#114 Grill Check Help Needed

So I'm looking at these two 114 covers, tried everything: moving light to different angles, different magnification, (limited) photo editing techniques (my software is not good) and can't see a grill on either of them.
So, more eyes are requested. Do you see a grill? How did you do it?

Thanks in advance!
dave

Hello Daveinva47!

Normally the grill is visible on the back. (Normally the grill is visible on the back. Some experts removing the stamp over 3 corners of the letter or piece for see it.)

Check this link posted here in SCF in 2015:

http://goscf.com/t/42939

Regards!
Rodolfo

Dave, same suggestion here as with your other post. Try a very high def scan of just the stamps and with a bit of luck something is visible.

Peter

Rodolfo, tried your suggestion with one of the stamps, it was already loose and (of course) as I'm trying to get to where I can see it from different angles etc. and of course it popped right off the cover. So some sacrifice there, although how much I'm not sure. But it did give me the opportunity to scan the back of it. I scanned this at 2400 dpi. I wonder how much it loses when you "optimize" it for the forum? Sorry it's not perfectly straight but that's pretty average for me.
So I'm going to post the back of one, although like I say I don't know how much it loses in the optimizing process.
Thoughts on the back?
Thanks!
Dave

Dave, sorry, but I do not see a grill.

Peter

I agree, can't see a grill either. Doesn't look like gray paper, so is this SC 125? Unless I missed it (highly possible) that is the only other listing for a non grilled stamp of design A36.

Phil, I don't think it's a 125; letter inside dated 1870. I know that's not hard "proof" but leads me to believe it's much less likely to have a stamp from 1875 on it.

Used the search function on the top of the page to find other threads regarding this topic. Very up-hill journey to get any #114 certified as an un-grilled issue.

I have several 114's all of which do not show a grill on the back. None of them though are candidates for being a 125. The grills on 114 can be very faint or not even visible.

Pressed out grill is my guess.

I see grill points. Follow the arrows over and you will too.




Just to clarify: those arrows do not represent the extremes of the grill, just two places where a few points can be seen. The seem to be arranged in parallel rows.

I don't think it was pressed out. I think it was weakly impressed in the first place, and flattened even more in the later part of manufacture. Everyone knows how inconsistent grilling became with the series of 1870. This was 1869.

Thanks Essay,, I'll definitely give it a closer look!

If you look long enough you can convince yourself of anything. The supposed grill points are not large enough nor properly spaced. I still doubt it's a 125