Y401

Great Americans

Crazy Horse - Lakota War Leader of the Oglala Band

Collins Cover Announcement 

CRAZY HORSE

It was late night on January 14th as my plane touched down at Rapid City, South Dakota. The airport terminal was quiet and a message taped to the counter at the rental car booth awaited me saying that they would re-open at 6:00 a.m. I took a cab into town, and after a few hours sleep headed back to the airport. The driver upon hearing I was going to Crazy Horse Mountain thought I was the crazy one - the wind-chill factor was -60 and blizzard warnings were in effect. The lady at the car rental also questioned my sanity and said no way would she go up into the hills. She said the danger is car trouble in the middle of a blinding, blowing snow storm at such low temperatures.

I had second thoughts but only for a moment - too far to not forge ahead, so off I went on the 40 mile journey through the Black Hills to Crazy Horse Mountain. The wind stayed calm, and the trip was beautiful through a light and steady snow. I was the first to arrive at Crazy Horse as they were unlocking the gate. In the distance was the incomplete mountain carving of the chief. The Post Office was very small located in the visitor's lodge, and most of my work was done in the adjacent new Indian Museum. The snow continued during the morning, and the crowd was very sparse. Due to weather and light attendance to purchase stamps, unofficials will not be common for this issue.

A pair has the "First Day of Issue" hand cancel, and another pair has the unofficial Custer, S.D. cancel, Crazy Horse Branch. This is a great cancel showing both names of the adversaries at the Little Big Horn, Custer, the horse soldier and Crazy Horse the Sioux Chief. The hand painted cachet shows a mounted Crazy Horse ready for battle. The border is an intricate design that adds greatly to the cover.

With the completed covers on the seat next to me, I headed back on my 40 mile return trip to Rapid City. Travel advisories were now on the radio warning of no travel in the hills. The final few miles were in windswept snow that forced me to inch forward as visability permitted, but as I parked the car a sense of accomplishment prevailed. Although more difficult than most of my FDCs to service, these covers typify why COLLINS FDCs have developed such a reputation - they are really  done on First Day of Issue, and each cachet is an individually hand painted work, not a mass produced product so prevalent in the hobby.

These COLLINS Crazy Horse covers and how they were produced will be a continuing part of the history of our hobby. I recommend that you add this one to your collection for surely it will be sought by future collectors. Item #Y401 - $5.50

Spring 2017 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 13 Y401 — Chief Crazy Horse 

This is a landmark cover of my early years as I personally serviced it during a blizzard in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The adventurous trip is recalled on book pages 42 and 43. A pair of stamps has the Crazy Horse, SD first day of issue cancel. Since this was a branch of the Custer, SD Post Office, I was also able to obtain a beautiful killer bar Custer postmark. What a philatelic item — two first day cancels with names of both adversaries who met in battle at the Little Big Horn — Chief Crazy Horse (the brave Sioux warrior) and George Armstrong Custer (the daring horse soldier). The hand painted cachet shows the defiant chief riding his war pony with rifle held aloft. It's a tremendous Collins Cover.