Scotts #121 US stamps

#121 - 1869 30¢

30¢
Blue and carmine, pale blue and carmine, blue and dark carmine
G GRILL

Subject: Shield, eagle and flags
Number issued: 244,110
Perforations: P12
Printer: National Bank Note Co.
Scott #: 121
Earliest known use: May 21st, 1869

#121 Value

Used
$60 - $250
No postmark with gum (MH)
$750 - $3,000
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
No sales recorded

The G Grill

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

#121a

121a
Without grill
Value MH, $1,400 - $2,400

#121b (invert)

121b
Inverted stars and flags

#121b Value

Used
$45,000 - $75,000
No postmark with gum (MH)
$600,000
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
No sales recorded

Stamp usage

The stamp paid the rate for large-weight letters sent domestically or for double rate to foreign-destination rates. An example of the latter to Switzerland is shown above.

Plate #'s

#121 was issued with the following plate #'s

Imprint and plate number
Vignette plate 21, Frame plate 21

The design inspiration

The union side of the US produced a significant amount of patriotic imagery, an example of this can be seen above. Four years after the end of the Civil War the patriotic spirit was still strong. With the exception of the 3¢ and 12¢ values all the vignettes from the 1869 series emphasised the one nation idea. There were probably a few confederate die hards who were not too keen about putting an image of Lincoln or a US flag on their letters.

Multiples

There are very few blocks left of #121. Above is the largest surviving block containing 15 stamps

Earliest known date of use

The earliest known date of use, May 21st, 1869

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 #121