1851-67 Lincoln-Washington Collection, Used with small imperfections
# 17//98 - 1851-67 Lincoln-Washington Collection, Used with small imperfections
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17//98 - 1851-67 Lincoln-Washington Collection, Used with small imperfections
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US #17//68
1851, 1857, & 1861 12¢ Washingtons AND
1866-67 15¢ Lincolns (5 Stamps in Total)
• Includes 5 scarce classic US stamps at nice savings
• You’ll receive US #17, 36, 69, 77, & 98
• Three picture George Washington, two picture Abraham Lincoln
This is your chance to get five scarce and desirable classic US stamps in one easy, money-saving order. You won’t see opportunities like this every day. Read on to learn more about each stamp and its history…
US #17
1851 12¢ Washington
• First 12c U.S. postage stamp
• No major varieties known
• Singles on cover are scarce
• Bi-sects are greatly valued on cover
• An extremely rare minor variety exists printed on both sides (only four known)
Stamp Category: Definitive
Series: 1851-57 Issue
Value: 12¢
Issue Date: July 1, 1851
Earliest Documented Use: August 4th, 1851
Printed by: Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Co.
Quantity Printed: 2,500,000 (estimate)
Format: Printed in sheets of 200 stamps, divided into two panes of 100 each, in rows of 10x10
Printing Method: Engraved, flat plate press
Perforations: Imperforate
Color: Gray black
Why the stamp was issued: The 12c Washington stamp was issued to pay the postage on heavier domestic letters and packages. Two stamps could pay four times the first-class rate under 3,000 miles (for 1.5-to 2 ounces) or two times the rate over 3000 miles (for ½ -1 ounce.) A pair was most often used to pay the 24c postage to England.
The stamp was often cut in half (bisected) diagonally or horizontally to pay the 6c domestic rate to the West coast or double the 3c domestic rate up to 3,000 miles. These bisects are valued on cover because they document the stamps’ genuine postal use.
About the printing: The design is engraved on a die – a small, flat piece of steel. The design is copied to a transfer roll – a blank roll of steel. Several impressions or “reliefs” are made on the roll. The reliefs are transferred to the plate – a large, flat piece of steel from which the stamps are printed. The 12c stamps were printed very closely together, so most have small margins.
About the design: George Washington’s portrait on the #17 is based on a painting by artist Gilbert Stuart, who created many portraits of the president.
Special design details: Elaborate rosettes appear in each corner. The remainder of the background framing the vignette’s medallion is an intricate geometric pattern (mosaic).
About the 1851-57 Series: On July 1, 1851, 1c, 3c, and 12c stamps were issued. These new stamps met the reduced postal rates passed by act of Congress on March 3, 1851. U.S. #1 and #2 were demonetized. Later changes due to the Act of March 3, 1855 led to 10c (1855) and 5c (1856) additions to the series. Perforated stamps of the same designs (plus three new designs) were issued in 1857 as part of the Series of 1857-61.
History the stamp represents: America’s first two postage stamps were issued in 1847. Rates were determined by the weight and distance the letter was sent. Letters mailed 300 miles or less were 5¢ per half ounce; while those mailed over 300 miles were 10¢ per half ounce. Postage could be paid by the sender at the time the letter was mailed, or by the addressee upon receipt.
These stamps and rates remained in use until 1851, when Congress reduced postal rates. These new rates created the need for new denominations. The first stamps issued to meet the lower rates were issued on July 1, 1851. The new 1¢ stamp was used on newspapers, circulars, and “drop letters” (letters mailed to the same town.) The single letter rate, based on a half-ounce, was changed to 3¢ for mail sent up to and including 3,000 miles (except for drop letters.) Mail exceeding this distance was lowered to 6¢ and two of the new 3c stamps could be used to pay postage to the West Coast. Besides the 1c and 3c stamps, a 12c stamp was issued.
Prepayment was still optional. If postage was paid by the addressee upon receipt, the rate was higher. Due to increased collect rates, the use of postage stamps was greatly stimulated. The cheaper rates were attractive to Americans, too. Prepayment of postage with stamps was made mandatory January 1st, 1856. Requiring people to pre-pay postage lightened the burden on postal clerks and allowed mailers to simply drop their letters in the post office mail slot, rather than waiting in long lines.
US #36
1857 12¢ Washington, Plate 1
• Part of the first perforated series of US stamps
• Paid the domestic rate for heavier letters and packages
Stamp Category: Definitive
Series: 1857-61 Issue
Value: 12¢
Earliest Documented Use: July 30, 1857
Printed by: Toppan, Carpenter & Co.
Quantity Printed: 3,000,000 (estimate)
Format: Printed in sheets of 200 stamps, divided into vertical panes of 100 each
Printing Method: Engraving
Perforations: 15½
Color: Black
Why the stamp was issued: The Act of April, 1855 increased the rate for any domestic letter weighing up to one-half ounce and sent over 3000 miles from six to ten cents. The rate increase helped pay for the cost of building railroads and transporting the mail such a great distance across the continent. Many of the stamps were used to frank letters going and from to California. The 12c issue was meant to pay postage on heavier letters and packages. The 12c plus a 3c stamp could pay the postage to France.
About the printing: The design is engraved on a die – a small, flat piece of steel. The design is copied to a transfer roll – a blank roll of steel. Several impressions or “reliefs” are made on the roll. The reliefs are transferred to the plate – a large, flat piece of steel from which the stamps are printed.
About the design: The image of George Washington on #36 is based on a painting by Gilbert Stuart, who created many portraits of the first president.
Special Design Details: US #36 was printed from Plate 1. The outer frame lines are complete.
The new series’ designs were reproduced from the imperforate plates of 1851. Because the same plates were used, the perforated stamp types don’t differ much from the corresponding imperforate stamps. The entire series (U.S. #18-39) is noted for having narrow margins. This is because the perforations took up room normally given to the designs.
About the 1857-61 Series: In July, 1851 – 1c, 3c, and 12c stamps were issued. The new stamps met reduced postal rates passed by act of Congress on March 3 of the same year. Further changes in postage rates appeared in the Act of March 3, 1855, leading to 10c (1855) and 5c (1856) denominations being added to the series. Stamps of the same designs as the 1851-57 Imperforate Series (plus new denominations of 24c, 30c, and 90c) were issued as part of the Series of 1857-61, the first perforated U.S. stamps.
History the stamp represents: #36 was part of the first series of perforated U.S. postage stamps. When the world’s first postage stamps were issued, no provision was made for separating the stamps from one another. Post office clerks and stamp users merely cut these “imperforates” apart with scissors or tore them along the edge of a metal rule. A device was needed which would separate the stamps more easily and accurately.
In 1847, Irishman Henry Archer patented a machine that punched holes horizontally and vertically between rows of stamps. Now stamps could be separated without cutting. Perforations also enabled stamps to adhere better to envelopes. Archer sold his invention to the British Treasury in 1853. That same year, Great Britain produced its first perforated stamps. It wasn’t long before the U.S. decided to make use of the new method of producing stamps with perforations, resulting in the Series of 1857-61.
US #69
1861 12¢ Washington
• Replaced previous 12¢ stamp after it was demonetized
• Paid first class letter postage to England
Stamp Category: Definitive
Series: 1861-62
Value: 12¢
Earliest Documented Use: August 30, 1861
Printed by: National Bank Note Co.
Quantity Printed: 7,314,000 (estimated)
Format: Sheets of 200 stamps, divided into vertical panes of 100 each
Printing Method: Engraving
Perforations: 12
Color: Black
Why the stamp was issued: The stamp was issued to take the place of the 12c stamp of the 1857-61 series, which had been demonetized by the US Post Office Department. The 12¢ Washington stamp paid first-class postage on letters up to one-half ounce sent to England. It was also used as postage to France with the addition of a 3c stamp.
About the printing: The design was engraved on a die – a small, flat piece of steel. The design was copied to a transfer roll – a blank roll of steel. Several impressions or “reliefs” were made on the roll. The reliefs were transferred to the plate – a large, flat piece of steel from which the stamps were printed.
About the design: The image of Washington is based on a portrait by renowned artist Gilbert Stuart. Stuart painted at least 100 portraits of Washington.
About the 1861-62 Series: The series consists of US #63-72. The same face values and subjects found in the 1857-61 series were used in their creation, and their colors are similar as well. The frame designs vary greatly from the preceding series. While the denominations on the 1857-61 issues were written out, the denominations on the new series were now also shown in numerals displayed in the upper corners of the stamps. This helped distinguish them from the previous series.
History the stamp represents: The 12c value is the fifth stamp in the series which replaced the prior series of U.S. stamps (1857-61). The earlier stamps were declared invalid for postage on June 1, 1861.
Due to the outbreak of the Civil War, all US stamps were demonetized, thereby preventing the Confederate States of America (CSA) from selling them in the North and using the money to support the Southern war effort.
The new 1861 stamps were sent to post offices along with a notice that required an exchange period of six days be announced in local newspapers. During the exchange period, old stamps could be exchanged for new ones. After the six-day exchange period, the old stamps were no longer accepted as postage.
US #77
1866 15¢ Abraham Lincoln
• America’s first presidential mourning stamp
• First 15c U.S. stamp
• Paid the single letter rate to France
Stamp Category: Definitive
Series: 1861-66 Issue
Value: 15¢
Earliest Documented Use: April 21, 1866
Printed by: National Bank Note Co.
Quantity printed: 2,139,000 (estimate)
Format: Printed in sheets of 200 stamps, divided into vertical panes of 100 each
Printing Method: Engraving
Perforations: 12
Color: Black
Why the stamp was issued: The stamp paid the single letter “treaty rate” to France. Used together with other stamps, it paid for heavier mail or mail sent to additional foreign destinations, such as Prussia. As of the first of January 1869, the stamp could also be used to pay the registration fee, along with a 3c stamp for postage.
About the printing: The design was engraved on a die – a small, flat piece of steel. The design was copied to a transfer roll – a blank roll of steel. Several impressions or “reliefs” were made on the roll. The reliefs were transferred to the plate – a large, flat piece of steel from which the stamps were printed.
Demand for #77 was far greater than earlier issues. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing was authorized to do supplemental printing with the faster rotary press. Eventually over one billion #77s were printed, expanding the printing period out to nearly six months.
About the design: The image of Abraham Lincoln is based on a portrait of Lincoln by Christopher S. German, said to be the first of the president with a full beard. The photo was taken in early 1861, before Lincoln’s first inauguration.
Special design details: Well-centered examples of the stamp are hard to find and command premium prices.
About the 1861-66 Series: The series consists of US #73, and 75-78. The 3c scarlet value, formerly #74, has been reassigned to the Trial Color Proof category of the Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers.
The 5c Jefferson and 24c Washington stamps had the same face values as those demonetized at the beginning of the Civil War. New to the line-up were the 2c Jackson, needed for the increased postal rate, and the 15c Lincoln stamp. The frame designs vary greatly from the Series of 1857-61. The denominations were not only written out, but were also shown in numerals displayed in the upper corners of the stamps. This helped distinguish them from the demonetized series, which could no longer be used. The 15c Lincoln stamp was the first presidential “mourning” stamp. Issued one year after Lincoln’s assassination, it was also the first 15c U.S. stamp, paying the single rate to France.
History the stamp represents: Due to the outbreak of the Civil War, all US stamps were demonetized and declared invalid for postage. This prevented the Confederate States of America (CSA) from selling them and using the money to support the Southern war effort.
The new stamps were sent to post offices along with a notice that required an exchange period of six days be announced in local newspapers. During the exchange period, old stamps could be exchanged for new ones. After the six-day exchange period, the old stamps were no longer accepted as postage.
US #98
1867 15¢ Lincoln “F” Grill
Earliest Known Use: May 4, 1868
Quantity issued: 2,000,000 (estimate)
Printed by: National Bank Note Company
Method: Flat plate
Watermark: None
Perforation: 12
Color: Black
Grills were made by embossing the stamp, breaking paper fibers, and allowing canceling ink to soak deeply into the paper. This made it difficult to remove cancels and reuse stamps. Charles Steel, who oversaw postage stamp production in the 1860s, patented the grilling method. It was used nine short years – 1867 to 1875. Grilling resulted in some of the greatest US stamp rarities, including the legendary “Z” Grill U.S. #85A.
Series of 1867: Grills are classified by the dimensions of the grill pattern and are measured in millimeters or by counting the number of grill points. There are eleven major classifications.
The letters that classify the various grill types do not denote the size, shape, or appearance of the grills. Rather, they simply indicate the order in which they were discovered.
The exception to the rule is the “Z” grill, which was identified by William L. Stevenson. Stevenson could not decide to which family of grills this particular type belonged. Nor did he know which other families it preceded or followed and so he designated it as “Z Grill,” where “Z” signifies the unknown.
Visible in general from the back of the stamp only, grills may also be felt by lightly running a fingertip over the surface. Depending on which type of roller was used, the pattern may be “points up” or a “points down.” The ridges on an indented roller force the paper into the recesses, creating raised points, while a roller with raised pyramids will cause the points to be forced down into the paper, forming a series of depressions.
The United States was the first country to issue grilled stamps and was the only country to do so until the mid-1870s, when Peru also began using grills. The National Bank Note Company was responsible for producing both countries’ stamps.
US #17//68
1851, 1857, & 1861 12¢ Washingtons AND
1866-67 15¢ Lincolns (5 Stamps in Total)
• Includes 5 scarce classic US stamps at nice savings
• You’ll receive US #17, 36, 69, 77, & 98
• Three picture George Washington, two picture Abraham Lincoln
This is your chance to get five scarce and desirable classic US stamps in one easy, money-saving order. You won’t see opportunities like this every day. Read on to learn more about each stamp and its history…
US #17
1851 12¢ Washington
• First 12c U.S. postage stamp
• No major varieties known
• Singles on cover are scarce
• Bi-sects are greatly valued on cover
• An extremely rare minor variety exists printed on both sides (only four known)
Stamp Category: Definitive
Series: 1851-57 Issue
Value: 12¢
Issue Date: July 1, 1851
Earliest Documented Use: August 4th, 1851
Printed by: Toppan, Carpenter, Casilear & Co.
Quantity Printed: 2,500,000 (estimate)
Format: Printed in sheets of 200 stamps, divided into two panes of 100 each, in rows of 10x10
Printing Method: Engraved, flat plate press
Perforations: Imperforate
Color: Gray black
Why the stamp was issued: The 12c Washington stamp was issued to pay the postage on heavier domestic letters and packages. Two stamps could pay four times the first-class rate under 3,000 miles (for 1.5-to 2 ounces) or two times the rate over 3000 miles (for ½ -1 ounce.) A pair was most often used to pay the 24c postage to England.
The stamp was often cut in half (bisected) diagonally or horizontally to pay the 6c domestic rate to the West coast or double the 3c domestic rate up to 3,000 miles. These bisects are valued on cover because they document the stamps’ genuine postal use.
About the printing: The design is engraved on a die – a small, flat piece of steel. The design is copied to a transfer roll – a blank roll of steel. Several impressions or “reliefs” are made on the roll. The reliefs are transferred to the plate – a large, flat piece of steel from which the stamps are printed. The 12c stamps were printed very closely together, so most have small margins.
About the design: George Washington’s portrait on the #17 is based on a painting by artist Gilbert Stuart, who created many portraits of the president.
Special design details: Elaborate rosettes appear in each corner. The remainder of the background framing the vignette’s medallion is an intricate geometric pattern (mosaic).
About the 1851-57 Series: On July 1, 1851, 1c, 3c, and 12c stamps were issued. These new stamps met the reduced postal rates passed by act of Congress on March 3, 1851. U.S. #1 and #2 were demonetized. Later changes due to the Act of March 3, 1855 led to 10c (1855) and 5c (1856) additions to the series. Perforated stamps of the same designs (plus three new designs) were issued in 1857 as part of the Series of 1857-61.
History the stamp represents: America’s first two postage stamps were issued in 1847. Rates were determined by the weight and distance the letter was sent. Letters mailed 300 miles or less were 5¢ per half ounce; while those mailed over 300 miles were 10¢ per half ounce. Postage could be paid by the sender at the time the letter was mailed, or by the addressee upon receipt.
These stamps and rates remained in use until 1851, when Congress reduced postal rates. These new rates created the need for new denominations. The first stamps issued to meet the lower rates were issued on July 1, 1851. The new 1¢ stamp was used on newspapers, circulars, and “drop letters” (letters mailed to the same town.) The single letter rate, based on a half-ounce, was changed to 3¢ for mail sent up to and including 3,000 miles (except for drop letters.) Mail exceeding this distance was lowered to 6¢ and two of the new 3c stamps could be used to pay postage to the West Coast. Besides the 1c and 3c stamps, a 12c stamp was issued.
Prepayment was still optional. If postage was paid by the addressee upon receipt, the rate was higher. Due to increased collect rates, the use of postage stamps was greatly stimulated. The cheaper rates were attractive to Americans, too. Prepayment of postage with stamps was made mandatory January 1st, 1856. Requiring people to pre-pay postage lightened the burden on postal clerks and allowed mailers to simply drop their letters in the post office mail slot, rather than waiting in long lines.
US #36
1857 12¢ Washington, Plate 1
• Part of the first perforated series of US stamps
• Paid the domestic rate for heavier letters and packages
Stamp Category: Definitive
Series: 1857-61 Issue
Value: 12¢
Earliest Documented Use: July 30, 1857
Printed by: Toppan, Carpenter & Co.
Quantity Printed: 3,000,000 (estimate)
Format: Printed in sheets of 200 stamps, divided into vertical panes of 100 each
Printing Method: Engraving
Perforations: 15½
Color: Black
Why the stamp was issued: The Act of April, 1855 increased the rate for any domestic letter weighing up to one-half ounce and sent over 3000 miles from six to ten cents. The rate increase helped pay for the cost of building railroads and transporting the mail such a great distance across the continent. Many of the stamps were used to frank letters going and from to California. The 12c issue was meant to pay postage on heavier letters and packages. The 12c plus a 3c stamp could pay the postage to France.
About the printing: The design is engraved on a die – a small, flat piece of steel. The design is copied to a transfer roll – a blank roll of steel. Several impressions or “reliefs” are made on the roll. The reliefs are transferred to the plate – a large, flat piece of steel from which the stamps are printed.
About the design: The image of George Washington on #36 is based on a painting by Gilbert Stuart, who created many portraits of the first president.
Special Design Details: US #36 was printed from Plate 1. The outer frame lines are complete.
The new series’ designs were reproduced from the imperforate plates of 1851. Because the same plates were used, the perforated stamp types don’t differ much from the corresponding imperforate stamps. The entire series (U.S. #18-39) is noted for having narrow margins. This is because the perforations took up room normally given to the designs.
About the 1857-61 Series: In July, 1851 – 1c, 3c, and 12c stamps were issued. The new stamps met reduced postal rates passed by act of Congress on March 3 of the same year. Further changes in postage rates appeared in the Act of March 3, 1855, leading to 10c (1855) and 5c (1856) denominations being added to the series. Stamps of the same designs as the 1851-57 Imperforate Series (plus new denominations of 24c, 30c, and 90c) were issued as part of the Series of 1857-61, the first perforated U.S. stamps.
History the stamp represents: #36 was part of the first series of perforated U.S. postage stamps. When the world’s first postage stamps were issued, no provision was made for separating the stamps from one another. Post office clerks and stamp users merely cut these “imperforates” apart with scissors or tore them along the edge of a metal rule. A device was needed which would separate the stamps more easily and accurately.
In 1847, Irishman Henry Archer patented a machine that punched holes horizontally and vertically between rows of stamps. Now stamps could be separated without cutting. Perforations also enabled stamps to adhere better to envelopes. Archer sold his invention to the British Treasury in 1853. That same year, Great Britain produced its first perforated stamps. It wasn’t long before the U.S. decided to make use of the new method of producing stamps with perforations, resulting in the Series of 1857-61.
US #69
1861 12¢ Washington
• Replaced previous 12¢ stamp after it was demonetized
• Paid first class letter postage to England
Stamp Category: Definitive
Series: 1861-62
Value: 12¢
Earliest Documented Use: August 30, 1861
Printed by: National Bank Note Co.
Quantity Printed: 7,314,000 (estimated)
Format: Sheets of 200 stamps, divided into vertical panes of 100 each
Printing Method: Engraving
Perforations: 12
Color: Black
Why the stamp was issued: The stamp was issued to take the place of the 12c stamp of the 1857-61 series, which had been demonetized by the US Post Office Department. The 12¢ Washington stamp paid first-class postage on letters up to one-half ounce sent to England. It was also used as postage to France with the addition of a 3c stamp.
About the printing: The design was engraved on a die – a small, flat piece of steel. The design was copied to a transfer roll – a blank roll of steel. Several impressions or “reliefs” were made on the roll. The reliefs were transferred to the plate – a large, flat piece of steel from which the stamps were printed.
About the design: The image of Washington is based on a portrait by renowned artist Gilbert Stuart. Stuart painted at least 100 portraits of Washington.
About the 1861-62 Series: The series consists of US #63-72. The same face values and subjects found in the 1857-61 series were used in their creation, and their colors are similar as well. The frame designs vary greatly from the preceding series. While the denominations on the 1857-61 issues were written out, the denominations on the new series were now also shown in numerals displayed in the upper corners of the stamps. This helped distinguish them from the previous series.
History the stamp represents: The 12c value is the fifth stamp in the series which replaced the prior series of U.S. stamps (1857-61). The earlier stamps were declared invalid for postage on June 1, 1861.
Due to the outbreak of the Civil War, all US stamps were demonetized, thereby preventing the Confederate States of America (CSA) from selling them in the North and using the money to support the Southern war effort.
The new 1861 stamps were sent to post offices along with a notice that required an exchange period of six days be announced in local newspapers. During the exchange period, old stamps could be exchanged for new ones. After the six-day exchange period, the old stamps were no longer accepted as postage.
US #77
1866 15¢ Abraham Lincoln
• America’s first presidential mourning stamp
• First 15c U.S. stamp
• Paid the single letter rate to France
Stamp Category: Definitive
Series: 1861-66 Issue
Value: 15¢
Earliest Documented Use: April 21, 1866
Printed by: National Bank Note Co.
Quantity printed: 2,139,000 (estimate)
Format: Printed in sheets of 200 stamps, divided into vertical panes of 100 each
Printing Method: Engraving
Perforations: 12
Color: Black
Why the stamp was issued: The stamp paid the single letter “treaty rate” to France. Used together with other stamps, it paid for heavier mail or mail sent to additional foreign destinations, such as Prussia. As of the first of January 1869, the stamp could also be used to pay the registration fee, along with a 3c stamp for postage.
About the printing: The design was engraved on a die – a small, flat piece of steel. The design was copied to a transfer roll – a blank roll of steel. Several impressions or “reliefs” were made on the roll. The reliefs were transferred to the plate – a large, flat piece of steel from which the stamps were printed.
Demand for #77 was far greater than earlier issues. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing was authorized to do supplemental printing with the faster rotary press. Eventually over one billion #77s were printed, expanding the printing period out to nearly six months.
About the design: The image of Abraham Lincoln is based on a portrait of Lincoln by Christopher S. German, said to be the first of the president with a full beard. The photo was taken in early 1861, before Lincoln’s first inauguration.
Special design details: Well-centered examples of the stamp are hard to find and command premium prices.
About the 1861-66 Series: The series consists of US #73, and 75-78. The 3c scarlet value, formerly #74, has been reassigned to the Trial Color Proof category of the Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers.
The 5c Jefferson and 24c Washington stamps had the same face values as those demonetized at the beginning of the Civil War. New to the line-up were the 2c Jackson, needed for the increased postal rate, and the 15c Lincoln stamp. The frame designs vary greatly from the Series of 1857-61. The denominations were not only written out, but were also shown in numerals displayed in the upper corners of the stamps. This helped distinguish them from the demonetized series, which could no longer be used. The 15c Lincoln stamp was the first presidential “mourning” stamp. Issued one year after Lincoln’s assassination, it was also the first 15c U.S. stamp, paying the single rate to France.
History the stamp represents: Due to the outbreak of the Civil War, all US stamps were demonetized and declared invalid for postage. This prevented the Confederate States of America (CSA) from selling them and using the money to support the Southern war effort.
The new stamps were sent to post offices along with a notice that required an exchange period of six days be announced in local newspapers. During the exchange period, old stamps could be exchanged for new ones. After the six-day exchange period, the old stamps were no longer accepted as postage.
US #98
1867 15¢ Lincoln “F” Grill
Earliest Known Use: May 4, 1868
Quantity issued: 2,000,000 (estimate)
Printed by: National Bank Note Company
Method: Flat plate
Watermark: None
Perforation: 12
Color: Black
Grills were made by embossing the stamp, breaking paper fibers, and allowing canceling ink to soak deeply into the paper. This made it difficult to remove cancels and reuse stamps. Charles Steel, who oversaw postage stamp production in the 1860s, patented the grilling method. It was used nine short years – 1867 to 1875. Grilling resulted in some of the greatest US stamp rarities, including the legendary “Z” Grill U.S. #85A.
Series of 1867: Grills are classified by the dimensions of the grill pattern and are measured in millimeters or by counting the number of grill points. There are eleven major classifications.
The letters that classify the various grill types do not denote the size, shape, or appearance of the grills. Rather, they simply indicate the order in which they were discovered.
The exception to the rule is the “Z” grill, which was identified by William L. Stevenson. Stevenson could not decide to which family of grills this particular type belonged. Nor did he know which other families it preceded or followed and so he designated it as “Z Grill,” where “Z” signifies the unknown.
Visible in general from the back of the stamp only, grills may also be felt by lightly running a fingertip over the surface. Depending on which type of roller was used, the pattern may be “points up” or a “points down.” The ridges on an indented roller force the paper into the recesses, creating raised points, while a roller with raised pyramids will cause the points to be forced down into the paper, forming a series of depressions.
The United States was the first country to issue grilled stamps and was the only country to do so until the mid-1870s, when Peru also began using grills. The National Bank Note Company was responsible for producing both countries’ stamps.