Scotts #120 US stamps

#120 - 1869 24¢

24¢
Green and violet, bluish green and violet
G GRILL

Subject: Signing of the Declaration of Independence
Number issued: 235,350
Perforations: P12
Printer: National Bank Note Co.
Scott #: 120
Earliest known use: April 7th, 1869

#120 Value

Used
$90 - $350
No postmark with gum (MH)
$1,200 - $14,000
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

#120a

120a
Without grill
Value MH, $2,750 - $3,250

#120b (invert)

120b
Inverted frame

#120b Value

Used
$11,500 - $26,000
No postmark with gum (MH)
No sales recorded
Full perfect gum, no postmark
no trace of stamp hinge mark (MNH)
No sales recorded

Plate #'s

#120 was issued with the following plate #'s

Imprint and plate number
Vignette plate 24, Frame plate 20

The design inspiration

The vignette was based on Trumbull's painting "Signing of the Declaration of Independence"

Multiples

There are very few blocks left of #120. Above is one of the five surviving unused blocks.

Earliest known date of use

The earliest known date of use, April 7th, 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 #120