Cover of the Day

I only live about 10 miles from there, so might drive by this weekend and snap a photo.

 

I think Hochstrasse has the answer for this one. The insert probably expressed information that was common knowledge to the sender and the recipient, and, there was no need to open the letter. It would be interesting to know what was inside. Gunny, if you decide to open the letter, let us know.

Don

 

Gunny and Hochstrasse:

Here's another theory on Gunny's unopened cover. The addressee, and maybe the sender as well, was/were stamp collectors. Note on the reverse flap the number 736. That is the Scott number for the Maryland Tercentenary stamp first issued March 23, 1934. Next note the stamp on the cover which is Sc #736, and the postmark March 24, 1934. This is a "first day of regular usage" cover sent to a stamp collector, probably by a neighbor stamp collector. There was no need to open this cover because it is the cover itself that is of interest. Probably just a stiffener inside. Gunny you found an interesting cover, indeed!

 

I believe both DonSellos & desertgem have it right. The clear plastic wrapper that this cover came in had a label on it that said 2nd day of issue. I think a neighbor/relative was trying to create his own first day cover. Other first day covers that I see on the net for this stamp are cancelled on March 23rd. Maybe he didn't post it in time or maybe the Post Office didn't get around to canceling it until the following day.

Holding the cover up to the light, I can see that a folded piece of paper is inside but that's about it. I agree that it is in there to keep the cover stiff. Can't open it. Not sure about opening someone else's mail, especially since this individual might still be alive.

Thanks for the input.

 

My cover of the day has this Scott #905. It's a birthday card from a Nun to a friend in DC. I love the covers from the WWII time frame. One must have wondered what it was like during those years.

 

I think you nailed it Don. The first day of regular issue is the obvious answer now that I have 20/20 hindsight. Great job!

 

Here's a First Day Cover of Scott #717, Arbor Day.

 

Beautiful receiving cancel on the back! I love those FDC's.

 

I've been taking a break from stamps and mounting a few of the covers I have purchased. Attached below is one that triggered a little nostalgia for times past -- the era of passenger trains. These transcontinental trains once were the high point of long-distance travel, but steadily lost passengers to the airlines and were pretty much out of service by the late 1950s and early 1960s.

This cover is, I believe, both philatelic and non-philatelic in origin. It is philatelic in that the return address on the reverse is from a collector listed in the 1938 Blue Book of Philately as an APS member who collected blocks of four and Confederate stamps. He may have sent the cover to a collecting friend. It is non-philatelic, I think, in that the railway company probably printed and made the envelopes available to passengers as an advertising item, much in the same sense as hotel stationery and the post cards supplied by airlines with a photo of one of the aircraft used.

Anyway, I mounted this in my "Commercial Advertising" cover section of my album.

Don

 

I think you're right Don, your cover is much like the old transatlantic ship companies that dominated public travel in the '40's and early '50's crossing the ocean between Europe and the East Coast which provided stationary to the passengers. You have a great example of an era and a fantastic cover.

 

Looks to be in great condition. Very nice.

 

Hi Zararina:

Nice cover with complete set of stamps on it! I noticed that the cancel includes a phrase in what I assume reads "First Day of Issue" in the Tagalog langugage. Do you speak, read, & write Tagalog? What is the most commonly used language in the Philippines these days?

Don