Cover Types - Clarification Request On Terminology

Hello. My apologies if I do something incorrect with my first real post here. I took the time to read the rules, but please let me know if I messed up in some way. My attempt at a quality post is sincere.

I'm new here. I'm also new back into the hobby. I have a basic knowledge of stamp collecting passed down to me from a kindly old time philatelist who ran a stamp & coin shop in the small town where I grew up.

However, after spending some time reading here & scouring the www in general, I have some questions regarding US covers, and I'm hoping to receive some clarification here. In particular, I'd like to confirm whether what I've surmised about the types of US covers is correct, and whether the language/lingo/jargon I'm using is correct, or at least what's common to the hobby.

I understand what 'First Day of Issue' is - the first day a stamp is issued. I understand that generally a FDC is an envelope with a stamp that was cancelled on its first day of issue. I think a FDC must include both, a stamp on its first day of issue, and a cancellation stamp dated to the first day of issue. Am I correct on that? However, the term 'First Day Cover' seems a little ambiguous to me, just because I'm not exactly sure what 'cover' refers to. Does 'cover' refer to just the envelope, and thus a FDC is an envelope with a stamp on its first day of issue, and cancelled that same day? I'm also a little foggy around the idea of a cover versus cachet. I think that 'cachet' refers just to the image that appears on the 'cover', and that a FDC may or may not contain a 'cachet'. Is that correct?

I'd like to post a few images of US covers, along with my thoughts on these, and I'm hoping someone can correct me where needed.

Thank you in advance for your patience with this newbie.

'Commemorative Cover'?


This one is interesting to me, because its not a FDC, but easily could have been. The historical event occurred on May 5th 1961. For whatever reason the 'commemorative' stamp was released on May 4th, 2011. The company that produced the cover decided it was more appropriate to have it cancelled the day of the historical event, which makes sense to me.

So is this what you would call a 'commemorative cover'? Is that the proper term?





Not a FDC... Proper Term for Historical Cover?

I don't think this one is a FDC either, even though it is cancelled on the exact day of the historical event. I love it, despite its condition, because it marks the recovery of the John Glenn & capsule, and has this great stamp that includes the exact time of the recovery and the ship that recovered them. Plus it was cancelled on one of the most recognizable ships, the CV 'Enterprise'.

What would the proper term be for covers of just historical significance?





FDC - 'Add On'

I think I have this one correct. It is a FDC, however the company added a cachet onto the envelope later on. I know this because the colorano silk caches were only started in 1971, long after the FDC was made.

Do I have that right? Btw... anyone know when this particular FDC had its cachet added on?





FDC - 'Commemorative FDC?'

I think this one is a true FDC based on the cancel & stamp used, but it is also 'commemorative' in a sense, its cachet is commorating the 'Mercury Project'. I also know its an early 1971 Colorano, one of the first.





FDC - But 'Unofficial'

Do the terms 'official' and 'unofficial' have any specific meaning to the hobby in general? I know that this particular FDC was supposedly cancelled on the first day of issue, and it includes a cachet from that day, but based on my research it seems that it was bought as an uncancelled cover in one city, then transported to another city's post office, where it was not being offered 'officially', and cancelled as a FDC. Have I got this right?




Not a FDC, But First Day Cachet?

I'm not sure it matters much to collectors, but I noticed that some cachets created for a FDC, are often sold following days and thus not actually FDC, even though their cachets state 'First Day of Issue'. Is there any proper terminology for this? I'm guessing not.

Welcome! It`s nice to see such a thoughtful first post!

Let`s see if we can help. A word of warning, however, this group hardly ever completely agrees on definitions.

1. 'Commemorative Cover'?

I personally think it`s a shame the stamp wasn`t cancelled on the day of issue. It is a commemorative cover, though it lacks a special cancel that identifies the event being commemorated.

2. Not a FDC... Proper Term for Historical Cover?

This is a really great event cover.

3. FDC - 'Add On'

This one could be valuable, though I don`t really care for cachets placed after the event. The one thing that bothers me about this First Day Cover is the time of the postmark. The order to release the stamp wasn`t given until 3:30 Eastern Time, the same time as shown on the cover. Perhaps all the FDCs from Cape Canaveral were marked 3:30? Incidentally, Cape Canaveral is where the stamp was officially released, though the stamp was available at 300-or-so stations. Given the short time a collector would have to make a first day cover with this stamp at another location, I think the unofficial location cancels are almost as interesting, if not more.

4. FDC - 'Commemorative FDC?'

I think I would just call this one a First Day Cover. The stamp released that day explains that it commemorates a decade of space travel.

5. FDC - But 'Unofficial'

It seems like you have this right, though I don't know all the sites where the stamp was issued on the first day. One quibble is that the stamp probably wouldn't not have been purchased 'on cover' as you seem to suggest. Purists might insist that 'modern' FDCs be cancelled as FDCs, but this obviously wasn't the case for the many stamps issued before the P.O. started printing that notice. (Somewhere we have a thread here asking which stamp received this first 'FIRST DAY OF ISSUE' notice from the P.O. I don't know if we ever answered the question.)

6. Not a FDC, But First Day Cachet?

This is an event cover, it seems, mistakenly marked as a FDC. The event being marked is Glenn's return home to Ohio after the flight. I don't know what to call it except 'confused.'

"First Day of Issue" is exactly what it says... the first day the stamp was issued.

FDC is "First Day Cover" or "First Day Cancellation" with cover being the vastly more common usage. This can be an envelope, post card, maxim card or whatever else may have received the first day of issue cancellation on the associated stamp.

"Cachet" is the picture, writing or whatever on the cover, excluding the stamp and the cancellation and also disregarding the address.

"Commemorative Cover" is something issued to remember or celebrate a specific event on the anniversary of the event. Your Alan Shepard cover is a Commemorative Cover. The silk picture is the cachet. The medallion is an insert.

"Historical Cover" is one which carries historical significance. Pretty much anything of philatelic interest qualifies in my opinion. Try to avoid use of this term. Your Project Mercury cover is commemorative in nature. It is also correctly described as a "naval cover" as it involves a naval event (Project Mercury Recovery Force), a "space cover" because it involves the US space program, as well as a "ship cover" as it was cancelled on-board the USS Enterprise.

"Add On" generally refers only to an FDC which receives computer-generated or hand-illustrated artwork a considerable time after issuance, and done by an individual in very small numbers. Because Colorano is in the business of creating cacheted FDCs, I do not think many collectors would call this an add-on. When they first started, many issues from the 1960s received silk cachets after issuance. Yours is from 1971 - note it is identical to the Space Achievement cachet.

"Commemorative FDC" is a somewhat contrived term - avoid it. Aren't all FDCs are commemorating the issuance of the stamp?

"Unofficial" when used to describe an FDC means that the cover has a stamp cancelled on the correct first day of issuance, but in a city which was not the one where the stamp was officially issued. For your Project Mercury FDC, this is NOT and unofficial because the stamp was released nationwide on Feb.20th!

Your final cover is a commemorative cover using a cachet created for the FDOI of the stamp. It appears that he was welcomed home on March 3, 1962 and this commemorates the event.

...and KGB was posting as I was changing laundry loads mid-response.

BTW

I will be overlapping kollectorkurt a bit. The first two covers are "event" covers. The next two are FDC's (first day covers).

The term "addon" is correct for a cachet applied to a first day cover after the fact, but I don't consider your third cover to be an addon. Colorano produces covers both for FDC's and for events. They are not addon cachets, but original productions.

As for your fifth cover, it is common to refer to such FDC's as having an unofficial cancellation (sometimes abbreviated UO), to distinguish them from the official FDOI (first day of issue) cancellation. I am going to differ with kk here. This is a UO. The official FDC's were for this issue were cancelled in Cape Canaveral and have the four killer bars and "First Day of Issue" text that you see in your third and fourth covers. That the stamps were available else on the first day of issue is irrelevant. This is commonly the case. It would be very hard to get UO's if collectors always had to go to the city of official release for stamps.

On your last one, sometimes unused first day covers get "repurposed" as event covers because the subject matter is related. You wouldn't call it a "First Day Cachet," just an event cover, but if you wanted to be precise you could elaborate that it is an event cover created using a first day cover that was never used for a first day cancel. Does that make any sense?

Basil

Thanks everyone! I appreciate you taking the time to clear up some things for me.

So right off the top I can see that 'Event Cover' is the term to use for covers that mark an event in history. I guess that makes perfect sense. I'll start using that term. :)

Its interesting that the collecting community might not consider the colorano FDC an 'Add On'. From my reading, other sources list that particular cover as an 'add on', I guess just because the envelope was issued in 1962 and the cache was added later. But if I understand you correctly, the community generally considers an 'add on' to be something not produced in greater numbers as a commercial product.

Checking out this site, I found some definitions that might apply.

http://www.knottywood-treasures.com/id11.html

Also, they list it as an add on (first one, top of list):

http://www.knottywood-treasures.com...s/page1.html

OK itviking, now it gets interesting. Part of what I like about philately is that two collectors can be of different opinion yet still both be correct! Those catalog higher and some command a considerable premium!

blcjr makes a sound case for only the Cape Canaveral FDoI cancellation covers being "official" and that is where the ceremonial issuance took place. My case is equally sound as non-Cape Canaveral cancellations were applied to a cover in a city where the stamps were officially available on the issuance date.

Using the Michigan Centennial stamp of 1935 to illustrate...
The stamp was available only at the Lansing Main Post Office on Nov 1st - "Official FDC"



Someone - most likely Mr. Schmalzriedt - bought stamps in Lansing, traveled to New Hudson in time to obtain a cancellation on the first day of issue - "Unofficial FDC"


It became available nationwide the following day and an "Official Second Day of Issue" cancel was available in Washington DC. Even nuttier? I have three different DC cancels on Nov 2 and six different Lansing cancels on Nov. 1!


Fortunately, there are only a few stamps from the 1930s which had this Second Day ceremony and there are only a few modern issues which had nationwide release on the FDoI (7-1-71 USPS and Postal People come to mind).

Besides, when dealing with FDCs, the term "official" has become moot. A true cover cancelled on the issuance day pretty much has to be "unofficial" since one can get "official" ones serviced up to a month after issuance! And who knows how far before or after "issuance" the pretty official laser print cancels are applied by the USPS!

kk,

I think you are describing an anachronism. In the past, there often would be one or only a few cities where the stamps could be obtained on the first day of release, and if one wanted to get a UO cancellation one had to get the stamps at one of the selected cities and travel to the city where one wanted a UO cancellation. So that may be what your example from 1935 indicates. In time, the city issuing the "First Day of Issue" cancellation came to be recognized as the official FDOI cancellation, but at the same time with widespread release of the stamps to PO's around the country UO's became more common.

As a generalization, the modern UO's are not going to have a significant valuation premium, though there are exceptions, simply because they have become easier to get and more common. Older UO's can, because they were harder to get and less common, have a greater valuation. It all comes down to supply and demand.

As for what is "official" today, the fact that they be serviced up to two months (longer for dealers) after the date of issue doesn't really change things. Dealers are still going to refer to the covers with "First Day of Issue" and 4 bar killer as the "official" FDOI, and those cancelled elsewhere as UO. And collectors will, generally, know the difference, and not care one way or the other.

Basil

Everyone has been providing good advice on what to call these, but my suggestion is to simply call them what a large number of collectors call them which are "Space Covers" or "Astro Philately". This term refers to all kinds of First Day, Commemorative, Event, Historical, etc. etc. covers and cards that have a space theme. There are groups of collectors who have joined together to collect these and share information on them. The largest group I know of is the "Space Topic Study Unit" of the American Philatelic Society and American Topical Association. Here is a link to their website: http://www.space-unit.com If you have a collection of space covers like the ones you have shown, or an interest in building it up you should think about joining them.

I think you've made the BEST "first post" in the history of the board

Thank you again for all of the great responses. I'm going to try to go through and make some meaningful responses, as I am able - time wise.

""Unofficial" when used to describe an FDC means that the cover has a stamp cancelled on the correct first day of issuance, but in a city which was not the one where the stamp was officially issued. For your Project Mercury FDC, this is NOT and unofficial because the stamp was released nationwide on Feb.20th!"


kollectorkurt - Thanks for the welcome & detailed reply. Sorry... still haven't figured out how to do a proper quote here.

I love the 1935 example you gave. I learned a lot there. Thanks.

From what I've read, the mercury project stamp was officially released (or intended to be released) in 305 cities across the US on Feb 20th. Most from Cape Canaveral. A few of those post offices were apparently closed that day. A good number are MIA as far as FDC examples. Which has led some people to a long quest for the missing 'official' FDCs.

However, examples of first day cancellations exist for cities where the stamps were not issued. I'd like to get my hands on that list official cities, but from what I've read, Anacortes Washington was not a city where the stamps were released, thus why some people call it an 'unofficial' FDC.

It really seems that the 4 cent project mercury stamp was a break from what was normal. Which makes it kind of interesting to me.

"I think you've made the BEST "first post" in the history of the board "


KirkS - Wow! Thank you.

"Everyone has been providing good advice on what to call these, but my suggestion is to simply call them what a large number of collectors call them which are "Space Covers" or "Astro Philately". This term refers to all kinds of First Day, Commemorative, Event, Historical, etc. etc. covers and cards that have a space theme. There are groups of collectors who have joined together to collect these and share information on them. The largest group I know of is the "Space Topic Study Unit" of the American Philatelic Society and American Topical Association. Here is a link to their website: http://www.space-unit.com If you have a collection of space covers like the ones you have shown, or an interest in building it up you should think about joining them."


Kimo - Thanks for the link! I'll definitely check it out, as the 'space' topical is very much a main interest of mine.

Here`s an interesting note about a cover from the USS Noa:

4 CENT PROJECT MERCURY FDC (#1193; Not in Mellon), U.S.S. NOA hand cancel. multicolor printed cachet (unidentified), shows Mercury capsule and the recovery ship U.S.S. Noa, with printed text: "U.S.S. Noa, DD-841 Recovery Ship for the First U.S. Man in Space, first day of issue. This commemorative cover was a part of the first mail dispatch from the destroyer U.S.S. Noa following recovery of U.S. astronaut Lt. Col. John H. Glenn, Jrl, USMC, and Mercury space capsule'Friendship Seven.'" NOTE: this is a backdated cancel, as the Project Mercury postage stamps were not onboard the ship until Feb. 23, 1962. However this is still a SCARCE cover.

EDIT: From http://spacecovers.com/pricelists/p...fdc1193a.htm

Thanks KGB!

I think mine might be different though. I think that one that you posted is for the actual primary recovery ship USS Noa. The one pictured above is for the secondary recovery ship USS Enterprise. It has three different rubber stamps/cancels, I think. The 'Enterprise' rubber stamp, the 'picked up by USS Noa' rubber stamp, and the Enterprise cancellation stamp.

But that link is great. I see they also have the exact Mercury Project FDC that I have mentioned....

"4 CENT PROJECT MERCURY FDC (#1193; Mellon #22), with unofficial Anacortes Washington machine cancel. CASCADE (unidentified) printed cachet, in orange and blue, shows drawing of Glenn in his spacesuit and the Mercury capsule with appropriate first day of issue text."

I think that pretty much describes this one...

viking, yes, that cover from the Enterprise is great! It`s the real deal!

I was just doing some research on recovery ship for the space missions and learned some things. I had assumed that the 'primary' recovery ship was a reference to the ship that actually recovered the capsules & astronauts. Apparently not. That designation is set before the actual recovery.

Although the USS Noa recovered the Friendship 7 capsule & John Glenn, it wasn't the 'primary recovery ship'.


Also, found this neat bit of info about the USS Enterprise during that mission...

"On 20 February 1962, Enterprise was a tracking and measuring station for the flight of Friendship 7, the Project Mercury space capsule in which Lieutenant Colonel John H. Glenn, Jr. made the first American orbital spaceflight."

This is what I love most about collecting historical stamps & FDCs.