Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Cheryl
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06:29:42pm
These are specially perforated coils issued in vending machines in the first quarter of the 20th century. Schermack was one of several companies that produced these. An example would look like this: 
My Scott's US specialized catalogue covers this material, I doubt if a regular catalogue does.
You should be able to do a Google search for US stamp Schermack coil and get the information and images. I believe sheets of inperforate sheets were used for this just as the manufacture of regular coils. I am certainly not an expert on this but I bet one of the other US collectors can explain this better!
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Here is a link with a lot of information on private perforations including Shermack. There are five different varieties of Shermack cancels.
https://stampsmarter.org/1847usa/Private ...
This web site has a lot of information for U.S. collectors.
https://stampsmarter.org/index.html
Vince
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I wonder if the Schermack machines were ever used in Canada?
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09:36:37pm
I think the machines producing these coils were used in the US only.
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There were several other companies that also had machines to produce coils with different perforation patterns. These are called private perforations. Some are quite expensive other not so much.
Below is another kind of private perforation -- called Attleboro I believe:
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10:06:59pm
I have a very important question about this whole thing. The Scott's specialized lists the Schermack coils under the number of the stamp used to construct the coil in a special section of the book. Take Scott #368 for example. It is an inperforate stamp but once it has been turned into a Schermack coil what do we now have. Is it still #368 even tough it has the rectangular indentations? I was hoping if I looked up #368 in the Scott's catalogue it would give the Schermack coil as a variation but it does not. So what's the story on a #368 Schermack? What do I call it? Can it still be considered to be #368 or do I make up a number like 368Sch? A bit of a dilemma, we have a stamp in Scott's that doesn't seem to have a number! For example my Scott #482 in my album is actually a Schermack coil. Is that stamp actually the inperforate #482 or should it be replaced? Does anyone have an opinion?
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I am definitely not an expert but ... I believe private perfs on the W/F 1c greens were only made from 343. So the coils (1c) should be some variant of 343. And the base stamps for other W/F denominations are 344-47 for the 2c-5c private perf coils.
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10:54:42am
Are stamps like the Schermacks actually considered to be private perfs? It doesn't matter that much to me what the value of a stamp is, I'm just curious if stamp #X with a vending machine perforation is still considered to be stamp #X. Scott's puts stamps like this in a separate part of their specialized catalog and tends to not mention them elsewhere. To me it doesn't matter, I'm just curious! I have a Newfoundland stamp (Scott #40) that was issued rouletted that was given a private perforation and someone here said it had no commercial value. The Shermacks are valued by Scott's so I really don't want to call them privately perforated. I know it's only semantics but it makes a difference!
Also, the Attleboro stamps shown above are very pricey!! The strip of 4 that is shown is so expensive that the value isn't even given in Scott's and a single lists at $1000 used! Other companies are Brinkerhoff, Farwell, International, Mailometer, US Automatic and Covel. Some companies are quite scarce.
Does anyone of you collect these stamps and could you show a scan of some of the other companies for the benefit of those who do not have a copy of Scott's US Specialized Catalogue?
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I think there is a distinction between Private perfs and Vending and Affixing machine Perforations. Roulette perfs are Private perfs but not Vending and Affixing Machine Perforations. I think this discussion concerns only the private and Affixing Machines.
Here is a scan from Scott's 2013 United States Specialized Catalog, page 540.
This is page 543 from the same edition of Scott to give you an idea of how the listings look.
The Private perfs and Vending and Affixing machine perforations are identified by Scott number and type of perforations.
Edit
Scott also list price but in pairs only.
I have not found any information about other countries using the Vending and Affixing machines used in The United States.
Here is a book on the Vending and Affixing Machines used in The United States.
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09:44:47am
"Scott also list price but in pairs only."
That probably means my little mini collection is worthless since it is made up of singles. That's not a problem for me since I have no rare ones! I can certainly see the problem with singles since the rectangular slots would be simple to add to an inperforates. With a little patience it wouldn't be impossible to fake a pair as well. All you'd really need is a sharp blade and a steady hand!
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06:00:39pm
I have been reading about Schermack coils /stamps on Stamporama and Stampboards . I have no clue or any idea what they are and why the name Schermack. Can anyone help with information or explanation?Even when I research the name I don`t understand
Cheryl
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This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
05 Jan 2024
06:29:42pm
re: Schermack coils
These are specially perforated coils issued in vending machines in the first quarter of the 20th century. Schermack was one of several companies that produced these. An example would look like this:
My Scott's US specialized catalogue covers this material, I doubt if a regular catalogue does.
You should be able to do a Google search for US stamp Schermack coil and get the information and images. I believe sheets of inperforate sheets were used for this just as the manufacture of regular coils. I am certainly not an expert on this but I bet one of the other US collectors can explain this better!
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re: Schermack coils
Here is a link with a lot of information on private perforations including Shermack. There are five different varieties of Shermack cancels.
https://stampsmarter.org/1847usa/Private ...
This web site has a lot of information for U.S. collectors.
https://stampsmarter.org/index.html
Vince
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07:50:56pm
re: Schermack coils
I wonder if the Schermack machines were ever used in Canada?
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This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
05 Jan 2024
09:36:37pm
re: Schermack coils
I think the machines producing these coils were used in the US only.
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this post
re: Schermack coils
There were several other companies that also had machines to produce coils with different perforation patterns. These are called private perforations. Some are quite expensive other not so much.
Below is another kind of private perforation -- called Attleboro I believe:
2 Members
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This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
05 Jan 2024
10:06:59pm
re: Schermack coils
I have a very important question about this whole thing. The Scott's specialized lists the Schermack coils under the number of the stamp used to construct the coil in a special section of the book. Take Scott #368 for example. It is an inperforate stamp but once it has been turned into a Schermack coil what do we now have. Is it still #368 even tough it has the rectangular indentations? I was hoping if I looked up #368 in the Scott's catalogue it would give the Schermack coil as a variation but it does not. So what's the story on a #368 Schermack? What do I call it? Can it still be considered to be #368 or do I make up a number like 368Sch? A bit of a dilemma, we have a stamp in Scott's that doesn't seem to have a number! For example my Scott #482 in my album is actually a Schermack coil. Is that stamp actually the inperforate #482 or should it be replaced? Does anyone have an opinion?
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re: Schermack coils
I am definitely not an expert but ... I believe private perfs on the W/F 1c greens were only made from 343. So the coils (1c) should be some variant of 343. And the base stamps for other W/F denominations are 344-47 for the 2c-5c private perf coils.
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This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
06 Jan 2024
10:54:42am
re: Schermack coils
Are stamps like the Schermacks actually considered to be private perfs? It doesn't matter that much to me what the value of a stamp is, I'm just curious if stamp #X with a vending machine perforation is still considered to be stamp #X. Scott's puts stamps like this in a separate part of their specialized catalog and tends to not mention them elsewhere. To me it doesn't matter, I'm just curious! I have a Newfoundland stamp (Scott #40) that was issued rouletted that was given a private perforation and someone here said it had no commercial value. The Shermacks are valued by Scott's so I really don't want to call them privately perforated. I know it's only semantics but it makes a difference!
Also, the Attleboro stamps shown above are very pricey!! The strip of 4 that is shown is so expensive that the value isn't even given in Scott's and a single lists at $1000 used! Other companies are Brinkerhoff, Farwell, International, Mailometer, US Automatic and Covel. Some companies are quite scarce.
Does anyone of you collect these stamps and could you show a scan of some of the other companies for the benefit of those who do not have a copy of Scott's US Specialized Catalogue?
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this post
re: Schermack coils
I think there is a distinction between Private perfs and Vending and Affixing machine Perforations. Roulette perfs are Private perfs but not Vending and Affixing Machine Perforations. I think this discussion concerns only the private and Affixing Machines.
Here is a scan from Scott's 2013 United States Specialized Catalog, page 540.
This is page 543 from the same edition of Scott to give you an idea of how the listings look.
The Private perfs and Vending and Affixing machine perforations are identified by Scott number and type of perforations.
Edit
Scott also list price but in pairs only.
I have not found any information about other countries using the Vending and Affixing machines used in The United States.
Here is a book on the Vending and Affixing Machines used in The United States.
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This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
08 Jan 2024
09:44:47am
re: Schermack coils
"Scott also list price but in pairs only."
That probably means my little mini collection is worthless since it is made up of singles. That's not a problem for me since I have no rare ones! I can certainly see the problem with singles since the rectangular slots would be simple to add to an inperforates. With a little patience it wouldn't be impossible to fake a pair as well. All you'd really need is a sharp blade and a steady hand!
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