D3001

Love

Victorian Heart

Collins Cover Announcement 

Victorian Valentine

33-Cents

This is the first ever United States stamp issue that was die-cut in the shape of the image depicted - in this case a heart. It is a lovely and subtle design. The super hand cancel, which was only available to those present at the Loveland Post Office on day of issue, and a unique postal rubber stamp cachet combine to make this a special Collins.

The postmark- is in black and is the round-dater type. It is of excellent quality and from "Valentine Station" which is a nice philatelic touch. It is a rare occurrence when a post office has available a rubber stamp cachet. This was the case in Loveland, and very, very few of the cachetmakers doing this issue will have obtained it. Its magenta color blends perfectly with the flowery shades in the stamp. It features a cowboy cupid, globe (with Loveland pin-pointed), and a poem. This unusual postal cachet is something very different and adds much to this First Day Cover.

The hand painted cachet is a Victorian delight. A lovely girl with long curls is busy writing a love letter. A small, delicate cupid sits on the tabletop sharing the pen and helps to find just the right words to convey the message from her heart. Only individually hand painting could achieve the wonderful soft and coordinated appearance that this cover achieves by bringing together the heart-shaped stamp, the unusual Loveland cachet, the "Valentine Station" hand cancel, and the main "Love Letter" cachet. It is something special.

I am pleased to offer my Victorian Valentine cover for the 33-cent stamp. Item #D3001 - $12.25.