C3701

Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge

Centennial - Brown Pelican Cachet

Cover Announcement 

If you have been collecting my hand painted cachets for a while, you know that wildlife is one of my very favorite subjects. I find it amazing that the Postal Service can sometimes issue mini-sets of four or five stamps for relatively uninteresting or unimportant topics, and yet, for this important Centennial milestone of establishing national wildlife refuges, we only get one stamp. It is my belief that this issue warrants more than one cover, and I'm therefore pleased to announce that I will be doing a magnificent set of four hand painted wildlife First Day Covers.

A pair of mountain goats survey their lofty kingdom high in the Rockies. In the northern reaches of the Adirondacks, a mother lynx carefully and lovingly watches her curious kitten. Off the coast of Alaska, the mighty Kodiak bear - largest of all carnivorous land animals and named for its Kodiak Island habitat - makes its first appearance on a Collins cachet. These three awesome covers will be offered in the weeks ahead.

On March 14, 1903, the very first national wildlife refuge in the United States was established in Florida, The narne of this sanctuary was Pelican Island, and I think it's appropriate that the first cover of this set pays tribute to that beautiful creature. A pair of brown pelicans perch on weathered pilings with the refuge visible behind them. The hand watercoloring on this cachei is so perfect that you will feel you're actually present and viewing these lovely birds first hand.

This cover, postmarked to the day 100 years after the wildlife refuge system came into existence, is destined to become a very collectible piece in our hobby as will the three that follow. You will love having the brown pelican in your collection. Collins #C3701 - $12.25.