Q301s

American Flag

For Purple Mountain Majesties

Fred Collins Signature

Collins Cover Announcement 

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL

Faced with a wonderful theme for hand painted covers, I decided to do a set of three covers for the America the Beautiful stamps. Each of the cachets portrays the theme on the stamp used:

Amber waves of grain...

A loaded hay wagon pulled by a team of horses crossing an amber field.

Sea to Shining Sea...

A lighthouse and smaller buildings picturesquely depicted at the ocean's edge.

Purple Mountains Majesty...

High peaks thrusting upward symbolize the country's strength and demonstrate the nation's natural beauty.

The second cancel was suggested by long time collector Lee Waterman. The unofficial is Falmouth, Mass which is the birthplace of Katherine Lee Bates, composer of "America the Beautiful". To get there from Portland, Maine after servicing the covers, I took a taxi to the airport and then a flight to Boston. This historic city figured so prominently in early struggles to establish our country and passing through with these particular covers seemed most appropriate. Then I drove down the Pilgrim Highway passed Plymouth Rock to the quiet, quaint and lovely village of Falmouth.

Item #P301 "Amber Waves of Grain" - $5.50

Item #Q301 "Purple Mountain Majesties" - $5.50

Item #R301 "Sea to Shining Sea" - $5.50

All of the above covers are hand canceled "First Day of Issue" at Portland, Maine and have second unofficial hand cancel at Falmouth, Mass.

Summer 2023 Mail Sale 

Lot 11 Q301 — America the Beautiful — Mountains — 4-24-81

This "Purple Mountain Majesties" stamp was issued in Portland, Maine. I then drove past Plymouth Rock to Falmouth, Mass. where an additional single was canceled. This second postmark is a large, circular bullseye with killer bars. I wanted this cover to reflect where the Pilgrims landed. Their descendants would later make their way to the Pacific. From sea to shining sea.