24.1¢ Tandem Bike
- 25¢ Bread Wagon
- 32¢ Ferry Boat
- $1 Sea Plane
References and sources
- Notes
- ^ a b "U.S. Transportation Coils of 1981". 1847us.com. 2010. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e "Transportation Issue (1981-1995)". Arago; National Postal Museum. 2011. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
- Sources
- Scott catalog
Further reading
- Agris, Joseph. The Transportation Coils and Other Plate Number Coils Issues. Houston, TX.: Eclectic Publishing, 1987 332p.
- Lawrence, Ken. "A Tribute to Transportation Coils." The American Philatelist. 105(6) (June 1991), p. 530-541.
- Winick, Les. The United States Transportation Coils. Florham Park, N.J.: The Washington Press, 1988 4p.