A sale by Michael E Aldrich concluded this week. It consisted of 419 lots of United States stamps of a wide variety of kinds, including not just postal stamps but beer and medicine stamps, even a couple of tobacco tax pay stamps.

The scope of the collection suggested a collection simultaneously interested in philately and Americana - comparable to Floyd E Risvold, whose collection we covered in a recent newsletter.

The prize piece amongst the main body of the auction, however, was an 1868 2c Black, D Grill.

1868 Black Jackson 2c D Grill

The stamp, featuring President Andrew Jackson, is one of 61 known copies. Virtually all of these copies have centring issues and this one was no exception, shifted over to the right. But it has very little in the way of acquired faults.

Fresh and attractive, the piece brought $4,750 in the online auction. However, as it is a genuine rarity which is missing from many collections - and with full original gum - it is likely to prove a sound investment for the new owner, selling for more at a later date.