2007 Rarities of the World continued...

A FINE AND FRESH USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 2-CENT D GRILL.

The 2c D Grill is the rarest of the regular-production 1867-68 Grilled Issues (excluding the 1867 trials and rarest Z Grills), followed in order of scarcity by the 3c Z Grill, the 3c D Grill and the 12c Z Grill. This stamp has a lightly struck cancel and strong grill, and its centering is typical for the issue. (Image)

VERY FINE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 2-CENT Z GRILL.

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. We noted the following: our 1975 Grunin sale had a well-centered 85B with nearly full original gum and small faults, remarkably, Caspary and Lilly had a few singles and multiples with original gum, but all of these had perfs cutting far into the design, the ex-Connoisseur and ex-Vernon Morris 85B is similarly well centered with original gum, Clifford C. Cole had a well-centered single with slightly disturbed original gum, our 1970 Rarities sale had an original gum block with the top pair creased, but the bottom pair was well-centered (probably still intact as a block), our 1971 Rarities sale had an off-center original gum pair, our 1981 Rarities sale had a right sheet-margin copy with original gum and choice centering, the Rorke specialized Black Jack collection had a superb 85B, but without gum, and, finally, our sale of the Golin collection had another superb no-gum copy. In general, many accomplished collectors, such as Sheriff, Klein and Seymour, evidently were unable to acquire a well-centered, original-gum 2c Z Grill.

With 1998 P.F. certificate (Image)

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A SCARCE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 3-CENT Z GRILL.

Excluding the supremely rare grills -- 5c and 30c A Grill, 3c B Grill, 1c, 10c and 15c Z Grills -- the 3c Z Grill is the second rarest of the regularly-produced grilled issues. Examples of the 3c Z Grill are usually far off-center and faulty. The stamp offered here is far better centered than most and has only a faint crease. (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. THE 1868 15-CENT E GRILL IS ONE OF THE RAREST OF THE GRILLED ISSUES WITH ORIGINAL GUM AND WITH SUCH WIDE MARGINS.

As an indication of the rarity of 15c E Grill stamps with original gum, the Scott Catalogue values original-gum condition at more than twice the value of unused without gum. This stamp, with its unusually wide margins, full original gum, and overall freshness, is truly a remarkable rarity.

With 1998 P.F. certificate (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL UNUSED EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 15-CENT F GRILL.

With 1997 P.F. certificate (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. A BEAUTIFUL USED EXAMPLE OF THE 90-CENT F GRILL. SCARCE IN SUCH CHOICE CONDITION.

With 2007 P.F. certificate (XF 90, SMQ $4,300.00) (Image)