K1101

Liberty Centennial

Statue of Liberty

Collins Cover Announcement 

STATUE OF LIBERTY

July 4, 1986

For this Declaration Day issue, I decided to do two varieties, and, of the hundreds of different cachets done by various cachetmakers, my goal was to achieve views of the Lady that no one else would think of or do. A challenge? Yes. Impossible? Almost. Did I succeed? I think so. At this point let me say that I presented the traditional view of the Statue on my Frederic Bartholdi cover -- Item #F1001. These covers are still available at $7.50. And so...not wanting to go down the same path -- a path I had trod in 1985 with Bartholdi and a path that would be crowded on this July Fourth with cachetmakers galore...I once again chose a path that COLLINS prefers -- a path off the beaten track.

Statue of Liberty - Park

This FDC has the Liberty stamp with Liberty Island, NY/NJ bullseye cancellation.

During the Centennial of the Statue, the events (and, indeed, the Statue itself) almost became larger than life. After all, it is a symbol of a country, of a people, of a lifestyle, Of a pursuit of happiness and of a domestic tranquility. And so, this hand-painted cachet captures Americans on a sunny day enjoying life in a green park.Strollers. Picnickers. Children. The pursuit of happiness.

The park is at water's edge, and in the Harbor, busy ships symbolize the vitality of a prosperous nation. And...in the distance, barely visible, a Statue rises above the skyline.

Just visible. Just a reminder of what we have. The everyday perspective of the Statue of Liberty for each of us. Not in the headlines. Not draped in banners or flags nor adorned with fireworks or rockets or political speeches. Just there. And so it is with this COLLINS cachet. The Statue is not dominant. It is not featured. It is "just" there. It is enough. If everyone in my "cachet park" looked...if everyone in the country looked...the Statue would stir their dreams, their expectations, their tranquility. It is there.