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less rare with only 6 known to exist. First production runs of Z-Grill process were made of the common Z-grill denominations - the 2-cent
Jackson, 3-cent Washington, and 12-cent Washington stamps. The earliest known postmarks of these Z-grill stamps date from January 1868. Then in February 1868 three other denominations were printed with the Z. Grill, the above mentioned 1-cent Franklin, 10-cent Washington and 15-cent Lincoln stamps. These three denominations were only in production for a short period of time with only about 1000 of each being printed before production shifted to the F-grill - resulting in the rarity of these 3 stamps.
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recognition as a separate variety of grill (which did not occur until the 1910s). Accordingly, Scott assigned capital letters to the Z Grill denominations and inserted them into the catalogue after #85 (the 3¢ D Grill). The 1¢ Z Grill appeared as #85A and the 2¢ through 15¢ Z Grills were designated 85B through 85F. This expedient enabled Scott to retain the existing numbers for all subsequent stamps, beginning with the E Grill issues (#86-91).
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pressed into the stamp, creating tiny indentations in the paper. Although the 1-cent
Franklin Z-Grill is generally cited as the rarest and most valuable of all US postage stamps, the 15-cent Lincoln Z-Grill is just as rare, also with only 2 known to exist. The 10-cent Washington Z-Grill is scarcely
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published a dissenting paper in
Opinions IV. In this article, Jerome Wagshal argues that Z grills are always clearly struck and 18 points in height is the norm, as well as pointing out that the two subtypes he has identified can be perceived as 13 points or 14 points depending on certain details of
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of U. S. Stamps, the 1¢ Z Grill is listed as #85A: it is one of the very few issues that does not bear a unique number but must share its numeral (85) with other stamps of different denominations. This anomaly arose because Scott created its system long before the Z pattern gained general
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The "Z" pattern, unique among grill templates used by the Post Office because it incises horizontal ridges into the stamp rather than vertical ridges, was replaced within a very short time, for stamps with the D- and E-Grills were already being postmarked in mid-February.
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As previously stated, the Z grill is distinguished by horizontal ridges rather than the vertical ones of other, more common, grills. Additionally, the number of points vertically and horizontally matter, but existing reference material can be confusing. The 2019
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of stamps by washing out the cancellation marks. The use of grills was found to be impractical and they were gradually discontinued after 1870.
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In June 2024, the Z-Grill owned by Bill Gross was sold at auction for $ 4.4 million. The winning bidder wished to remain anonymous.
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President Donald
Sundman, was the individual responsible for wielding the paddle and doing the actual bidding.
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There are currently only two known 1-cent 1868 Z-Grills, both with cancellation marks. One is owned by the
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and prior issues list the Z Grill as 11x14mm (13 to 14 by 17 to 18 points).
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Later, in late
October 2005, Sundman traded this Z-Grill to financier
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the listing for the number of horizontal points has been changed.
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518:"'Bond King' Bill Gross sells rare 'Z' Grill stamp for $ 4.4M"
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This 1868 1 cent Z-Grill stamp sold for $ 935,000 in 1998 to
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Postage stamps and postal history of the
Confederate States
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More information about the
Benjamin Franklin 1-cent Z Grill
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List of people on the postage stamps of the United States
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Commemoration of the
American Civil War on postage stamps
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collection. Zachary
Sundman, the eleven-year-old son of
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Presidents of the United States on U.S. postage stamps
540:""The Recognition of Two Major Types Of The Z Grill""
291:. Siegel Auctions auctioned the stamp as part of the
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49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
1270:Higgins & Gage World Postal Stationery Catalog
576:Classification and photos of grills of US stamps
660:Alexandria "Blue Boy" Postmaster's Provisional
355:how they were struck. Beginning with the 2020
1044:U.S. space exploration history on U.S. stamps
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665:United States postmasters provisional stamps
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446:"Rare and Costly Stamps to Go on Display"
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
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742:All Aboard! 20th Century American Trains
1004:Artworks on stamps of the United States
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374:List of most expensive philatelic items
321:from 27 May 2006 until 1 October 2007.
1170:History of United States postage rates
867:Washington Bicentennial stamps of 1932
474:"Philatelists Make $ 3 Million Trade"
313:Both Z-Grills were on display at the
16:Rare American postage stamp from 1868
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1370:American Philatelic Research Library
1241:United States Post Office Department
1180:Pneumatic tube mail in New York City
948:List of United States airmail stamps
47:adding citations to reliable sources
1467:Postage stamps of the United States
1431:Revenue stamps of the United States
1104:Cardinal Spellman Philatelic Museum
444:Schmid, Randolph E. (25 May 2005).
1160:Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee
852:U.S. Parcel Post stamps of 1912–13
496:"The Benjamin K Miller Collection"
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1380:Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library
1165:Express mail in the United States
933:1918 Curtiss Jenny airmail stamps
670:New York Postmaster's Provisional
317:along with the first part of the
310:stamps worth nearly $ 3 million.
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910:Statue of Liberty Forever stamp
904:Raising the Flag at Ground Zero
34:needs additional citations for
915:2017 Total Solar Eclipse stamp
888:Distinguished Americans series
857:US Regular Issues of 1922–1931
617:Philately of the United States
379:List of notable postage stamps
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1014:History of Virginia on stamps
268:The Z Grill: Gross collection
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1221:American Letter Mail Company
762:Breast cancer research stamp
234:United States Postal Service
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1375:American Philatelic Society
1345:Homer Lee Bank Note Company
893:Elvis Presley Forever stamp
236:in February 1868 depicting
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1335:American Bank Note Company
1114:National Philatelic Museum
1099:Benjamin Miller Collection
1075:Earliest reported postmark
872:Washington–Franklin Issues
832:Prominent Americans series
399:"Grill Issues (1867-1868)"
319:Benjamin Miller Collection
278:Benjamin Miller Collection
145:Benjamin Miller Collection
1482:1868 in the United States
1426:Postal Reorganization Act
1365:American Air Mail Society
1226:Butterfield Overland Mail
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938:1930 Graf Zeppelin stamps
817:Oklahoma Statehood Stamps
812:Norse-American Centennial
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352:The Philatelic Foundation
222:Benjamin Franklin Z Grill
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1263:The American Philatelist
1185:Postal history of Oregon
1155:Boat Railway Post Office
822:Overrun Countries series
498:. National Postal Museum
971:Dag Hammarskjöld invert
842:Special handling stamps
787:Five cents John Kennedy
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716:Trans-Mississippi Issue
274:New York Public Library
139:New York Public Library
1119:National Postal Museum
797:Great Americans series
752:Antarctic Treaty issue
476:. NPR. 2 November 2005
315:National Postal Museum
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1205:U.S. Special Delivery
1109:Florida Postal Museum
1034:Puerto Rico on stamps
767:Celebrate the Century
706:Hawaiian Missionaries
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153:Country of production
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1135:Air Mail Act of 1925
847:Transportation coils
777:Elvis Presley single
772:Comic Strip Classics
691:1869 Pictorial Issue
636:Henry Thomas Windsor
425:. siegelauctions.com
306:for a block of four
297:Mystic Stamp Company
285:Mystic Stamp Company
43:improve this article
1195:Rural Free Delivery
986:Pan-American invert
792:Fourth Bureau issue
757:Bicentennial Series
450:The Washington Post
1421:Postal Service Act
1049:Women on US stamps
862:War savings stamps
827:Presidential Issue
782:Federal Duck Stamp
420:"The 1868 Z Grill"
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981:Nixon invert
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735:20th century
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684:19th century
631:Thomas Neale
555:. Retrieved
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36:verification
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1200:Star routes
650:Provisional
1472:1868 works
1461:Categories
1305:production
966:CIA invert
696:Black Jack
385:References
304:Bill Gross
197:Face value
99:April 2014
69:newspapers
1328:Companies
1312:Designers
1067:Postmarks
624:Pre-stamp
226:"Z-Grill"
58:"Z Grill"
996:Topicals
925:Airmails
547:Opinions
502:8 August
480:8 August
455:8 August
363:See also
1404:Related
1091:museums
726:Z Grill
553:: 87–97
524:17 June
332:In the
200:1-cent
168: (
126:Z Grill
83:scholar
652:stamps
557:12 May
404:15 May
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
1303:Stamp
543:(PDF)
429:4 May
423:(PDF)
254:reuse
242:grill
212:US $
90:JSTOR
76:books
958:EPOs
559:2012
526:2024
504:2006
482:2006
457:2006
431:2014
406:2023
287:, a
220:The
170:1868
166:1868
62:news
187:No.
45:by
1463::
551:IV
549:.
545:.
465:^
448:.
202:US
609:e
602:t
595:v
561:.
528:.
506:.
484:.
459:.
433:.
408:.
192:2
172:)
112:)
106:(
101:)
97:(
87:·
80:·
73:·
66:·
39:.
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