Scotts #114 US stamps

#114 - 1869 3¢

3¢
Ultramarine, pale ultramarine, dark ultramarine, dark blue
G GRILL

Subject:Locomotive
Number printed: 473,629,810
Perforations: P12
Printer: National Bank Note Co.
Scott #: 114
Earliest known use March 27th, 1869

#114 Value

Used
35¢ - $3
No postmark with gum (MH)
$30 - $70
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
$250 - $1,250

The G Grill

The 1869 pictorial stamps were grilled on the reverse with the G grill. An illustration of this grill is shown above

Notable Sales

Enlarge

A cover to Woodbridge, Connecticut, matching "Waterbury Ct. Mar 15" datestamp alongside the distinctive bee .

Sold January 2022 for $17,000

Explore H.R. Harmer's Auctions

#114a

114a
Without grill
Value MH, $2,500 - $3,000

#114c

114c
Bisect
Value used, $4,000 - $9,000

#114d

114d
Double Impression
Value used, $13,000 - $15,000

Plate #'s

#114 was issued with the following plate #'s

Imprint and plate number
7-12, 25-26, 29-30

#114e

114e
Printed both sides
Value used, $52,500

The design inspiration

The vignette design was based from the locomotive shown on the above banknote.

Before there was a Scotts catalog

Interesting advertising cover from Scotts

Fake Perforations

Be careful about the paper. If the stamp is on India paper, versus white wove paper, then you have a proof which has had gum, fake perforations and a grill added. This has been done to make the relatively inexpensive proof appear to be the expensive genuine #114