Cost of US Stamp Scott 98: 1868 15c Abraham Lincoln Bank Note Grill. Page 4

15c Black, F. Grill, Very Thin Paper (98 var). Centrally struck target cancel, detailed impression, well-centered, Very Fine and choice example of this paper variety, with 1986 and 2007 P.F. certificates (VF-XF 85)

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Dec 2013, Sale 1062, Lot 285

15c Black, F. Grill (Scott 98). Balanced margins and almost perfectly centered, small cork cancel and part of blue French transit marking, Extremely Fine

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Nov 2013, Sale 1061, Lot 3513

15c Black, F. Grill, Very Thin Paper (98 var). Intense shade and impression, well-proportioned margins, face-free cancel, Extremely Fine example of this scarce paper variety, small purple backstamp, with 2012 P.S.E. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Nov 2013, Sale 1061, Lot 3514

15c Black, F. Grill (98). Mathematically perfect centering with unusually wide and balanced margins, bright shade and crisp impression, clear grill points, light strike of target cancel leaves entire design clearly visible, long and full perforations all around EXTREMELY FINE GEM. THIS MAGNIFICENT STAMP HAS BEEN AWARDED THE ULTIMATE GRADE OF GEM 100 BY P.S.E. THIS USED 1868 15-CENT F GRILL IS UNDENIABLY THE PERFECT STAMP, POSSESSING EVERY QUALITY ONE COULD POSSIBLY HOPE FOR — CENTERING, IMPRESSION, STRONG GRILL, FULL PERFORATIONS AND A LIGHT CANCEL. We created Power Search for occasions like this, when superlatives fail to do justice to an extraordinary stamp. To see the centering, margins and cancellations on typical used examples of the 15c Lincoln — ungrilled or not — please use our website’s Power Search feature to find Scott 77, 91 and 98 (three different searches). You will see that the 15c Lincoln is almost always a stamp of compromise. Great centering and margins, but heavy cancel. Light or colored cancel, but small margins or not quite centered. Great looking, but small faults. Then look at the “name” collections and see which 15c Lincoln stamps were included. No one — and there are great collector names on this list — managed to obtain this stamp or one even remotely like it. When numerical grading started, the 15c Lincoln was on our list of “Try to Find a 100” stamps. We did not believe one existed. When this 15c F Grill was presented to us, we knew it was perfect without even looking at the grade. The Gem 100 grade and a note of praise from master grader Dr. William A. Litle confirmed our gut reaction. The ungrilled version of this issue was released in 1866, about one year after President Lincoln was assassinated. It is regarded by many to be America’s first commemorative issue, memorializing the martyred president as the nation started to heal from the wounds of the Civil War. In 1868 it was issued with two grill types, the E Grill (Scott 91) and F Grill (Scott 98). 15c usually paid the registration fee on domestic mail or the U.S.-French treaty rate. The 15c stamps used on transatlantic mail passed through foreign-mail exchange offices, where clerks were zealous about cancelling high-value stamps. For this reason, the 15c Lincoln usually has a heavy cancel or large cancel over the portrait. This stamp, with its light target cancel, is the rare exception. With 2012 P.S.E. certificate (Gem 100; unpriced in SMQ above the grade of 98, SMQ $10,500.00 as 98). This is the highest grade awarded to date and the only example to achieve this grade.

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Nov 2013, Sale 1061, Lot 3512

98, 1867 15c Black, “F” grill,prooflike impression, balanced ample margins, tiny light wrinkle at top, Extremely Fine appearance (Scott $325)

H.R. Harmer, Nov 2013, Sale 3004, Lot 1090

98, 1867 15c Black, “F” grill, nicely centered within large margins (jumbo on three sides), neat circle of wedges cancel, choice Very Fine; 1994 and 2004 PF plus 2012 PSE certificates (Scott $325)

H.R. Harmer, Nov 2013, Sale 3004, Lot 1089

98, 1867 15c Black, “F” grill, deep impression, small part o.g., gum partially soaks into grill, Very Good (Scott price $4,250)

H.R. Harmer, Nov 2013, Sale 3004, Lot 1088

15c Black, F. Grill (Scott 98). Slightly disturbed original gum, intense shade, horizontal creases toward bottom, Fine appearance and scarce with original gum, with 1990 P.S.E. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Nov 2013, Sale 1057, Lot 662

1867, 15¢ black, F. grill (98), neat red and black cancellations, desirable example, nicely centered with tremendous rich color; small crease at top left corner, otherwise Very Fine, 2005 P.F. certificate. Scott $425. Estimate $200 – 300.

Daniel Kelleher Auctions, Sep 2013, Sale 639, Lot 3208

Scott #98, 15c Black, “F” grill, scarce mint example with original gum, trivial h.r., intense color and impression, fine centering; an elusive mint stamp as most unused examples no longer possess original gum; 2007 PF certificate.

Spink Shreves Galleries, Aug 2013, Sale 144, Lot 145

98, 1867 15c Black, “F” grill, ,Fine example (Scott $325)

H.R. Harmer, Jun 2013, Sale 3003, Lot 1101

98, 1867 15c Black, “F” grill, ,very thin paper variety, Fine, 2006 APS ,Certificate ,(Scott price $325)

H.R. Harmer, Jun 2013, Sale 3003, Lot 1100

1867, 15¢ black, F. grill (Scott 98), block of 4, o.g., hinge remnants, spectacular showpiece block that would be the centerpiece of any great block collection, nicely centered with sensational rich color, there are perhaps a dozen or so mint blocks of this rare issue, as most multiples have been long ago broken up to feed the persistent collector demand for quality mint singles, a wonderful opportunity to acquire a major rarity of United States philately; the top two stamps are completely sound and choice, horizontal crease ending in a small tear and trivial pencil notations in the bottom pair, otherwise Fine to Very Fine, 1983 and 1989 P.F. certificates. Scott $35,000. Estimate value $7,500 – 10,000.

Daniel Kelleher Auctions, Apr 2013, Sale 636, Lot 123

15c Black, F. Grill (Scott 98). Detailed impression on bright paper, quartered cork cancel, Very Fine and choice, with 2012 P.S.E. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Mar 2013, Sale 1040, Lot 1343

15c Black, F. Grill (Scott 98). Wide margins with straddle-pane margin at left capturing full centerline, circle of wedges cancel, part of red transit and blue French transit cancels, clearly-defined grill, Extremely Fine, a beautiful stamp, scarce with the blue French transit cancel, with 2012 P.S.E. certificate

Robert Siegel Auction Galleries, Mar 2013, Sale 1040, Lot 1342