#80 1867 5¢ A grill

Basic Information

Color: Brown
Subject: Thomas Jefferson
Printing method: line-engraved intaglio on flat plates
Printer: The National Bank Note Company
Perforations: 12
Watermark: none
Type of Grill: A
Scott #: 80
Plate: 17
Quantity issued: Approx. 2,000
Issued: Late August or September, 1867

Value

An unused stamp with no gum and a hinge mark: $22,000
A used stamp: $175,000 (unique)

Rarity

The A Grill

The "A" Grill was the very first type of grill tested to prevent stamp reuse by breaking paper fibres so cancellation ink would soak in. It was only produced for about two months, starting in August 1867.

Because the "A" Grill covered the entire stamp, it severely weakened the paper. This caused sheets to fall apart during perforation or when postmasters tried to separate individual stamps, resulting in high damage rates.

It would be properly described as a grill essay.

The Inspiration for the Design

The inspiration for the US Scott #12 5-cent stamp, issued in 1856, was a portrait of Thomas Jefferson by the renowned American artist Gilbert Stuart.

The portrait for the stamp was engraved by William Marshall, a prominent engraver for the National Bank Note Company.

Research using X-rays revealed that Stuart, dissatisfied with his 1800 work or finding it outdated as Jefferson aged, painted the 1805 likeness directly over the original 1800 canvas. This led to historical controversy over the "missing" original portrait.