John Paul Jones

Naval Captain

Spring 2019 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 4 G201 — John Paul Jones (9-23-79)

This one is a personal favorite of my "early" covers, and others shared this view, as it won a national collectors' poll in 1979 as "Best Cachet" for the John Paul Jones issue. The hand painted cachet features an oval portrait of Jones in his full-dress uniform. The main focus is upon the naval battle between the British ship Serapis and Jones's Bonhomme Richard. A single stamp has the first day of issue postmark from Annapolis, and I then took the covers to the Revolutionary War capital of Philadelphia where I obtained the beautiful "B. Free Franklin" Colonial-style first day cancel. This is a crisp and magnificent "early" Collins that is a "must-have" addition for your collection. You'll love it.