Sale 1240 — United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 20-21 July, 2021
Category — 1867-68 Grilled Issue (Scott 79-101)
3c Rose, C. Grill (83). Clearly defined grill which is nicely highlighted by bold cork cancel, radiant color, slightly nibbed perf at right, Very Fine appearing example of the distinctive C Grill
2c Black, D. Grill (84). Original gum, h.r., clear grill, intense shade, centered to topVERY GOOD. A RARE SOUND, ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 2-CENT D GRILL.
The 2c D Grill is very difficult to find in sound original-gum condition. It is essentially non-existent in centered and sound condition, so collectors who demand stamps without faults must compromise on centering.
With 2006 P.F. certificate. Scott value $16,000.00
2c Black, Z. Grill (85B). Original gum, tiny h.r., centered to right, intense shade and perfect grillVERY GOOD. A RARE SOUND, ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 2-CENT Z GRILL.
With 1996 P.F. and 2014 P.S.E. certificates. Scott value $17,500.00
2c Black, Z. Grill (85B). Block of four, original gum called "disturbed" on accompanying certificate but it is very typical of the 2c Z Grill and we would not describe it as such, light red offset on gum from 3c 1861 Issue, h.r. at top, clearly defined grills which show the Z Grill characteristics, horizontal crease at bottom causing some grill point holes, natural pre-print creases in other stamps, tiny thin spotsVERY GOOD APPEARANCE. THIS 1868 2-CENT Z GRILL BLOCK IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF ALL GRILLED ISSUE MULTIPLES. PERHAPS THREE ARE KNOWN AND ALL HAVE SIMILAR CENTERING.
Only a small quantity of 2c sheets were grilled during the period when the Z device was active -- after the D Grill (Scott 84), the Z is the rarest of Black Jack grilled stamps. We were only able to locate two other unused blocks. One was a rejoined block offered in our 2014 Curtis sale (also ex Allen and Metzger), which had traces of original gum. An intact block was offered in our sale of the Richard Drews collection (Siegel Sale 1195, lot 348). The block offered in our 1970 Rarities sale has likely been broken, since the bottom stamps were sound.
With 2018 A.P.S. certificate. Scott value $75,000.00
2c Black, Z. Grill (85B). Clear grill, wide margins to well clear at right, grid of squares cancel, fresh and Very Fine, with 1987 P.F. certificate
2c Black, Z. Grill (85B). Clear grill, attractive centering, fully struck rosette cancel, small corner perf tip crease at bottom left, some ink on back barely shows at lower left, otherwise Very Fine
12c Black, Z. Grill (85E). Wide margins to clear, intense shade, unusual triangular cancel, couple perf tip creases at top, appears Fine, with 1976 P.F. certificate
1c Blue, E. Grill (86). Unused (no gum), choice centering and margins, single slightly short perf at lower right, still Extremely Fine, the ideal example for a collector who wants great visual appeal but does not care about gum and can overlook a nibbed perf
1c Blue, E. Grill (86). Block of six, original gum, top end stamps Mint N.H., fresh color, bottom middle stamp with repaired tear, left pair with vertical gum bend, Fine appearance, a rare block with original gum, Scott value $26,500.00 as a block of four and pair
1c Blue, E. Grill (86). Block of 16, original gum which is slightly glazed in spots, few h.r., few toned spots on gum are visible at bottom right, clear grills, few faults including position 3 sealed tear and some perfs rejoinedFINE APPEARANCE. AN IMPRESSIVE LARGE ORIGINAL-GUM MULTIPLE OF THE 1868 ONE-CENT E GRILL.
Ex Drews. With 1981 P.F. certificate. Scott value as four blocks of four $80,000.00
10c Green, E. Grill (89). Unused (no gum), rich color on bright paper, clear grill points, reperfed, Very Fine appearance
15c Black, E. Grill (91). Slightly disturbed original gum, clearly defined grill, intense shade, Very Good, a scarce stamp with original gum, with 1995 P.F. certificate as "previously hinged", Scott value $12,500.00
15c Black, E. Grill (91). Block of four, original gum, lightly hinged, clearly defined grills, deep shade and proof-like impression, few sensibly rejoined perf separations, small toned spot at right center, expertly reperfed at right (not mentioned on accompanying certificate)VERY FINE APPEARANCE. THE 15-CENT E GRILL IS ONE OF THE RAREST GRILLED ISSUE BLOCKS. A BLOCK OF FOUR IS THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE FOR THIS ISSUE.
Our records contain only three or four other unused blocks of four, and no larger multiples. The Zoellner block of four was broken into singles after the sale, as have most multiples containing stamps with decent centering.
Ex Lilly and Drews. With 1968 P.F. certificate issued to Raymond H. Weill. Scott value $65,000.00
5c Brown, F. Grill (95). Block of four, original gum, lightly hinged, clear grills, some slight offset on back, intense colorFRESH AND FINE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1868 5-CENT F GRILL.
Ex Drews. With 1972 P.F. certificate. Scott value $17,000.00
10c Yellow Green, F. Grill (96). Block of four, disturbed original gum, bright colorFINE AND RARE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF THE 1868 10-CENT F GRILL.
Scott value $26,000.00
12c Black, F. Grill (97). Block of four with wide right imprint selvage, original gum, h.r., clear end roller grill in selvage at right, few perf separations sensibly reinforcedFINE APPEARANCE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1868 12-CENT F GRILL, WITH END ROLLER GRILL AND IMPRINT SELVAGE. A BLOCK OF FOUR IS THE LARGEST RECORDED MULTIPLE.
Our records contain around a dozen original-gum blocks of the 12c F Grill. Some of these have may have been broken to feed collector demand for singles, and therefore the number of surviving multiples may be smaller. Blocks of four are the largest surviving multiples, since the Caspary block of eight has been broken.
Ex Herzog and Drews. Scott value with no premium for the end roller grill or the imprint selvage is $40,000.00
15c Black, F. Grill (98). Unused (traces of original gum), superb centering though most recent certificate states reperfed at left, an opinion with which we disagree but it's like fighting city hall, detailed impression, Extremely Fine appearance, with clear 1969 and 1990 P.F. certificates, with 2021 P.S.E. certificate as reperfed, Scott value as no gum
15c Black, F. Grill (98). Block of four, original gum (slightly disturbed on the left stamps), crisp impression, some separated perfs reinforced with hinges, top right stamp with faint gum soaks in grill, bottom pair with horizontal crease, Fine appearance, a very rare block with original gum, with 2019 P.F. certificate, Scott value $35,000.00
24c Gray Lilac, F. Grill (99). Original gum, small h.r., rich color, faults including slight creases, otherwise Very Good and presentable, a rare stamp with original gum and a chance to buy one for less than 10% of Scott value
24c Gray Lilac, F. Grill (99). Horizontal strip of three, unused with what we believe is original gum, but described as regummed on certificates, intense shade and clear grills, some slight staining, appears Fine, a very scarce unused strip of this issue, with 1978 and 2020 P.F. certificates, Scott value as three singles without gum
24c Gray Lilac, F. Grill (99). Block of four, original gum, top stamps with h.r., bottom stamps lightly hinged, strong rich color, centered to rightFINE. A RARE ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF THE 1868 24-CENT F GRILL.
Our records contain fewer than ten unduplicated blocks of four of Scott 99, plus the two iconic ex-Gross blocks -- the block of fifteen (Sale 1200, lot 92) and the imprint and plate number block of eight (Sale 1188, lot 85). Several blocks have faults. Like other blocks with similar centering, this comes from the De Coppett pane of 100.
Scott value $45,000.00
24c Gray Lilac, F. Grill (99). Extraordinary centering and margins for this challenging issue, crisp shade, clear grill, perfectly struck segmented circular cork cancel, Very Fine and choice, with 2001 and 2019 P.F. certificates
90c Blue, F. Grill (101). Wide margins, rich color complemented by red circular segmented cork cancel, minute perf hole tear at left is barely perceptible but mentioned on new certificate, Very Fine appearance and most attractive with a red cancel, with 2021 P.F. certificate