Sale 1032 — The Nick Kirke Collection of Gem-Quality Used U.S. Stamps
Sale Date — Tuesday-Wednesday, 23-24 October, 2012
Category — 1867-68 Grilled Issue, A thru Z Grills (Scott 79-85E)

EXTREMELY FINE. AN OUSTANDING USED EXAMPLE OF THE 1868 2-CENT D GRILL. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT ISSUE TO OBTAIN IN SOUND AND CENTERED CONDITION.
The 2c D Grill is the rarest of the regular-production 1867-68 Grilled Issues (excluding the 1867 trials and rarest Z Grills), followed in order of scarcity by the 3c Z Grill, the 3c D Grill and the 12c Z Grill. It is our hypothesis that two grilling machines were used simultaneously, and that one of the machines was converted from the D to E Grill on or about Feb. 3, 1868, after a small number of 2c and 3c sheets were run through the D-equipped machine. This was the first time the Black Jack received a grill.
With 1989 and 2005 P.F. certificates (XF 90). With 2007 P.S.E. certificate (VF-XF 85; SMQ $13,000.00 as 85).