Space News
space history and artifacts articles

Messages
space history discussion forums

Sightings
worldwide astronaut appearances

Resources
selected space history documents

  collectSPACE: Messages
  Stamps & Covers
  Space Cover 69: Unofficial Space FDCs

Post New Topic  Post A Reply
profile | register | preferences | faq | search

next newest topic | next oldest topic
Author Topic:   Space Cover 69: Unofficial Space FDCs
Bob M
Member

Posts: 1744
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 08-08-2010 12:14 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Bob M   Click Here to Email Bob M     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Space Cover of the Week, Week 69 (August 8, 2010)

Space Cover #69, Unofficial Space First Day Covers (FDCs)

All cover collectors are familiar with the term/abbreviation "FDC," which stands for "First Day Cover," and FDCs typically have a slogan cancel that reads: "First Day of Issue."

When a new stamp is first issued, it typically has one (occasionally more than one) official first day of issue city, which usually relates to the person or event that the stamp commemorates, and is on sale only in that city on that day.

After the stamp's premiere in its official first day of issue city, the next day it then goes on sale at post offices all across the country.

While FDCs have been popular for many years, there has also been collecting interest in covers called "Unofficial First Day Covers." Simply, unofficial FDCs are covers canceled on the first day of issue of a particular stamp, but in locations other than the official First Day of Issue city. Ideally, such Unofficial FDCs are canceled in cities/towns that have some connection to the person or event that the stamp is issued for.

For example, when the famous 10-cent First Man on the Moon stamp was issued on September 9, 1969 in Washington, DC, enthusiastic and enterprising collectors and dealers bought quantities of the moonlanding stamps and then had the stamps taken around the country that day to be canceled in relevant cites, such as Wapakoneta, Ohio, the hometown of Neil Armstrong.

Such a cover is not shown here, but above are two unofficial moonlanding FDCs, one canceled at Titusville, FL, and the other at Cape Canaveral, FL (with their cachets from artwork by famous cartoonist, Milton Caniff).

And two other unofficial FDCs, with one at Ellington AFB, FL for the Skylab stamp first day of issue (with the official city being Houston, TX) and one of the eight "Space Achievement" stamps canceled at Cape Canaveral, FL (with KSC being the official city).

Unofficial FDC collecting can be very interesting and surely there are huge numbers of unofficial FDCs to search for and collect for the large number of space stamps issued through the years.

Bob McLeod
SU #1449

Apollo-Soyuz
Member

Posts: 1205
From: Shady Side, Md
Registered: Sep 2004

posted 08-20-2010 09:30 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Apollo-Soyuz   Click Here to Email Apollo-Soyuz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Here are some more unofficial first day covers of various space stamps.

The first one is a FDC of the $2.40 priority mail stamp cancelled Kennedy Space Center (first day city- Washington, DC)

The next one is a FDC of the $3 priority mail stamp showing Challenger cancelled Titusville, Fl. (first day city Anaheim, CA)

stevedd841
Member

Posts: 292
From: Millersville, Maryland
Registered: Jul 2004

posted 08-20-2010 10:04 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for stevedd841   Click Here to Email stevedd841     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Apollo 11 First Day Cover Showing Official First Day Cancel and "Moon Landing" postal marking.

All, couldn't resist showing the official first day cover for release of the Moon landing stamp and also signed by the Apollo 11 crew, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin.

alanh_7
Member

Posts: 1252
From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Apr 2008

posted 08-20-2010 10:53 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for alanh_7   Click Here to Email alanh_7     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
That is an impressive cover.

Bob M
Member

Posts: 1744
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 08-22-2010 11:05 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Bob M   Click Here to Email Bob M     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
From my small collection of unofficial space FDCs, here are two more unofficial FDCs (both from and expertly created by Ken Havekotte). The top cover is an unusual combination official FDC - with a Washington, DC, "First Day of Issue" cancel over the top two stamps - and an unofficial FDC, with a KSC, FL cancel over the bottom two stamps from the "Future Mail Transportation" block of four stamps.

The bottom cover is another $2.40 Apollo 11 20th anniversary moonlanding stamp unofficial FDC (stamp designed by occasional SCOTW contributor Chris Calle) with four unofficial cancels from KSC, Titusville, Cape Canaveral and Merritt Island, FL.

Ross
Member

Posts: 472
From: Australia
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 08-23-2010 09:21 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ross   Click Here to Email Ross     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I thought you might like to see some examples from Australia.

Australia has a slightly different emphasis than the US with regard to FDCs. All post offices have a general FDC postmarker along with their normal postmarker, either of which can be used on the first day of any stamp issue.

While the situation has changed over the years, the current situation (starting in 1985) is that, in addition to the above, the PO issues a special National FDI Postmark for each issue. In addition the PO may issue a temporary pictorial postmark for towns with a special association with the subject depicted on the stamp.

Thus the National FDI Postmark is the closest we have to an official FDI postmark and all the others are the closest we have to an unofficial postmark.

The first cover below is the National FDI postmark for Australia's Halley's Comet stamp while the second is a temporary pictorial postmark for the same stamp and the third is a standard non-FDI postmark.

Joe Frasketi
Member

Posts: 191
From: Florida USA
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 08-26-2010 09:38 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Joe Frasketi   Click Here to Email Joe Frasketi     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Here are my two unofficial FD favorites for the Apollo 15 space achievement pair of stamps.

The above cover from Jackson Mich. is the birthplace of Lt. Col. Al Worden, the Command Module Pilot of Apollo 15.

The above cover from Hadley New York is the Apollo 15 moon landing site of Hadley Rille/Apennines.

Joe SU#246

yeknom-ecaps
Member

Posts: 660
From: Northville MI USA
Registered: Aug 2005

posted 08-26-2010 10:21 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for yeknom-ecaps   Click Here to Email yeknom-ecaps     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Joe - GREAT covers, never seen either of them before as unofficial FDC

All times are CT (US)

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Administrative Options: Close Topic | Archive/Move | Delete Topic
Post New Topic  Post A Reply
Hop to:

Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts

Copyright 2020 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved.


Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.47a





advertisement