Sale 1320 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Monday-Thursday, 22-25 April, 2024
Category — 1867-68 Grilled Issue (Scott 84-101)
2c-12c 1868 Grilled Issues (84-85, 85B, 85E). Four scarce used grilled stamps, including No. 84, off-center but sound, with 2003 P.S.E. certificate (GD 30), No. 85, lightly cancelled with light crease, with 2003 P.S.E. certificate (FR 20), No. 85B, light purple manuscript cancel, Fine, with 1992 P.S.E. certificate, finally No. 85E, also sound but off-center, with 2003 P.S.E. certificate (VG 50), overall a decent group of sound or nearly sound stamps, total Scott value $9,650
2c Black, D. Grill (84). Unusually well-centered for this typically off-center grilled issue, light segmented cork cancel
FRESH AND FINE SOUND EXAMPLE OF THE ELUSIVE 2-CENT D GRILL.
With 1969, 1994 and 2007 P.F. certificates. With 2017 P.S.E. certificate (F 70). SCV $5,500
2c Black, Z. Grill (85B). Original gum, h.r., clearly defined grill, few short perfs, few toned perfs, Fine appearance and rare, one of the most difficult grilled issues to obtain with original gum and any semblance of decent centering, Scott value $19,000
1c Blue, E. Grill (86). Unused (regummed), well-centered with bright color, small perf tear at bottom, Very Fine appearance
1c Blue, E. Grill (86). Clearly defined grill, rich color, cork cancel, well-balanced margins, Extremely Fine
3c Rose, E. Grill (88). Original gum, beautiful rich color and sharp impression, Very Fine and choice, with 2002 P.F. certificate
3c Rose, E. Grill (88). Bottom imprint and plate no. 54 block of eight, unused (no gum), bright color, some perf separations h.r. reinforced, about Fine, a presentable and scarce plate block, Scott value for original-gum plate block is $13,000
12c Black, E. Grill (90). Slightly disturbed original gum, clearly defined grill, intense shade and impression
VERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 12-CENT BLACK E GRILL.
The 12c E Grill is extremely difficult to obtain in sound original-gum condition with decent centering.
15c Black, E. Grill (91). Unused (regummed), detailed impression, reperfed at right, Fine appearance, with 2024 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, F. Grill (92). Original gum, brilliant color, reperfed at bottom, Very Fine appearance
2c Black, F. Grill (93). Wide and perfectly balanced margins all around, clear grill points, light cork cancel
EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 2-CENT F GRILL, GRADED SUPERB 98 BY P.S.E. — THIS IS THE HIGHEST GRADE AWARDED.
Ex "Tahoe". With 2023 P.S.E. certificate (Superb 98). This is the highest grade awarded and it is shared by only three others.
5c Brown, F. Grill (95). Original gum, barely hinged, deep rich color, fresh and Fine, with 1992 P.F. certificate
10c Yellow Green, F. Grill (96). Unused (no gum), deep rich color, well-centered with wide margins, light vertical paper wrinkle probably natural, appears Very Fine
12c Black, F. Grill (97). Unused (no gum), intense shade, nicely centered, Very Fine
15c Black, F. Grill (98). Original gum, deep shade, attractive centering, clear grill impression
FRESH AND FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 15-CENT F GRILL.
With 1993 and 2007 P.S.E. certificates. With 1994 and 2017 P.F. certificates (F 70)
15c Black, F. Grill (98). Original gum, barely hinged, intense shade and attractive centering, two horizontal creases at top, Very Fine appearance, with copy of 2016 P.S.E. certificate for a block of four (top right stamp)
15c Black, F. Grill (98). Unused (no gum), intense shade and attractive centering, Very Fine, with 1998 P.F. certificate
15c Black, F. Grill (98). Unused (no gum), well-centered, tiny scissors-cut at left and small thin spot in grill, otherwise Very Fine, with 2010 P.F. certificate mentioning only the scissors-cut
15c Black, F. Grill (98). Horizontal block of 20, representing two complete rows of a pane, unused (no gum), perfs are all well in, demonstrating the quality often seen with 1867-68 grilled issue perforating, h.r. reinforcing perf separations including the right block of four essentially rejoined and the left pair scissors-separated between the stamps and rejoined, a couple other very small flaws, overall Very Good, not a particularly pretty piece but still an extremely rare large block and the largest listed in Power Search, a single original-gum block of four catalogues $35,000 and Scott value for 20 no-gum singles is $32,000
24c Gray Lilac, F. Grill (99). Original gum, h.r., intense shade and impression, clearly defined grill, wide margins
VERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE AND WIDE-MARGINED ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 24-CENT F GRILL.
The higher-denomination F Grills were produced in limited quantities and seem to have caused National Bank Note Co. difficulty in applying perforations. They are typically off center with very choppy perfs. This stamp has uncharacteristically precise centering, wide margins and well-formed perforations. In terms of quality, using Power Search, we rank this among the top two or three singles with original gum.
With 2024 P.F. certificate.
24c Gray Lilac, F. Grill (99). Unused (regummed), bright shade, reperfed at right, appears Fine, with 2003 P.S.E. certificate
24c Gray Lilac, F. Grill (99). Unused (no gum), centered to left with three margins balanced, small corner creases at bottom right, Very Good
24c Gray Lilac, F. Grill (99). Clear grill, bold strike of cork cancel, well-balanced margins, Very Fine
24c Gray Lilac, F. Grill (99). Clear grill, rich color, unobtrusive cancel, faint corner crease at top left, Very Fine appearance
30c Orange, F. Grill (100). Unused, P.F. opines regummed but the grill is impressed into gum (rather than gum on top of grill), so we think it is original gum, vibrant color
FINE UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 30-CENT F GRILL.
With 2024 P.F. certificate. Scott value as no gum
30c Orange, F. Grill (100). Unused (no gum), bright color, tiny corner crease at bottom right and short perf at top right, appears Fine
30c Orange, F. Grill (100). Unused (no gum), bright color, horizontal crease and short perf at lower left, appears Fine
30c Orange, F. Grill (100). Vibrant color, clearly defined grill, grid cancel, Very Fine, backstamp at bottom left barely shows thru
30c Orange, F. Grill, Split Grill (100 var). Rich color, showing grill at both sides, bold strike of cork cancel, fresh and Fine
30c Orange, F. Grill (100). Bright color, clear grill, grid cancel and part of blue cancel, Fine
90c Blue, F. Grill (101). Deep rich color, clearly defined grill, quartered cork cancel, Fine
90c Blue, F. Grill (101). Perfectly centered, deep shade, light target cancel, light diagonal crease at lower right, appears Extremely Fine, with 1998 P.S.E. certificate
90c Blue, F. Grill (101). Rich color, clear grill, circle of wedges cancel attractively frames Washington's face, reperfed at left, Fine appearance