Sale 1096 — The Robert R. Hall Collection of Outstanding United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Thursday, 28-30 April, 2015
Category — 1867-68 Grilled Issue, E-F Grills (Scott 86-101)
1c Blue, E. Grill (86). Original gum, lightly hinged, gorgeous "electric blue" shade, clear grill points, wide marginsVERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 ONE-CENT E GRILL.
With 2002 P.S.E. certificate
1c Blue, E. Grill (86). Radiant color, clearly-defined grill, unobtrusive cancel, extra wide margins, reperfed at right (deceptive enough to fool P.F. in 1986 -- not noted on certificate), Extremely Fine appearance, with 1986 P.F. certificate
2c Black, E. Grill (87). Original gum, h.r., intense shade, sharp grill, strong Fine (arguably Very Fine)
3c Rose, E. Grill (88). Original gum, lightly hinged, rich color, fresh and Very Fine, with 2004 P.F. certificate
3c Rose, E. Grill (88). Block of four, original gum, h.r., choice centering, brilliant color, clearly-defined grillsVERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1868 3-CENT E GRILL.
Very few well-centered blocks of the 3c E Grill have survived the mass extinction of multiples, as dealers broke them up in the 1980s and 90s to feed the market for choice singles. This is one of the last left intact.
Ex Caspary and Ishikawa. With 1993 P.F. certificate
10c Green, E. Grill (89). Original gum, lightly hinged, clearly-defined grill, deep rich color, wide marginsEXTREMELY FINE AND REMARKABLY WIDE-MARGINED ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 10-CENT E GRILL.
With 1987 P.F. certificate
12c Black, E. Grill (90). Wide margins and perfect centering, crisp shade and impression, clear grill, bold cork cancel, Extremely Fine, with 2002 P.F. certificate
15c Black, E. Grill (91). Original gum, lightly hinged, remarkably fresh and well-centered with strong grill impression, bright shadeVERY FINE AND CHOICE. THE 15-CENT E GRILL IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF THE 1868 GRILLED ISSUES IN THIS WELL-CENTERED ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION.
As an indication of the rarity of 15c E Grill stamps with original gum, the Scott Catalogue values Scott 91 at $4,500.00 without gum, and $12,500.00 with original gum.
Ex Golin. With 1991 P.F. certificate
15c Black, E. Grill (91). Crisp impression and bright shade, grid and trace of red cancel at bottom left, fresh and Extremely Fine, with 1992 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, F. Grill (92). Mint N.H. with top selvage, deep rich color and proof-like impressionVERY FINE. A REMARKABLY RARE MINT NEVER-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 ONE-CENT F GRILL.
A Power Search review found one other, offered in one of our 2005 auctions, which had a straight edge at right and perfs in at left. Blocks of this issue are also very scarce, and none we have offered contained any Mint N.H. stamps. This is the finest we have been able to locate.
With 1997 P.F. certificate
1c Pale Blue, F. Grill (92a). Horizontal block of six, original gum, few small h.r., most lightly hinged, beautiful pastel color, each stamp has wide marginsEXTREMELY FINE. A RARE AND SUPERB ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF SIX OF THE 1868 ONE-CENT F GRILL IN THE PALE BLUE SHADE.
A review using Power Search shows we have offered only seven blocks of Scott 92 in any shade. This block was offered in our 1981 Rarities sale as the regular Scott 92 shade, where it realized $5,000 hammer versus $1,325.00 Scott value
With 1996 P.F. certificate. Scott Retail as block of four and pair
2c Black, F. Grill (93). Original gum, intense shade, clear grill, Very Fine, with 2000 P.F. certificate
3c Red, F. Grill (94). Top right corner selvage block of four with wide selvage, original gum, top right stamp has never been hinged but has a slight diagonal handling wrinkle, other stamps and selvage lightly hinged, radiant color, clearly-defined grills, few perf separationsVERY FINE-EXTREMELY FINE. AN IMPRESSIVE CORNER SHEET-MARGIN BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1868 3-CENT F GRILL.
The slight wrinkle in the top right stamp is the only reason this block has not be broken to create a Mint N.H. corner-margin single.
5c Brown, F. Grill (95). Original gum, barest trace of hinge, clearly-defined grill, intense color and impression, choice centeringEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB LIGHTLY-HINGED EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 5-CENT F GRILL. A DIFFICULT STAMP TO FIND IN SUCH PRISTINE CONDITION AND WITH SUCH SUPERB CENTERING.
As the block offered in the following lot demonstrates, the 5c 1861-68 Issue was printed from plates with closely-spaced subjects that left little room for the large 12-gauge perforations.
With 1993 P.F. certificate
5c Brown, F. Grill (95). Block of four, original gum, lightly hinged, some offset on gum from other 5c stamps and slight flaking of ink in printed design (as found on most of the known blocks), deep rich color, clearly-defined grills, almost perfectly centeredEXTREMELY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1868 5-CENT F GRILL. ONE OF THE FINEST EXTANT.
As this block demonstrates, the 5c 1861-68 Issue was printed from plates with closely-spaced subjects that left little room for the large 12-gauge perforations. In this instance, the perforations were applied almost exactly within the narrow spaces between the stamps.
5c Brown, F. Grill (95). Deep shade, neat strikes of quartered cork cancel and circular datestamp, fresh and Very Fine, with 1999 P.F. certificate
10c Yellow Green, F. Grill (96). Original gum, lightly hinged, choice centering with unusually wide margins, deep rich color and sharp grill impression on bright paper, the gum is clean and freshEXTREMELY FINE GEM. ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 1868 10-CENT F GRILL.
With 1992 P.F. certificate
10c Yellow Green, F. Grill (96). Block of four, original gum, hinge mark, clearly-defined grills, deep rich color and proof-like impression on crisp paperFINE-VERY FINE. A RARE SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1868 10-CENT F GRILL.
Most blocks with sound and centered stamps have been broken to feed collector demand for singles. This is one of the finest surviving blocks.
With 1983 P.F. certificate.
12c Black, F. Grill (97). Original gum, deep shade and detailed impression, clearly-defined grill, choice centering, long and full perforationsVERY FINE AND CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 12-CENT F GRILL.
With 1978 P.F. certificate
12c Black, F. Grill (97). Lovely shade and crisp impression nicely complemented by blue target and circular datestamp cancels, perfectly centered with balanced margins, Extremely Fine Gem, a beautiful stamp, with 1992 P.F. certificate
15c Black, F. Grill (98). Original gum, lightly hinged, deep shade, choice centering with unusually wide margins for this issue, clear grill impressionVERY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 15-CENT F GRILL.
With 1992 P.F. certificate
15c Black, F. Grill (98). Block of four, original gum, clearly-defined grills, choice centering throughout, few tiny thin spots, sensibly reinforced perf separationsVERY FINE APPEARANCE. A SCARCE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1868 15-CENT F GRILL.
The largest recorded original gum multiples are a reconstructed block of 20 and a block of 16. Both are significantly off center with perfs cutting far into the stamp designs. Virtually all of the better-centered blocks of this scarce issue have been broken to feed the market for choice singles. This block was featured in our 1970 Rarities sale.
24c Gray Lilac, F. Grill (99). Original gum, brilliant color on crisp paper, clearly-defined grillVERY FINE AND CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 24-CENT 1868 F GRILL.
Ex Gorham. With 1982, 1991 and 2003 P.F. certificates
24c Gray Lilac, F. Grill (99). Disturbed original gum, rich color, centered to bottom left, light central crease ending in small scuff to right of Washington's head, otherwise Fine, scarce with original gum
24c Gray Lilac, F. Grill (99). In our opinion this is an unused stamp, but the accompanying P.F. certificate states "faintly cancelled" which was another way of saying some lightened stains, brilliant color, clear grill, Very Fine appearance, with 1981 P.F. certificate, Scott Retail $3,250.00 as unused (no gum), Scott Retail as used
30c Orange, F. Grill (100). Unused (no gum), bright color, clearly-defined grill, remarkably wide and balanced margins for this narrow-spaced issueEXTREMELY FINE. A MAGNIFICENT WIDE-MARGINED UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 30-CENT F GRILL.
For the U.S. Classics collector more concerned with margins and centering than with gum, this is the ideal example of the 30c F Grill.
Ex Gorham. With 1984 and 2001 P.F. certificates
30c Orange, F. Grill (100). Radiant color, clear grill, large circle of wedges cancel, well-balanced margins, Very Fine and choice, with 1998 P.F. certificate
90c Blue, F. Grill (101). Original gum, detailed impression on bright paper, clearly-defined grillVERY FINE AND CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 90-CENT F GRILL. SCARCE IN SUCH CHOICE CONDITION.
We have offered approximately a dozen original-gum examples since keeping computerized records, and most either have faults, are off-center or have only part original gum.
With 1971 and 1992 P.F. certificates
90c Blue, F. Grill (101). Deep rich color, near perfect centering, clearly-defined grill, bold circle of wedges cancelsEXTREMELY FINE USED EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT 1868 F GRILL.
With 1998 P.F. certificate