Sale 968 — The Alan B. Whitman Collection of Outstanding United States Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 27-28 January, 2009
Category — 1868 Regular-Production Grilled Issue (E Grill, Scott 86-91)
Lot
Symbol
Photo/Description
Cat./Est. Value
Realized
110
1c Blue, E. Grill (86). Original gum, deep rich color and sharp proof-like impression on crisp paper, clearly-defined grill, beautiful centering with wide and balanced margins for this difficult issueEXTREMELY FINE GEM. A MAGNIFICENT ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 ONE-CENT E GRILL. THIS ISSUE IS FAR SCARCER THAN ITS F-GRILL COUNTERPART, AND THIS STAMP IS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST IN EXISTENCE.
In our previous auction catalogues, we have commented on the scarcity of the 1c E Grill in higher grades in relation to its F-Grill counterpart. Using Power Search, we were able to find perhaps three or four others which merited the grade of Extremely Fine. The stamp offered here, with its pristine gum, rich color, clear grill, and wide margins, is among the two or three finest.
Ex Gorham. With 1989 and 2001 P.F. certificates.
3,750
6,000