Always look for grills

dougwtx

Although both stamps look similar, the one on the left has no grill and cats around $90 and the one of the right has a grill and cats for $700. Always pays to check your catalog and know your stamps. No dealer would ever let grills slip by, but a beginner or unknowledgeable person trying to sell a collection may not.



Edited to add: No, I didn't rip these from some old lady. I purchased both through dealers. Just wanted to inform beginner stamp collectors that you need to know your material; like they say in coins; buy the book before the coin. Stamps have perf, tag, watermark, and many other varieties that have wide margins on values.

DJC

Very, very true. Also, be careful before diving into buying grills. IMO, it's one of the harder areas to "get it right" until you've seen quite a few of 'em.

clw54

What's a grill?

dougwtx

A grill on a US stamp is a series of "pyramid"-shaped impressions on the stamp that breaks the fibers in the paper. This was a security measure used on certain issues in 1861-71 so the cancellation ink could soak in thus making it harder to remove a cancel and reuse the stamp. When looking at the back of a grilled stamp, it will kind of look like a checkerboard or a waffle. A grill usually does not fill the entire stamp.

clw54

Thanks, dougwtx.

alfalfa

I thought this thread was about spotting "bling." Now where'd I put my platinum uppers...

RJ

Dennis88

Got a clear pic of such a "grill" stamp? Don't understand it really

dougwtx

Sorry for my vague terms. I should have looked for a pic when posting. Hope this is viewable.

laceupboots

Neato I learned something too.

UncleWiggly

I thought grills were used between 1867 and 1875...i.e. Scott #179C issued in June. Grills are fun. There's all sort of different grills from single, end roll, split, and even a sextuple grill. Different grills measure different sizes by the mm. I believe there are also a couple stamps whose value is more without the grill. Anyway, I haven't thought about grills for years. I'm coming back to stamps after about a 20 year hiatus. Coins are nice.



Jerry

dougwtx

Yep, I got my dates wrong on grills. They were used up thru 1875 as you mentioned and there is controversy as to when grills were first used. Glad you are coming back into stamps. I like coins too.

UncleWiggly

I've never even seen most of the grill type listed.



Jerry