posted 01-23-2011 09:46 AM               

Space Cover #93, Shuttle Multi-Canceled Covers

Featured this week are two specially created covers by longtime and well-known space cover collector/dealer/servicer Ken Havekotte of Merrritt Island, FL.

Beginning in 1981 with STS-2, Ken began creating special multi-canceled covers for almost every Space Shuttle launch through STS-46 in 1992. On the actual day of launch, Ken would personally carry a number of stamped covers to several Space Coast post offices to be canceled. These covers would typically have four stamps and four cancels applied, but on a few occasions he would get ambitious and have his covers canceled at 5 or 6 different post offices, with his Masterpiece Cover occurring on STS-51G in 1985. Ten of these covers were done, with eight stamps and eight cancels on the front, and two more cancels on the back, for a total of ten stamps and ten different cancels! (Towns and cities used were KSC, Cape Canaveral, Titusville, Merritt Island, Satellite Beach, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Sharpes, Rockledge and Patrick AFB).

Ken usually used small flag stamps but also used appropriate space tribute stamps. For example, the top cover shown here has four 22 cent flag stamps affixed and was canceled from four Space Coast post offices for the launch of STS-61C. The bottom cover has a Chris Calle designed $2.40 moon landing Priority Mail stamp affixed and was canceled from four post offices for STS-33.

These covers obviously required a good amount of time and travel on Ken's part, and show his pride, dedication and enthusiasm in creating unique philatelic treasures from the early part of the Space Shuttle Program.