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 (F Grill, Scott 92-100)
Lot
Symbol
Photo/Description
Cat./Est. Value
Realized
123
12c Black, F. Grill (97). Block of four, original gum, small h.r., bright shade on crisp paper, clearly-defined grills, choice centering throughoutVERY FINE AND CHOICE. A RARE SOUND AND CENTERED ORIGINAL-GUM BLOCK OF FOUR OF THE 1868 12-CENT F GRILL. VERY FEW BLOCKS EXIST IN ANY CONDITION, AND THIS IS PERHAPS THE FINEST.
Our records contain only six original-gum blocks of the 12c F Grill. Some of these have probably been broken to feed collector demand for singles (the previous lot is a perfect example), and therefore the number of surviving multiples may be smaller. Blocks of four are the largest surviving multiples, since the Caspary block of eight has been broken.
With 1986 and 2003 P.F. certificates. As another indication of rarity, the Scott Catalogue assigns a 214% premium for the block versus four singles.
30,000
57,500