1871, 7¢ vermilion, I. grill. Two strips of three and a pair, along with 6¢ carmine (148) cancelled by "Cape Girardeau Mo. Jul 23" cds duplex with circle of wedges cancel on court house cover to Saint Louis, Mo.; reduced at ends, otherwise Very Fine.
Scott No. 138A; $6,800 as off-cover singles.

A REMARKABLE LARGE FRANKING OF THE 7¢ I. GRILL 1870 ISSUE, ONE OF ONLY A HANDFUL OF 7¢ I. GRILL USAGES RECORDED. THIS IS BY FAR THE LARGEST KNOWN FRANKING OF THIS RARE STAMP.

The Scott Specialized Catalogue elevated the I Grills to major catalogue numbers beginning with the 2013 edition. Now, with major catalogue listings, the I Grills have taken their rightful place alongside the 1867-68 Grilled Issues, which have long been differentiated in the Scott Catalogue. The 7¢ I Grill is scarce mint or used, but exceptionally rare used on cover. Scott $6,800 as off-cover singles
(Image)

Scott $6,800 as off-cover singles

1870, 2¢ red brown. Tied by quartered cork handstamps on 1872 incoming cover from France to Boston, Mass. used to forwarded to Deerfield, Mass. initially franked with France 1868, 80c rose + 1870, 40c orange yellow (35+59) tied by "1869" dotted lozenge cancels with matching indistinct cds, red London transit and Boston entry cds's; cover wear and light staining, F.-V.F.
Scott No. 146; Estimate $1,000 - 1,500. Est. $1,000-1,500 (Image)

Est. $1,000-1,500

1870, 10¢ brown, horizontal pair. Natural s.e. at right, tied by "*N. York*, Nov 20" cds's on incoming cover to New York, with "St. Thomas, 11/3, 1872" cds at top; couple cover opening tears, F.-V.F., a rare incoming usage paid in U.S. postage, with 2002 P.F. certificate.
Scott No. 150; Estimate $600 - 800. Est. $600-800 (Image)

Est. $600-800

1870, 10¢ brown. Tied by circle of wedges on American Presbyterian Mission Press Shanghai corner cover to Wilkinsburg Pa., postmarked clear strike of U.S. Postal Agency, Shanghai, Feb 19 cds, magenta red "San Francisco, Cal. 'Paid' Mar 24" exchange backstamp; reduced slightly at right, Very Fine and scarce Shanghai use.
Scott No. 150; Estimate $400 - 600. Est. $400-600 (Image)

Est. $400-600

1870, 10¢ brown. Tied by blue three-rings cancel duplexed with "Titusville Pa., 3 Sep" cds on 1872 cover to Baby, Sweden, red "New York '4' Sep 4" credit exchange cds, red "Bremen, Franco" 1872 framed transit, Sep. 21st arrival backstamp, Very Fine and colorful use.
Scott No. 150; Estimate $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

1870, 10¢ brown, vertical pair. In combination with 1870, 2¢ red brown (145) on cover to Lima, Peru, tied by quartered cork handstamps with "Portchester, N.Y., Jul 29" origin, bold red "New York, 12, Jul 30" cds and partial receiving backstamp, 1872 docketing; cover opening tears at top affecting origin cds, F.-V.F.
Scott No. 150; Estimate $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200

1870, 15¢ bright orange. Used with 3¢ green (147), tied by corks cancels duplexed with partial "Salem, Mass., Jul 22" cds on cover to Cordova, Argentina, sharp "New-York '8' Jul 23" credit exchange cds and blue crayon "10" reales inland postage due, Very Fine.
Scott No. 152; Estimate $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

1870, 24¢ purple. Centered to lower left, tied by cork cancel duplexed with "New Bedford Mass. Feb 3" cds on 1874 cover to Seychelles, red "Boston, Paid, Feb 3" exchange cds and red crayon "20" cent credit to G.B., red London Paid transit and red crayon "1" pence colonial credit, Seychelles arrival backstamp; scattered toning and soiling, Fine and very scarce exotic destination, ex-Gallagher, Fosdyke, with 2000 P.F. certificate.
Scott No. 153; Estimate $500 - 750. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

1873, 6¢ dull pink. Used with 2¢ brown (157) and 3¢ green (158), all tied together by "Middleborough Mass. Jan 12" duplex on cover from the Washburne correspondence to Constantinople, Turkey, endorsed "Via England" at top left, bold red "New York, Paid All, Jan 14" exchange datestamp and red crayon "5" updated to correct "4" cent credit, reverse with partial "Kaiserlich Deutsches Postamt, 22 1" arrival cds, Very Fine and colorful three-color use paying the 11¢ rate via North German Union Closed Mails., with 2000 P.F. certificate.
Scott No. 159; Estimate $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

1873, 6¢ dull pink. Used with two 1¢ blue (156) singles, tied by cork cancels duplexed with "Richmond Va., Apr 24" cds on 2¢ Black Jack entire to Constantinople, Turkey, German Mar. 21st 1874 arrival backstamp; top right corner mend, otherwise Very Fine and nice combination franking, ex-Ainsworth.
Scott No. 159; Estimate $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

1873, 7¢ orange vermilion, horizontal pair. Rich color, tied by neat circle of wedges cancels on cover to Upper Marlboro, Md., matching "Wash'n D.C., Registered, Jun 30" cds alongside; cover missing most of backflap, still Very Fine.
Scott No. 160; Estimate $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200

1873, 10¢ brown. Used with 3¢ green (158), all tied by four-ring target cancels, matching "Philada. Pa. Registered Feb. 9" cds on registered 7¢ vermilion (U88) amber entire to Birmingham, England, manuscript "4517" registry number, Birmingham (2.21.76) receiving backstamp; 10¢ slightly affected from placement at edge of entire, Very Fine and colorful.
Scott No. 161; Estimate $750 - 1,000.

A RARE USE OF THE 7¢ STANTON ENTIRE REGISTERED TO ENGLAND. Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Est. $750-1,000

1873, 10¢ brown. Used with 5¢ blue (179), each cancelled by cork cancel duplexed with "Trenton N.J., Jan 10" cds on 1878 Rev. Nassau correspondence cover to Gaboon River, West Africa, red "New York '50' Jan 12" credit exchange cds, red London Paid (1.21) transit cds, bold Gabon (3.15) arrival backstamp; 5¢ affected from edge placement, a Very Fine and colorful use at the short-lived 15¢ treaty rate, with 1988 A.P.S. certificate.
Scott No. 161; Estimate $500 - 750.

The 15¢ British Mail treaty rate to Gabon was effective for only one year from July 1, 1875 until June 30, 1876, when the 10¢ UPU transitional rate took effect. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

1873, 10¢ brown. Tied by "N. York, Steamship, Jul 18" cds on incoming cover to Burlington, Vt., blue "Forwarded By, C.W. Smith & Co., St. Thomas, W.I." oval handstamp and endorsed "per Abbermarle" at top left; stamp with tear at left and pulled perf at bottom, otherwise Very Fine.
Scott No. 161; Estimate $400 - 600. Est. $400-600 (Image)

Est. $400-600

1873, 10¢ brown. Tied by blue quartered cork cancel on cover addressed to the Commander of the steamship "The Blake", United States Coast Survey at the Island of St. Vincent, West Indies, matching partial "Providence, R.I., Jan 15" cds alongside, endorsed "Via Bermuda" with N.Y./T in circle handstamp with blue crayon "26", forwarded to St. Vincent with "St. Thomas, 2/1, 1879" cds on reverse; stamp with corner added at top left and light cover edge wear and a couple opening tears at top, F.-V.F. appearance, still a very rare West Indies usage.
Scott No. 161; Estimate $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

1873, 10¢ brown. Used with 1¢ ultramarine (156), each cancelled by quartered cork duplexed with partial Middleborough Mass. cds on purple Washburn correspondence cover to Constantinople, Turkey, red "New York, Paid All, Jun 9" exchange cds, red crayon "4" credit, "Kaiserlich Deutsches Postamt, 28 6" arrival backstamp; partial flap, Very Fine, with 1988 P.F. certificate.
Scott No. 161; Estimate $200 - 300. Est. $200-300 (Image)

Est. $200-300

1873, 15¢ yellow orange. Two vertical pairs, used with 2¢ brown (157) vertical pair, 10¢ brown (161) and 30¢ black (165), each cancel by circular handstamp, red "New-York, Registered, Mar 4" double-circle datestamp on large 1875 registered cover to Bampton, England, red London "Registered" crown handstamp, "Bampton, Devon" (3.16) arrival cds; refolded with some paper loss on reverse, Fine and rare four-value registered cover to Great Britain.
Scott No. 163; Estimate $750 - 1,000. Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Est. $750-1,000

1873, 30¢ gray black, four singles. In combination with 1873, 3¢ green, two horizontal strips of three and two singles arranged in block form on oversized wrapper to Wisbeach, England, all tied by light segmented cork cancels, red "Boston, Paid, Jul 24" cds alongside, reverse with partial receiving backstamp; cover edge wear and tears, F.-V.F., a rare high value franking usage.
Scott No. 165; Estimate $500 - 750. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

1873, 30¢ gray black. Used with 2¢ vermilion (178) horizontal pair, cancelled by cork duplexed "New Bedford, Mass. Feb 23" cds on gray Capt. George W. Allen correspondence cover to Talcahuano, Chile, red "New York '24' Mar 1" credit exchange cds, Valparaiso (3.31.77) arrival backstamp; 2¢ stamp flaws from edge placement, otherwise Very Fine and rare use to Chile at double the 17¢ British Mail rate, with clear 1984 P.F. certificate.
Scott No. 165; Estimate $500 - 750. Est. $500-750 (Image)

Est. $500-750

1873, 30¢ gray black. Used with 2¢ vermilion (178) and 5¢ blue (179), each tied by diamond grid cancels, purple "San Francisco, Nov 1 1877, Registered" three-line registry postmark on courthouse cover to Sacramento City Cal.; reduced and refolded, 1877 docketing, Fine and scarce three-color franking at nine-times the 3¢ letter rate plus 10¢ registry fee.
Scott No. 165; Estimate $300 - 400. Est. $300-400 (Image)

Est. $300-400

1875, 5¢ blue. In combination with 1879, 1¢ dark ultramarine, two singles + 2¢ vermilion, two singles + 3¢ green + 6¢ pink on 1880 cover to Weimar, Germany, all tied by segmented corks handstamps with matching "Watertown, Wis., Aug 5" cds's, reverse with receiving postmark; 1¢ at right with margin flaws and strong cover reduction at right, F.-V.F., a rare five color franking with most issues of the American Banknote Co.
Scott No. 179+182-184+186; Estimate $750 - 1,000. Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Est. $750-1,000

1879, 3¢ green. Lightly canceled by purple handstamp on L.H. Rogers "Postal Note" Lettersheet to Matteawan, N.Y., matching "Bluff Point, N.Y., Oct 31" cds alongside, purple handstamp corner card and reverse with transit and receiving cds's, Very Fine, a very scarce intact postal card forerunner.
Scott No. 184; Estimate $100 - 150. Est. $100-150 (Image)

Est. $100-150

1879, 15¢ red orange. Tied by "New York, Reg." registry oval, purple "New York N.Y., Jan. 21, 1890" purple two-line postmark on registered cover to Honduras, ms. endorsement "Via New Orleans, Porto Cortez and Tegucigalpa" (Honduras) at bottom left, New Orleans transit cds and Blank Registry utility label (FX-NO4, cat. $525) and other appropriate markings, cover was undeliverable and struck with a dizzying array of backstamps, finally returned and ending up in Dead Letter Office more than two years later, cover opened on three sides for display, Very Fine and rare use.
Scott No. 189; Estimate $750 - 1,000.

ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED BANK NOTE REGISTERED USES TO HONDURAS, THIS BEING THE ONLY BEARING THE 15¢ VALUE. Est. $750-1,000 (Image)

Est. $750-1,000

1881, 1¢ gray blue, re-engraved. Tied by Cincinnati, Ohio oval handstamp on 1884 tri-fold pioneer post card showing illustrated robin and nest, to Galien, O., with Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance printed advertising letter inside; stamp with corner creases, otherwise Very Fine, an unusual advertising pioneer card.
Scott No. 206; Estimate $150 - 200. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200

1883, 2¢ red brown. Overlapping Revenue, 1862, 2¢ orange (R15) and tied by cork cancel duplexed with "Rome N.Y. Mar 3" cds on cover to Newburgh, N.Y., R15 with additional manuscript cancel, Very Fine and unusual.
Scott No. 210; Estimate $150 - 200.

The sender apparently tried to prepay the postage with a revenue stamp, the postmaster held the cover for payment. Est. $150-200 (Image)

Est. $150-200