3c George Washington Scott #85 On Cover

Hello, I have been learning about stamps, identifying and collecting for 5 years. I am a librarian with a few research skills: cross referencing Scott's catalogues, online grading resources, databases and listening to stamp collecting podcasts- I pre-curse this give you insight to this query. It is not a willy-nilly, fingers crossed guess. I researched as much as I could. I'd like some feedback the grill, cancellation, color...and anything I may have missed, feedback is greatly appreciated.

Here is the front cover (The back of envelope has no postalmarkings, or writing - blank)



1. Is there a grill? Or are my eye deceiving me?



If yes, are the arrows pointing down?



2. Post mark cancelation date - Is it a pre-civil, during or after civil war cancellation?




3. If it is a #85 it can only be rose.


4. 12perf-yes


5. Envelope is a 5 x 3 "calling card" style, smooth thick cream paper, embossed with a W on both front and back.



6. Grading = grading app gives it a G-VG 42; I have no idea.

Thank you, Eliza

1. Yes, that looks like a proper grill, an F grill (#94a), I believe.
2. The cancel style implies the cancel would probably have been first used in Civil War times. Someone might be able to give you a better date for that. However, since this involves a post-Civil War grilled stamp, this particular cancel and cover must date from 1870 or later.
3. This is not at all a D grill unless there are far more grill points than shown in the 2nd and 3rd scans.
5. The smaller sizes are also called ladies covers.
6. Really, ignore numerical grading unless a stamp is very well centered. The overall cover would be graded here in any case. To be brutal, the stamp has strong staining and a pulled perf at top, and the cover has been roughly opened. It's still quite collectible. Thanks for the look!

That you this is exactly the info I needed. Now that I know this is rose, I will be able to determine if the others are as well. Again thank you.

Hi Bailey,
The "D" grill will have exactly 15 columns of grill points, which is much wider than the "F" grill #94a mentioned earlier. An "E" Grill, #88 will have normally 14 rows.

The "Z" grill would also have 14 rows, but the points of the individual grill points would be horizontal, not vertical. The points look like this:

Vertical points

Horizontal points



So, in identifying grills, I would suggest that the first thing you do is to count the columns.

You do have the correct shade for the "D" Grill. All of the experimental grills are normally the dull rose shade. I've actually found 3 "D" grills (one unused) on eBay, just looking at the back of stamps that are dull rose, and are ID'd as #88, the "E" Grill.

So, have fun, enjoy the hunt!!
Hope this helps, Ray

Thank you for the diagrams. Glad to know the color is correct. Helps with my color chart.