USA CANCELLATION : SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS (1890)

Location: SPRINGFIELD,  MASSACHUSETTS

Date: MARCH 5, 1890.

Time: 6.30 PM.

USA FANCY CANCELLATION : "3" KILLER (1889)

 Location: NEW YORK, N.Y.

Date: October 18, 1889.

Time: 5 PM.

USA FANCY CANCELLATION : "8" KILLER (1887)

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Date: November 21, 1887.

Time: 11 PM.

 

CANAL ZONE POSTAL SERVICE 1904 – 1979 LAST DAY OF OPERATION

Dated September 30, 1979, this envelope marks a significant moment in the history of the Panama Canal Zone: the final day of the United States' independent postal service there. For 75 years, from 1904 to 1979, the Canal Zone operated as a U.S. territory with its own distinct postal system. 

This particular cover, addressed to a philatelist in Pennsylvania, proudly displays a Balboa postmark and a special "LAST DAY OF OPERATION" slogan cancel, clearly indicating the momentous occasion. It’s a tangible representation of a geopolitical shift, signifying the conclusion of an era that began with the monumental construction of the Panama Canal. 

NAVAL COVER : THE USS ALASKA (SSBN-732) COMMISSIONING COVER

This rare philatelic cover documents the January 25, 1986, commissioning of the USS Alaska, an Ohio-class nuclear submarine. Adorned with Alaskan-themed stamps and a specialized "First Day" postmark, the envelope serves as a historical birth certificate for the vessel.

The piece is uniquely valuable because it features signatures from both Commanding Officers: Captain G.H. Howard (Gold Crew) and Captain Paul L. Callahan (Blue Crew). This highlights the Navy’s two-crew system, which ensures continuous strategic deterrence by swapping personnel while the submarine remains on patrol.

For collectors, this cover represents more than just a hobby; it is a tangible piece of Cold War naval history.

GERMANY STAMP SUBSCRIPTION FORM (EARLY 2001)

This document is a mail-order subscription offer from Firma Sieger sent to Eduard Holland in the early 2000s. It invites the recipient to collect German stamps from the "Economic Miracle" era (1949–1974) using the company's then-new computer system. For a trial price of €19.95, the customer receives a hardcover album and 20 mint-condition stamps, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Although the stamps are historical, the use of the Euro currency and a five-digit postal code confirms this specific marketing flyer was produced long after the stamps themselves were originally issued.

Germany officially adopted Euro banknotes and coins on January 1, 2002. The prices listed €19.95 confirm this document was produced after 2001. The address for Eduard Holland uses a five-digit postal code (32105). Germany switched from four-digit to five-digit postal codes on July 1, 1993, following reunification.

FIRST DAY COVER : BORIS SCHATZ & "THE SCRIBE," (ISRAEL)

Though Boris Schatz passed away in 1932, his striking blue signature anchors this 1972 Israeli First Day Cover. This is a facsimile autograph, a printed tribute to the "Father of Israeli Art" and founder of the Bezalel Academy.

Paired with a stamp featuring his sculpture "The Scribe," the mark acts as a design seal, bridging the gap between Schatz’s 1906 arrival in Jerusalem and his enduring legacy. For collectors, this cover transforms a standard mailing into a timeless monument to the man who shaped Israel’s cultural identity.

UN FIRST DAY COVER : THE ART OF HUMAN RIGHTS (1983)

 

Released on December 9, 1983, in Vienna, Austria, this First Day Cover is a vibrant collision of high art and Cold War diplomacy. Commemorating the 35th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it features a stunning lithograph by Austrian visionary Friedensreich Hundertwasser. His "Third Skin" artwork transforms the envelope into a manifesto for creative freedom. 

Beyond the art, the cover bears the rare dual signatures of U.S. President Ronald Reagan and UN General Assembly President Jorge Illueca. Produced by WFUNA for a VIP audience, this artifact remains a premier "triple threat" for collectors of fine art and global history.

NAVAL COVER : UNITED STATES BICENTENNIAL AND OPERATION SAIL '76

This Cacheted Naval Event Cover is a remarkable historical artifact from July 15, 1976, capturing the peak of the United States Bicentennial and Operation Sail '76. Postmarked aboard the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides), the cover features a classic Type 9 naval cancellation, where the "killer bars" used to void the postage stamp explicitly display the ship's name.

The cover is particularly notable for its "Posted on Board" status, indicated by the red rectangular cachet from the STS Sir Winston Churchill. This British sail training schooner was a key participant in the International Sail Training Race No. 4, a transatlantic journey from Boston to Plymouth, England. The presence of multiple cachets—including the blue oval race details and the Boston commemorative graphic—marks this as a dual-ship souvenir, documenting the collaborative maritime spirit between the U.S. Navy and international merchant sailing vessels.

For collectors, this piece is a "Grade A" specimen due to its crisp markings and the specific narrative it follows. Addressed to West Germany, the envelope traveled as part of the very history it commemorates, serving as a tangible link to the 1976 Fleet Review. It stands as a "maritime time capsule," preserving the moment when the world’s most famous wooden warship and a modern British trainer united to celebrate 200 years of American history and the enduring legacy of the high seas.

BON VOYAGE COVER : USS NAUTILUS (SSN-571)

 

Few vessels have revolutionized naval history quite like the USS Nautilus (SSN-571), the world's first operational nuclear-powered submarine. Pictured here on a commemorative philatelic cover, we see a snapshot of a significant moment: April 9, 1979, the day the Nautilus embarked on its "Final Trip from Groton, CT." The striking green cachet, merging the submarine's silhouette with an atomic symbol, perfectly captures the essence of this pioneering vessel.

This "Bon Voyage" cover marks the end of an era for a true engineering marvel. After 25 years of groundbreaking service, the Nautilus was heading to California for decommissioning, closing a remarkable chapter in its operational life. Today, the USS Nautilus has returned to Groton, Connecticut, where it stands proudly as a museum ship, continuing to inspire awe and educate visitors about its pivotal role in the Cold War and beyond.

POLAR PHILATELY : THE STORY OF THE M/S NILS HOLGERSSON PAQUEBOT COVER

 

This historical "Paquebot" cover documents a luxury Christmas and New Year’s cruise aboard the M/S Nils Holgersson from December 1979 to January 1980. The "Paquebot" marking signifies that this mail was posted at sea and processed at the next port of call, serving as a unique record of maritime communication. Featuring a 1978 German stamp cancelled in Hamburg, it tracks a voyage from Germany to exotic destinations like Lisbon, Casablanca, and Funchal.

The cover’s elaborate cachets provide a complete itinerary and highlight the ship's affiliation with the TT-Line. TT-Line is a prominent German shipping company that has been a leader in Baltic Sea travel for over 60 years. Founded in 1962, the company takes its name from the two ports it originally connected: Travemünde (Germany) and Trelleborg (Sweden), The ship mentioned on your cover was the third vessel to bear the name (operating for TT-Line from 1975–1985).

These markings were not merely decorative; they validated the vessel's transcontinental route through the Atlantic and Mediterranean. From the ship’s profile illustration to the official "printed matter" designation, every stamp preserves a moment in social philately. It remains a vivid historical snapshot of global travel logistics and the enduring legacy of the TT-Line fleet.

POLAR PHILATELY : THE STORY OF A 1987 TAAF POSTCARD

 

This postcard serves as a fascinating historical record of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF), specifically documenting a logistics mission to the remote Kerguelen Islands in late 1987. The piece is authenticated by the circular cachet and signature of Commandant Marc Soviche, who captained the MS Marion Dufresne, a vital research and supply vessel that acted as the primary lifeline for these sub-Antarctic territories. The red "OP 88 / 1" marking indicates its origin during a specific scientific campaign or "Opération," highlighting the ship's role in supporting global oceanographic research.

The card’s postal markings reveal its journey through the "Furious Fifties" latitudes, featuring the official "Paquebot" designation which signifies it was written and posted while at sea. It was eventually processed at Port-aux-Français, the administrative hub of the archipelago, as shown by the postmark dated November 19, 1987. To assist with its identification, the card even includes a rectangular stamp of the exact geographic coordinates for the base: 70° 13' E, 49° 21' S.

Such "covers" are highly collected in the field of polar philately because they represent the rare physical connection between isolated scientific outposts and the outside world. Sent to a recipient on Réunion Island, this document remains a testament to the enduring spirit of maritime exploration in the Southern Ocean.

WORLD HERITAGE SITE LUMBINI, NEPAL - BUDDHISM PHILATELY

DATE OF ISSUE: 14.09.2009

COUNTRY:  NEPAL