1948 First Flight Cover - Information Needed

I have this first flight cover. I understand what they are. I have bought several book to help me look them up (very difficult to use), but I have been left knowing very little about them or their value. This one also looks like someone tried to reseal the envelope on the back fold. The front postmark is Louisville 6 Mar 1948 and the back is postmarked New Bern, NC 8 Mar 1948. So do these have catalog numbers? Do any have value? Are they pretty much the same as a First Day Cover? Can anyone help? Thanks = Jeff

This would be airmail rout 87 Louisville to New Bern first flight cover. Catalog number 87E13 with 1957 pieces on that flight. Cost about 1.00. This information is from a older AAMC issue but they do not raise in price much. If anyone has the AAMC supplement they could tell you any price increase.

AAMC??

Some people do specialize in these (I have a few myself). The value is not particularly high, though, as a postal aviation piece they are quite fun to collect. The key in these flight covers is to identify the flight. In this case, it is identified in the stamped cachet as AM-47.

With that information in hand, you can search the web for various information and auctions for flights for that route. Here's one site that has identified catalog numbers for AM-47's and others. Using this as a guide, your cover would be identified as an 87E13 with a retail value of $3.

http://www.aerodacious.com/ccAM087.HTM

Sorry "American Air Mail Catalogue".

Thanks for all the info - Here is my second question. How do you get two cards for the same flight (to and from the same place, i.e. same postmarks) and different dates on front of covers? How many times (barring crashes) can you have a first flight?

The toning on the envelope is from the gum of the envelope that has aged over time or a secondary adhesive was applied. I see that a lot of first day covers and commemorative covers that used cheap envelopes.

wt1: Super link!