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 (Z Grill, Scott 85B-85E)
2c Black, Z. Grill (85B). Original gum, barest trace of hinging, intense shade and impression on crisp paper, clearly-defined grillVERY FINE AND CHOICE. THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLES OF THE 1868 2-CENT Z GRILL. ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT ISSUES TO OBTAIN IN SOUND AND ORIGINAL-GUM CONDITION. A GREAT RARITY.
To form our assessment of this 2c Z Grill, we conducted a survey of approximately 100 auction catalogues for major United States collections sold over the past 60 years. The majority of these collections contained only used or very poor unused examples of 85B. In general, many accomplished collectors, such as Sheriff, Klein and Seymour, evidently were unable to acquire a well-centered, original-gum 2c Z Grill. Power Search produced only a very few, along with some near-misses -- the most common flaw being faint creases. Finally, the P.S.E. Population Report lists only four OG stamps, graded two 10's, a 20 and 50.
Ex Connoisseur and Morris. With 1977 and 1992 P.F. certificate. Offered to the market for the first time in 16 years.
