O4101

Samuel de Champlain '

Samuel de Champlain Surveys the East Coast

400th Anniversary

Collins Cover Announcement 

Samuel de Champlain

This is the kind of First Day Cover that makes our hobby so satisfying. In my opinion, this cover has everything going for it, and I believe it will become very sought after in future years. The new stamp is nicely designed and tastefully colored. The cachet artwork combines elements that collectors love such as a map of the new world, a portrait of an early explorer, and an action segment of a canoe running a stretch of white water rapids. The First Day of Issue postmark is a knock-out! It's a ship pictorial with bold text that extends left-ward to interact with the cachet design. The year 1606 is when Champlain first sailed down the eastern coast as far as Cape Cod. With all of the above put

together, you have a wonderful First Day Cover.

What really makes this cachet stand out, however, is the individual hand painting of each and every envelope in beautiful watercolors. The period map turned out super, the Champlain rendition is like a miniature portrait and very life-like, and the Indian canoe adds a touch of action and North American frontier flavor. When the colorful cachet is combined with the awesome sailing ship cancel, you really have an exciting collectible. It exceeds my expectations.

After his first East Coast exploratory voyage in 1606, Champlain returned to North America in 1608 to establish the French outpost of Quebec. From there, he developed extensive and wide-spread fur trading with various Indian tribes. He oversaw Quebec's growth until his death on Christmas Day of 1635. Born on July 3, 1567, Samuel de Champlain was destined to become known as "the Father of New France." I'm pleased to offer this fine First Day Cover for your collection. Collins #O4101 — $13.25.