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Author Topic:   Collectability of addressed space event covers
JBoe
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Posts: 959
From: Churchton, MD
Registered: Oct 2012

posted 06-29-2015 04:51 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for JBoe   Click Here to Email JBoe     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I've seen numerous covers of prominent events in space history and was wondering if covers that contain a "To" address hurts the value and "collectability."

fimych
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Posts: 228
From: Boston MA, USA
Registered: Jun 2015

posted 06-29-2015 05:30 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for fimych   Click Here to Email fimych     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It possibly hurts the value, but not the "collectability". By the end of the day, you decide what to collect and how should it look like. On the other hand, sometimes the addressee makes it more valuable, in my opinion.

yeknom-ecaps
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Posts: 660
From: Northville MI USA
Registered: Aug 2005

posted 06-29-2015 07:06 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for yeknom-ecaps   Click Here to Email yeknom-ecaps     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It depends... as stated, in many ways it is a personal preference. I know collectors who only collect addressed covers because it "shows" the cover actually went through the mail - thus not just a commemorative/souvenir cover. While other collectors I know will only add unaddressed covers in their collections for their "looks." While to others it doesn't matter.

Usually there is little value difference between the two.

Hart Sastrowardoyo
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Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 06-29-2015 07:37 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Hart Sastrowardoyo   Click Here to Email Hart Sastrowardoyo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by yeknom-ecaps:
I know collectors who only collect addressed covers because it "shows" the cover actually went through the mail - thus not just a commemorative/souvenir cover.

Not always. I recall seeing ads for a collection of FDCs from some company where the covers could bear the buyer's name and address.

JBoe
Member

Posts: 959
From: Churchton, MD
Registered: Oct 2012

posted 06-29-2015 09:12 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for JBoe   Click Here to Email JBoe     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks again guys for your valued insights. Another tough decision to make.

Tallpaul
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Posts: 153
From: Rocky Point, NY, USA
Registered: Feb 2012

posted 07-01-2015 01:26 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Tallpaul   Click Here to Email Tallpaul     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
To me, when the signatures are really desirable it doesn't matter. For example, I have signed GT-8 and A-10 covers, both with addresses on them. These two items are very rare in the marketplace so the fact that they are addressed is immaterial to me. I do have an issue when a mailing label has been carelessly removed and leaves a visible mark on the cover. I believe that makes a cover less desirable. Just my own opinion.

Cozmosis22
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Posts: 968
From: Texas * Earth
Registered: Apr 2011

posted 07-01-2015 03:34 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Cozmosis22     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Given the option of addressed versus unaddressed almost always take the clean unaddressed version. That is unless the addressee is someone recognizable in the space business.

Antoni RIGO
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Posts: 176
From: Palma de Mallorca, Is. Baleares - SPAIN
Registered: Aug 2013

posted 07-04-2015 10:45 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Antoni RIGO   Click Here to Email Antoni RIGO     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Always better addressed covers, as address is part of any letter.

LM1
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Posts: 667
From: New York, NY
Registered: Oct 2010

posted 07-04-2015 11:21 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for LM1   Click Here to Email LM1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
This matter has been debated in the hobby of Space Philately since the beginning of the hobby. The debate usually centers around the rarity of the cover. If the cover is for an event in the Mercury, Gemini or Apollo era, it could be a rare cover and an address would not matter (if it is neatly applied).

If a cover is important to collectors, such as an autographed cover, a neat address would not matter.

However, as we get into the Space Shuttle era, when covers are very plentiful for most events, an unaddressed cover is preferred by most collectors.

Many addresses are applied by collectors in pencil and should be erased very carefully so as not to leave a stain.

cvrlvr99
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Posts: 139
From: Arlington, TX
Registered: Aug 2014

posted 07-05-2015 05:14 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for cvrlvr99   Click Here to Email cvrlvr99     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
When I first got into collecting in late 1968, I was told that Europeans preferred addressed covers while most of the Americans, including myself for several years, used peelable labels to keep them clean looking. Right now I collect either, except for VIP cards where I want them hand addressed from the VIP site.

astrobv
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Posts: 53
From: Geraardsbergen, Belgium
Registered: May 2014

posted 07-06-2015 02:32 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for astrobv   Click Here to Email astrobv     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I disagree with Antonio because on many covers an address was added in pencil or otherwise to make that the cover was posted through post office, what they often or in the most cases not did.

JBoe
Member

Posts: 959
From: Churchton, MD
Registered: Oct 2012

posted 07-06-2015 06:44 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for JBoe   Click Here to Email JBoe     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks again guys, this is very helpful and really appreciate it! I'm not sure it matters, but some of the covers I sent to get cancelled I sent a "standard size" envelope for the Post Master to cancel as well as a SASE envelope for to put them in for returning to me. The "standard size" envelopes for cancellation just had a First Class stamp.

Here's another question, these cancelled envelopes were plain with no addresses or graphics I then added the graphics with my inkjet printer does this hurt the "collectability" of that cover?

Cozmosis22
Member

Posts: 968
From: Texas * Earth
Registered: Apr 2011

posted 07-07-2015 08:26 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Cozmosis22     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It's your own personal cachet design and doesn't really matter much if you applied it to the envelopes before or after stamp cancellation.

LM1
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Posts: 667
From: New York, NY
Registered: Oct 2010

posted 07-07-2015 09:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for LM1   Click Here to Email LM1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
No, it does not matter when a cachet is applied, as long as it is applied carefully.

I tried printing cachets on covers, but I had to experiment on blank envelopes many times before using a real space cover.

JBoe
Member

Posts: 959
From: Churchton, MD
Registered: Oct 2012

posted 07-08-2015 03:45 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for JBoe   Click Here to Email JBoe     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks! Yeah it did take a lot of trial and error before I felt comfortable to print a cachet. I also had sent five envelopes for cancellation so that I could print different images (or in case I messed up on one ).

Cozmosis22
Member

Posts: 968
From: Texas * Earth
Registered: Apr 2011

posted 07-08-2015 02:47 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Cozmosis22     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Examples of somewhat desirable addressed covers.

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