30c Black, H. Grill (143). Part original gum which covers approximately half the stamp, clearly visible grill on Hamilton's head, well-centered, intense shade and impression, couple perfs with minor gum soaks

EXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. THE 1870 30-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE GRILLED ISSUE IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT TO FIND IN SOUND, CENTERED AND ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION.

The 30c 1870 Grilled Issue is notorious among collectors for its typical poor centering. Among original-gum examples, which are rare in any condition, only a few sound examples would grade Very Fine or better -- our computerized records contain five others with centering that would grade Fine-Very Fine or Very Fine by current standards. A search through 60 years of past auction catalogues and name sales produced only two blocks of four, both poorly centered, which means that there have been no multiples from which choice singles could be harvested. In fact, even among the collections famed for quality Bank Note issues -- Caspary, Lilly, Henry, Ambassador, Braus, Floyd, Whitman et al -- we could not find any original-gum examples that would grade Very Fine or better. Further demonstrating just how rare Scott 143 is in this condition, the P.S.E. Population Report lists only two stamps in the "OG" category, one graded 90 and the other graded 70, both offered in this sale (this stamp listed in the "POG" category). The finest original gum example we were able to locate was offered in our Scarsdale sale (Sale 924, lot 9).

Ex Cole. With 1988 P.F. and 2010 P.S.E. certificates (POG, F-VF 75; SMQ $13,800.00 as original gum -- the slight gum soaked perfs kept this from grading much higher). Scott Retail as original gum

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