Sale 1062 — The Golden Oak Collection of Superb United States
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 17-18 December, 2013
Category — 1870-71 National Bank Note Co. Grilled Issue (Scott 134-144)
1c Ultramarine, H. Grill (134). Clear grill, bright color, red New York Foreign Mail Star in Circle cancel (Weiss ST-P11), fresh and Very Fine, the New York Foreign Mail cancels were only struck in red on Supplementary Mail, this is a very rare example on a 1c stamp, with 1987 P.F. certificate
1c Ultramarine, H. Grill (134). Horizontal pair, choice centering, neat town and rosette cancels, bright color, Extremely Fine, a pretty pair
2c Red Brown, H. Grill (135). Clear grill, blue Feb. 27, 1873 town datestamp, deep rich color, well-balanced margins, Extremely Fine, with 1988 P.F. certificate
6c Carmine, H. Grill (137). Bright color, target cancel which highlights the grill, faint wrinkle at upper right (likely natural), appears Very Fine
10c Brown, H. Grill (139). Deep rich color beautifully complemented by vivid red target cancel, well-balanced margins on bright white paper, many clear grill pointsEXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFULLY CANCELLED AND CENTERED USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 10-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY GRILLED ISSUE.
With 2002 P.F. certificate
12c Dull Violet, H. Grill (140). Choice centering, bold blue cork cancel and trace of red cancel at bottom, rich color in attractive pastel shade, tiny negligible corner crease at upper right does not detract, Extremely Fine appearance, very few are known with colored cancellations, with 1972 P.F. and 1994 P.S.E. certificates
12c Dull Violet, H. Grill (140). Rich color, neat strike of segmented cork cancel, fresh and Very Fine, with 1990 P.S.E. certificate
15c Orange, H. Grill (141). Unusually wide margins, well-centered, bold blue Negative 5-Point Star in Circle fancy cancelEXTREMELY FINE STAMP AND STRIKE. FEW HIGH-VALUE NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY GRILLED STAMPS EXIST WITH FANCY CANCELLATIONS.
Ex Dr. Morris. With 1992 P.F. certificate
15c Orange, H. Grill (141). Vivid color, many clear grill points, purple cancel and trace of red cancel at bottom, well-centered, Very Fine and choice, a lovely example of the 15c Grilled Issue with a colored cancel, with 1998 P.F. certificate
15c Orange, H. Grill (141). Perfs clear of design all around, cork cancel highlights grill which is completely visible from front, Fine, with 1984 P.F. certificate
24c Purple, H. Grill (142). Clearly identifiable grill points, pastel shade, choice centering for this difficult issue, bold strike of New York Foreign Mail Geometric cancelVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 24-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY GRILLED ISSUE, WHICH IS ONLY KNOWN IN USED CONDITION.
With 1996 P.S.E. certificate
24c Purple, H. Grill (142). Easily discernible grill points, bold strike of blue cork cancel, bright shade, choice centering for this difficult issueVERY FINE. A GORGEOUS USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 24-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY GRILLED ISSUE. ESPECIALLY RARE WITH A PROMINENT BLUE CANCEL.
A Power Search review reveals how rare the 24c Grilled Issue is with a blue cancel. We have offered only two other examples since 1993 and in all our Rarities sales since 1964.
Ex Senchuk. With 1999 P.F. and 2009 P.S.E. certificates (F-VF 75; SMQ $5,050.00 for normal cancel). In our opinion this stamp is undergraded
30c Black, H. Grill (143). Intense shade and impression, several visible grill points (accompanying P.S.E. certificate states "weakly impressed grill", but this is normal for this issue), far better centering than normally seen with balanced margins, neat centrally-struck three-ring cancelEXTREMELY FINE GEM. AN OUTSTANDING USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 30-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY GRILLED ISSUE. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT DENOMINATIONS TO OBTAIN IN SOUND AND CENTERED CONDITION.
The 30c National Bank Note Co. Grilled Issue is normally seen with small margins, or is off-center. If one finds a centered copy, it more often than not turns out to have a small flaw. The stamp offered here is truly the exception to the rule.
With 1983 P.F. and 2009 P.S.E. certificates (XF 90; SMQ $7,500.00). This is the highest grade awarded and only one other shares it -- offered in our sale of the Merlin collection in 2012. The stamp offered here has the more attractive cancel of the two graded 90
90c Carmine, H. Grill (144). Extraordinarily wide margins and choice centering, rich color, vivid red cork cancel, several clearly discernible grill pointsEXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS IS EASILY ONE OF THE FINEST 1870 90-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY GRILLED ISSUE STAMPS IN EXISTENCE. VERY FEW ARE KNOWN WITH COLORED CANCELS.
Ex Braus, Klein, Dr. Morris and Mayer. With 1959, 1991 and 1994 P.F. certificates. With 2007 P.S.E. certificate (XF 90 Jumbo; SMQ $4,700.00 as 90, $12,100.00 as 95 with a normal cancel). This is the sole example graded 90J in the P.S.E. Population Report. There is one stamp graded 95J, with a black cork cancel, ex Tahoe and most recently offered in our 2012 sale of the Merlin collection. While this stamp does not equal the ex Merlin stamp's numerical grade, this is by far the most attractively cancelled of the few high-grade Scott 144 stamps.
90c Carmine, H. Grill (144). Clearly defined grill, bright color, well-centered, neat circle of wedges cancel and trace of red transit at bottomVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A LOVELY USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 90-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY GRILLED ISSUE.
With 1983 P.F. certificate
7c Vermilion, I. Grill (138A). Clearly defined grill, bright color, balanced margins, neat strike of New York Foreign Mail cancellation, Very Fine, a pretty stamp, with 1983 P.F. certificate not identifying the grill type