30c Black, H. Grill (143). Redistributed original gum, h.r., intense shade and proof-like impression, choice centering for this difficult issue

EXTREMELY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE 1870 30-CENT NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY H GRILL. AN EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT ISSUE TO OBTAIN WITH SUCH CHOICE CENTETING AND IN SOUND 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 our recent Curtis sale. The finest original-gum example we were able to locate was offered in our Scarsdale sale (Sale 924, lot 9).

With 2000 P.F. certificate

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