My 1964 JFK (USA - Scott 1246) FDC Collection

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 30 Nov 2012 01:42

My extensive JFK (USA - Scott 1246) First Day Cover Collection

Hi Guys

With some encouragement from gavin-h, I am starting this new thread which I hope will be of interest.

For those who do not collect USA FDC's, I will explain that there is usually an official first of issue town. For example for Horse Racing (Scott 1528) it was Louisville Ky.

So the only place you could have a FDC postmarked was Louisville, the stamp not being released anywhere else till the next day (& some do collect 2nd day covers).

On stamp issues of great importance such as JFK it was released simultaneously in every US Post Office across the country in 1963. As there were 34.084 post offices in business at the time, it is possible that there could be a FDC from everyone. So far about 4,500 are known.

As it stands now, I have about a quarter of these and am always on the look out for more.

The official first day of issue town for this stamp was Boston and I will start showing some interesting covers from Boston tomorrow.

Regards

Brad 8)

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Admin Update - In April 2013 Brad's wonderful JFK 1963 FDC collection was featured globally in "Stamp News" and the "Philatelic Exporter" - http://www.glenstephens.com/snmay13.html - where his contact details are outlined at the base of that piece.

This thread was also voted "Thread Of The Month" on stampboards.

Mail him some JFK FDC's if you have a few laying around ... they may well plug a gap in his massive undertaking!

I hope to see Brad report one day he is up to HALF those recorded, from his present quarter!

Glen

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 30 Nov 2012 13:27

Some times I wonder how people do such things!!!

The preparedness of someone to have a cover postmarked on JFK's day of death using the stamps of 3 other assassinated Presidents, James Garfield 1881, Abraham Lincoln 1864 & William McKinley 1901.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 30 Nov 2012 13:32

If only this were a real signature of Jackie Kennedy, instead of autopen. This signature allowed mail to go postage paid.

The reverse

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 30 Nov 2012 13:33

& insert

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 30 Nov 2012 13:35

Limited Edition Artcraft cachet

Limited Edition Artcraft cachet - Mellone #5.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 30 Nov 2012 13:37

Artcraft addressed to Postmaster General

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 30 Nov 2012 13:38

And one from the Postmaster General

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 30 Nov 2012 13:45

And to finish off for today, the 4 assassinated presidents on the one cover. Unlike Australia, the US Postal Service allows stamps from an earlier time to be cancelled with the first day of issue cancel as long as there is a stamp from the first day also affixed.

I will post some more tomorrow

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 01 Dec 2012 08:09

1st Europa USA Ltd multi-colour cachet but some one forgot something.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 01 Dec 2012 08:18

It is not unusual with US 1st day covers to see related stamps added & cancelled again. This one with "National World War II Memorial" stamp & cancelled 1st day of issue Washington DC & JFK's 87th Birthday.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 01 Dec 2012 08:30

Robert C Graebner mourning cover with Argentina JFK stamp added. Whilst this would not be allowed in Australia, US Post Office permits this where there is a US Stamp on the cover on it's day of issue.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 01 Dec 2012 08:35

Nice corner card fdc from John W Costello to one of his Democrat friends.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 01 Dec 2012 08:50

West German fdc with JFK stamp added & cancelled on 1st Anniversary of JFK's death at US Army & Air Force Base in West Germany.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 01 Dec 2012 08:58

Now here is an unusually named town. The d'Arcy Co fdc with Marilyn Monroe stamp added in 1995 & cancelled at Intercourse PA. Obviously some one put a lot of thought into this cover before they put it back into the mail.

Stay tuned for more to come

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 01 Dec 2012 21:13

Texas Refinery Corporation Cachet

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 01 Dec 2012 21:24

Special delivery fdc prepared by Bernard Billerth sent to Hyannis Port, the home of JFK as a child. Hyannis Port canceller "receipted" on front.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 01 Dec 2012 21:30

US Congress corner card, with free post autopen signature of Thaddeus J Dulski. FDC is addressed to him. He must have had a fabulous fdc collection as I have seen many other issues on similar covers.

ivqii · Post by **ivqii** » 01 Dec 2012 21:44

When I saw FDC in the thread title I mentally groaned

But this is a much better type of collection - some really interesting covers ( if contrived )

Good luck to you in increasing your collection

Would make a good Club Night display I think

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 01 Dec 2012 21:50

The first of the non-Boston postmarks. An autograph hunter, from Springfield, Ohio, wrote to Ted Kennedy asking him to sign this fdc. He obliged & enclosed a thank you note. Strange how he signed one "Ted" & the other "Edward". Strange also that "Kennedy" was identical in both signings. Now hand signatures are never identical. I wonder if the collector ever worked out they were both autopen signatures & not the real McCoy?

Boerger ABC cachet with Springfield Ohio machine wavy line postmark on first day of issue.

Is this the Springfield where Bart Simpson resides?

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 01 Dec 2012 22:04

Dear ivqii,

Thank you for your kind words. My aim is show interesting cachets & places of postmarking.

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 03 Dec 2012 13:11

Pontiac Press fdc (believe printed by The Pontiac Press Newspapers of Pontiac Mich).

Some one has nicely added stamps that relate to elements included in the cachet, perhaps the addressee.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 03 Dec 2012 13:15

The cover with the most additional stamps I have seen.

Next we are Alabama bound!

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 04 Dec 2012 13:59

Mongomery Alabama

A Bilarth Cachet. Bernard Bilarth did a set of 53 fdcs covering each State Capital, DC, Guam & Puerto Rico.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 04 Dec 2012 14:05

Another of Montgomery, this cachet done by Centennial. I have seen Centennial cachets for this issue from places of significance in JFK's life but I had not seen the "State Capitals" series until yesterday.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 04 Dec 2012 14:11

Birmingham, the largest town in Alabama & iron & steel producer.

I think that the cachet here is an add on. I don't think done by the addressee (similar cachets are not always addressed to her) nor by W Frank Spoone, a profilic collector of these JFK town postmarks, who had his own cover, but more on that later.

Reverse showing Frank Spoone imprint

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 04 Dec 2012 14:14

Bon Secour, a small former French Fishing Village on the Gulf Coast. Translated means "safe harbour"

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 05 Dec 2012 18:37

Kennedy Alabama, a very topical town for this issue. This generic first day cover is by Van Dahl. Somewhere I have some notes on him but I am unable to locate them at the moment. However he was a prolific fdc producer having seen his covers for USA, Canada, New Zealand, Norfolk Island & Australia, just to name a few & covering a period from the 1950's to the 1970's.

Nice strike of the Kennedy 1 Duplex cancel.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 05 Dec 2012 18:39

Kennedy Alabama, 5th Anniversary cover for the death of JFK. Not sure who produced this cachet (does anyone know?).

Thomas Jefferson 1c added to make up letter rate.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 05 Dec 2012 18:53

Kennedy Alabama again, but this time Scott 1287. Not the right stamp but so much work has gone into this cover I couldn't resist. It took me a little time to work out what this cover was about. Without looking below, can you? I think this cover may have been prepared by Albert Lolio of Providence RI.

Give up?

November 22, 1968 - 5th Anniversary of JFK's death.
June 6, 1969 - 1st Anniversary of Robert Kennedy's death
July 19, 1969 - date of death of Mary Jo Kopecknie, secretary of Ted Kennedy, in a car accident with him at Chappaquiddick
November 18, 1969 - date of death of Joseph Kennedy snr, father of JFK.

One wonders how someone could do a cover like this!

hutch · Post by **hutch** » 05 Dec 2012 19:15

Hi BigSaint, this is my only cover for JFK. Found it in a tin box of slides so I can only assume my parents bought it then. We were living in Canada at the time.

Is this a contrived cover with a block of four stamps on it?

hutch

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 05 Dec 2012 19:57

Is this a contrived cover with a block of four stamps on it?

hutch

Hutch, not sure what you mean by contrived. Collecting singles & blocks of 4 is a popular way of collecting & some like to put their singles & blocks of four on cover, even though it was 4 times the letter rate at the time. The trick with the block of 4 is to ensure the postmark ties the stamp to the cover (ie touchs stamp & fdc), not like the one below.

This one from Gadsden Alabama, a major shipping centre in days gone by, shows the machine cancel missing the cover by a whisker! The cachet of Uncle Sam is a sticker presumably added in recent times.

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 06 Dec 2012 13:09

Jack (the boy hood nickname of JFK.) a town of about 2000 people about 25 miles south of Montgomery.

Artcraft cachet.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 06 Dec 2012 13:14

Johns. I can't find this place! I can only find North Johns which is a tiny town of 142 people, 20 miles west of Birmingham. Does any one know exactly where Johns is?

Artcraft Cachet

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 06 Dec 2012 13:21

Margaret, either after JFK's Aunt, Margaret Louise Kennedy or his Great Aunt Margaret M Kennedy. Small town about 30 miles north east of Birmingham.

There is conjecture whether this is a Kessler cachet or a Collins Cover Service of Flushing NY.

Flying Tiger · Post by **Flying Tiger** » 06 Dec 2012 13:46

That is an interesting collection. Do you have anything postmarked Dallas, Texas or Cape Kennedy, Florida?

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 06 Dec 2012 14:19

Flying Tiger wrote:That is an interesting collection. Do you have anything postmarked Dallas, Texas or Cape Kennedy, Florida?

Hello Jay,

In relation to Dallas , I have quite a few & will display them later. In relation to Cape Kennedy, no, but I do have Cape Canaveral & also will display that later. I am not 100% clear on change of name from Cape Canaveral to Cape Kennedy

Regards

Brad

librarianc · Post by **librarianc** » 07 Dec 2012 00:37

Brad:

I recently came across a maximum card with Boston First Day postmark. Perhaps very common? If not, I can post an image later.

John A

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 07 Dec 2012 13:30

librarianc wrote:Brad:

I recently came across a maximum card with Boston First Day postmark. Perhaps very common? If not, I can post an image later.

John A

John

I have quite a few myself, I may post some images of these later.

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 07 Dec 2012 13:41

Jacksonville, named after President Andrew Jackson.

Nice number 1 duplex strike

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 07 Dec 2012 13:44

Perdido, a tiny town, think just an elementary school & post office, east of Bay Minette.

Nice number 1 duplex strike

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 07 Dec 2012 13:49

Robertsdale, nice handpainted cachet by Melissa Fox. I believe this to be an add on (ie a cachet or design that was added sometime later, not there when fdc postmarked).

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 07 Dec 2012 13:52

Stockton, famous (or should that be infamous) for being the site of the movie "Friday the 13th"!

Unfortunately not the clearest of hand strikes.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 07 Dec 2012 23:27

I also have the following Post Offices from Alabama but the covers are uncacheted & are not from places of any special note. However if someone would like to see that postmark just let me know:

Anniston
Battles Wharf Rural Station, Fairhope
Daphne
Elberta
Fairhope
Foley
Gulf Shores
Heflin
Little River
Magnolia Springs
Montrose
Orange Beach
Oxford
Point Clear
Silverhill
Spanish Fort
Stapleton
Summerhill
Weaver

With a number of places being in such close proximity to each other, I can see that collectors would have visited many Post Offices on May 29, 1964 just to obtain as many different cancels as they could.

If anyone has any of these from a town in Alabama & they would like to part with them, I would be pleased to obtain them.

This is the end of my Alabama. Next in the words of "Johnny Horton", we are going "North to Alaska".

Brad

Global Administrator · Post by **Global Administrator** » 08 Dec 2012 00:13

BigSaint wrote:
On stamp issues of great importance such as JFK it was released simultaneously in every US Post Office across the country.

As there were 34.084 post offices in business at the time, it is possible that there could be a FDC from everyone. So far about 4,500 are known.

As it stands now, I have about a quarter of these & am always on the look out for more.

So only 3000 or so to go Brad?

I imagine you have been to the Book Repository in Dallas?

Probably the best and the most unbiased Museum display I have seen anywhere in the USA.

Anyone who believes in the 'single bullet' theory has never been there. 8)

Glen

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 08 Dec 2012 09:59

Glen

No I haven't been there, but I will add it in when I go to the Kentucky Derby. Guess we will never know the full story on this.

If anyone has any of these from a town in Alabama & they would like to part with them, I would be pleased to obtain them.

Brad

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 08 Dec 2012 18:17

Oops a typo, that should read if anyone has any Post Office from Alabama that I haven't shown or listed & would like to part with them , please contact me.

Brad

Global Administrator · Post by **Global Administrator** » 08 Dec 2012 18:37

Brad if I were you I'd start a thread in the WANTED Forum here headed -

USA 1964 5c Kennedy FDCs from smaller Offices - need 3000 more!

And add a link to this thread and add a (disguised) email address if anyone can assist.

Generally folks are happy to help another genuine collector, and will not want anything for them except post cost, and our google indexing is awesome .. you'll be amazed in time at the responses!

Add a few relevant pix of what you are seeking there.

Glen

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 08 Dec 2012 23:29

Juneau, the capital of Alaska, machine slogan cancel, "US Customs 175th Anniversary 1789 - 1964"

Bernard Bilarth Cachet, Capital Cities Series.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 08 Dec 2012 23:34

And another of Juneau with the machine cancel for the "US Customs 175th Anniversary 1789 - 1964".

Centennial fdc, State Capital Series.

BigSaint · Post by **BigSaint** » 08 Dec 2012 23:40

Venetie is north of Fairbanks way up on the Arctic Circle. Under 200 people live there & is said to be the smallest US Post Office in Alaska (if not the whole of the USA)

Nice purple hand cancel strike with red rubber stamp cachet "first day cancellation" & signed by the postmaster. Not certain if addressee prepared the fdc.