Shital's Philatelic Collection : USA PHILATELY

Showing posts with label USA PHILATELY. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

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.

Monday, January 5, 2026

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.

Sunday, January 4, 2026

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.

Tuesday, January 17, 2023

CIRCULAR POSTMARK WITH WAVY LINES : US POSTMARK

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

DETROIT RIVER MAIL BOAT SERVICE 1980 : CARRIED COVER PHILATELY

This commemorative envelope was issued to celebrate the first mail run of the 1980 season for the Detroit River Mail Boat Service. This unique postal operation is famous for being the only floating ZIP code (48222) in the United States, utilizing the tugboat J.W. Westcott II to deliver mail to massive freighters while they are still in motion. The envelope features a "cachet" (the artwork on the left) provided by the Motor City Stamp & Cover Club, which depicts the small mail boat alongside a towering freighter to illustrate the "mail-in-the-pail" delivery method.

The postmark is dated April 9, 1980, marking the official start of that year's delivery season after the winter ice had cleared from the Great Lakes. To make it a true collector's item, it includes both a standard circular date stamp and a special pictorial cancellation—the ink illustration over the 15-cent flag stamp—which features a ship and the text "Since 1855." These specific markings verify that the envelope was actually processed through the Detroit Marine Post Office on that historic day rather than just being a souvenir print.