Sale 968 — The Alan B. Whitman Collection of Outstanding United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 27-28 January, 2009
Category — 1867 Experimental Grilled Issue (C Grill, Scott 83 and varieties)
3c Rose, Partially Erased C. Grill (83 var). Positions 1-2L showing grills from Positions 99-100R, upper left corner sheet margin pair, original gum, rich color and very freshVERY FINE. THE FAMOUS AND UNIQUE PAIR SHOWING PARTIAL ERASURE OF GRILL POINTS BETWEEN TWO C GRILLS. THE FINEST EXAMPLE OF THIS RARE GRILL VARIETY.
In a few areas of the C Grill (Positions 99-100R, 89-90R, 79-80R, 68-69R and 1-2L, 11-12L, 21-22L and 31-32L), the points between grills were insufficiently planed away or erased when the A Grill was converted to the smaller C Grill. As a result, some of the stamps from the C Grill have grills measuring approximately 18 mm wide. These so-called Partially Erased C Grill stamps are very rare, and the pair offered here is the only recorded multiple with original gum showing a pronounced partial erasure.
Illustrated and discussed in Chronicle 105. Ex Zoellner (where a more in-depth discussion appears; see catalogue or our website Encyclopedia at http://siegelauctions.com/enc/1867.htm ). With 1976 and 2002 P.F. certificates. Scott Retail as singles
