The Robert R. Hall Collection of Outstanding United States Stamps continued...

EXTREMELY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE PLATE BLOCK OF TWELVE OF THE 3-CENT LAKE IMPERFORATE GRILLED ESSAY WITH POINTS UP.

The largest multiple we have offered in one of our auctions is a block of four. With 1996 P.F. certificate. Unlisted as an imprint and plate number block in Scott (Image)

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VERY FINE AND CHOICE ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1867 3-CENT C GRILL.

With 1995 P.F. and P.S.E. certificates (Image)

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FINE CENTERING WITH WIDE MARGINS ON THREE SIDES BALANCED BY SHEET MARGIN AT RIGHT. ONLY ONE OTHER IMPRINT STAMP WITH ORIGINAL GUM IS RECORDED. APART FROM THE A AND Z GRILL RARITIES, THE 2-CENT 1868 D GRILL IS THE RAREST OF ALL GRILLED ISSUES.

As a thorough search of past auction catalogues shows, the 2c D Grill in original gum condition is conspicuously absent from most important collections. The finest examples are contained in the intact block of four, ex Caspary, Lilly and Klein. The stamp offered here, with full original gum and part imprint, is a rarity of the highest order.

Ex Crocker, Hetherington, Eno and Sheriff as part of a block and ex Golin as a single; the adjoining block below (with second half of imprint) was part of the Close collection. With copy of 1954 P.F. certificate as block and 1992 P.F. certificate as single. Scott Retail for Fine centering (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE FEW KNOWN EXAMPLES OF THE RARE 1868 3-CENT D GRILL WITH ORIGINAL GUM.

The D Grill was refitted with the E Grill on or about February 9, 1868. Based on the earliest documented uses of the 3c D Grill (2/1/68) and 3c E Grill (2/12/68), it is our theory that the conversion from the D to E Grill took place very soon after sheets of 3c stamps were first run through the D-equipped machine.

To determine Scott 85's rarity, we surveyed a series of major United States collections. The results of our survey are as follows: Caspary--none; T. Charlton Henry--none; Concord (1994 Rarities)--unused (no gum); "Connoisseur" (Superior 1992)--choice o.g. stamp (also Whitman); Cole--unused (no gum); Grunin--unused (no gum); Ishikawa--unused (no gum); Klein-none; Lilly--off-center block (no gum); Seymour--none; Sinkler--Fine block (no gum); Weisman--unused (no gum); West-none; Zoellner--used only; and Rarities sales (blocks without gum and stamps accounted for elsewhere in this list). A total of eight sound original-gum stamps in Very Fine (5) or Extremely Fine (3) grades have been certified by The Philatelic Foundation. Therefore, although the Scott Catalogue values an original-gum example at $6,000.00, in real terms the rarity of a sound well-centered 3c D Grill with original gum puts it on a par with the major A and Z Grill rarities (2-8 recorded for each). The bidders will determine the ultimate price, but we foresee this stamp easily realizing a substantial five-figure sum.

With 1993 P.F. certificate. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE GEM. A SUPERB USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 2-CENT Z GRILL.

The plates used to print the Black Jacks did not provide enough space between subjects for the large 12-gauge perf holes. Consequently, most Black Jack stamps have perfs touching the design on one or two sides. This scarcity of four-margined copies multiplies exponentially when the Z Grill is factored into the equation. Only a small quantity of 2c sheets were grilled during the period when the Z device was active -- after the D Grill, the Z is the rarest of the Black Jack grilled stamps.

Ex Drucker. With 1980 and 2002 P.F. certificates. (Image)

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EXTREMELY FINE. A REMARKABLY RARE SOUND ORIGINAL-GUM EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 3-CENT Z GRILL IN THE FINEST CONDITION ATTAINABLE. A PHENOMENAL STAMP IN TERMS OF GUM, GRILL, COLOR, CENTERING AND OVERALL FRESHNESS.

The 3c Z Grill was in production for only a short period of time before the device was replaced with the F Grill. Only a small number of 3c sheets were fed thru the Z Grill, which accounts for the rarity of surviving examples, especially in sound, original-gum condition. Our review of past auctions, including Power Search, found precious few sound copies with Very Fine centering.

With 2005 P.F. certificate (Image)

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