Alaska Mercy Flight Cinderella

Here is one of the 1925 Alaska Mercy Flight labels:




The story of these used to be that they were printed for a planned flight to Nome for delivery of emergency serum in the middle of the Alaskan winter. Supposedly, the weather wouldn't allow the flight, and dogsleds were used, instead.

Over the years, I've read a few stories debunking that story (no available planes, not enough time to print labels, no purpose, no contemporaneous record of charity sales of the labels).

I recall reading a new explanation a couple years ago, and now I can't find it.

Thoughts?

If you have any others to share, please do so.

Maybe this explanation from 2008?

http://www.philatelicdatabase.com/c...cinderellas/

No, I recall reading that, and liked the pictorial comparison with the Norway stamps. Thanks for posting the link.

I think I recall someone actually positing a new theory.

Witt Collection : No information

Here same info.
http://www.cinderellastampsforum.co...topic80.html

Download *.pdf here
http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&r...C0QFjAC&url=http://www.alaskaphilatelic.org/pdf/tap/3Q2005.pdf&ei=6xJhUJbZI-iWiQfT34C4CA&usg=AFQjCNFepzPK-c-6UMjISDpKTRA8Xg7n-Q&sig2=HxWCzz6597tJByJ9-JnJyg



..or google for 3Q2005.pdf

I've had these for 50 years and never knew what they were. And if I recall correctly, they set me back about 50 cents. (For the set plus 10 cents shipping.)


I'm so excited I trust you will forgive me for the bad pictures.
Thanks a million. It was only last year I took them out of the envelope and put them in a frame.

Apparently the Iditarod dog sled race is based on the 1925 serum delivery..

From Wikipedia...

The most famous event in the history of Alaskan mushing is the 1925 serum run to Nome, also known as the "Great Race of Mercy." A diphtheria epidemic threatened Nome, especially the Alaska Native children who had no immunity to the "white man's disease", and the nearest quantity of antitoxin was found to be in Anchorage. Since the two available planes were both dismantled and had never been flown in the winter, Governor Scott Bone approved a safer route. The 20-pound (9.1 kg) cylinder of serum was sent by train 298 miles (480 km) from the southern port of Seward to Nenana, where it was passed just before midnight on January 27 to the first of twenty mushers and more than 100 dogs who relayed the package 674 miles (1,085 km) from Nenana to Nome. The dogs ran in relays, with no dog running over 100 miles (160 km).

more at...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iditar...led_Dog_Race