M1200

North American Wildlife

North American Wildlif - CAPEX 

Collins Wildlife Cover Introduction

1987 COLLINS WILDLIFE COLLECTION

June 2, 1987 -- THE CLOCK HAS RUN DOWN TO THE FINAL FEW TICKS....

Dear Collector,

Please do not put this letter on your "pending pile" or in your "needs follow-up box" -- there isn't time. Take two or three moments to read and consider the message and then decide YES or NO. If the decision is YES, you must act quickly before I leave for Canada.

This final offering of my incredible hand-painted CAPEX Wildlife set is being sent to:

1. New COLLINS collectors who haven't as of yet had the opportunity to reserve a set.

2. Wildlife topical or general collectors who have requested information on this issue.

3. Any others who may want that "one last opportunity".

The enclosed page gives a capsule comment on a few of the covers -- words, however, cannot begin to convey the beauty of these hand-painted cachets. Each is large covering the full face of the envelope. Hour upon hour, week upon week, and month upon month has been spent getting the various 50 designs "just right". I do not like to over-state, and I'm not doing so now when I tell you straight out -- eyeball to eyeball and heart to heart -- that these hand-painted cachets will be the pride of your collection. In my honest opinion, these will be the best COLLINS FDCs ever produced.

I'm off to Toronto in a few days and will obtain the marvelous First Day of Issue show cancel as illustrated below. It is very appropriate as it has the American eagle and the Canadian beaver -- a very nice touch for this Wildlife issue. The only way to obtain this cancel is to be in Toronto on the First Day -- your COLLINS CAPEX FDCs will be there, and I'll be licking and sticking so that they can be canceled with this fantastic First Day cancel.

Please consider very carefully the following points in deciding about this set.

1. There is a full money-back guarantee. You can cancel your set anytime and receive a refund or you can return covers anytime for full refund. In other words, you can change your mind against the set at any time, but you cannot change your mind "for" the set after First Day.

2. As mentioned in number one, only those collectors

pre-ordering this set will obtain the Wildlife covers.

I will have none available later. The covers will only be produced for those collectors reserving them now.

3. The cost per FDC will be $8.50. When you see the hand painting that is required for each and every cover and when you consider that I traveled to Toronto for the First Day show cancel for each and every cover -- it is a very reasonable amount. So that everyone can fit this set into his or her hobby budget, I am requesting only an $11 deposit now and then 36 monthly payments of $11.50 beginning July First. I will ship the covers to you continuously as the painting is completed.

There you have it. Magnificent hand-painted "entire" cachets. A wonderfully special First Day cancellation only obtainable in Toronto. Very affordable payments. A money-back guarantee.

And, very important, limited to only those collectors who sign up by June 11th.

There is a burning impatience inside of me to begin sending these Wildlife covers out to collectors. I can't wait for them to be seen -- I am proud of them. They are lovely collectibles and all who sign up for them can look forward to opening their packages month after month and building their COLLINS Wildlife collection toward completion. If you are to be among those receiving these CAPEX FDCs, your $11 deposit should be postmarked no later than Tuesday, June 9th and I should receive it no later than Thursday, June 11th. I will send you immediate confirmation.

As I said at the beginning, the clock has run down to the final precious ticks. I've made my case and the decision is now up to you. If you decide YES and want "in" -- you will thank yourself over and over again as you receive each and every one of these fifty First Day Covers.

Regards,

A FAMILY OF THE FAMILIAR AND WIDE-SPREAD WHITE-TAIL DEER PAUSE FOR A DRINK AT WATER'S EDGE. A HANDSOME BUCK WITH HIS PROUD RACK OF POINTED ANTLERS, A DOE EVER ALERT IN HER PROTECTIVE MONTHERLI ROLE, AND TWO YOUNG, SPOTTED FAWNS ENJOYING THE COOL WATER. IN THE DISTANCE, A FOAMING WATERFALL FEEDS INTO THE LARGER STREAM.

TWO GIGANTIC, FURRY BROWN BEASTS OF THE FAR NORTH SEARCH FOR THEIR MORNING MEAL IN THE SWIFT CURRENTS OF A RUSHING ALASKAN RIVER. ONE OF THE BEARS HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND TRUDGES SHOREWARD WITH HIS FRESHLY CAUGHT SALMON. HIS COMPANION BEAR CONTINUES TO FISH IN THE ICY WATERS.

THE CURIOUS EASTERN CHIPMUNK SITS ON A BRANCH -- THE BEAUTIFUL MARKINGS ACUTELY VISIBLE IN THIS CLOSE-UP POSE. PUFFS OF MILKWEED FLOAT BY -- RELEASED BY A GENTLE BREEZE FROM THE MOTHER POD THAT "CHIPPIE" IS EXPLORING.

A TRIO OF MONARCH BUTTERFLIES GRACE A SPRING MEADOW COLORFULLY BROUGHT TO LIFE BY A CLUMP OF THISTLES. FIELDS AND FORESTS PROVIDE A PANORAMIC BACKDROP FOR THESE FRAGILE CREATURES WITH JEWEL-LIKE WINGS.

TWO YOUNG COTTONTAIL RABBITS CROUCH SIDE BY SIDE IN A BED OF NEW FALLEN SNOW. RED BERRIES AND EVERGREEN BRANCHES WITH FRESH, WHITE MANTLES PROVIDE A WONDERFUL SETTING FOR THESE TWO BUNNIES HUDDLED TOGETHER FOR WARMTH AND SECURITY.

IN A FLORIDA WILDERNESS, THE REGAL WHITE EGRET RISES IN FLIGHT AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF A MANGROVE SWAMP, SPANISH MOSS AND PALMETTO TREES. THE CONTRAST OF WHITE FEATHERS AGAINST THE TROPICAL GREEN IS BREATHTAKING.

REFLECTED PATCHES OF MOONLIGHT SPARKLE ON THE STILLNESS OF A LAKE'S MIRRORED SURFACE AS A RACCOON HUNTS HIS EVENING MEAL. THE FAMILIAR RING-TAIL AND BLACK MASK COMBINE TO MAKE THIS ANIMAL ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST LOVED SPECIES OF WILDLIFE. THE TWILIGHT SHADES OF BLUE MAKE THIS PORTRAYAL SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL.

DARK STORM CLOUDS GATHER IN FURY OVER THE PRAIRIE AS MIGHTY BUFFALO GRAZE ON THE GRASSLANDS. BOLTS OF LIGHTNING STREAK EARTHWARD AS THE STORM APPROACHES. A CACHET OF CONTRASTED STRENGTHS -- THE MIGHTY BISON ABOUT TO BE ENGULFED IN A POWERFUL DISPLAY OF THE ELEMENTS. IF THIS SET IS A COLLECTOR'S TREASURE CHEST, THIS COVER IS ONE OF THE FEATURED GEMS.

HIGH IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, A MOUNTAIN LION SUNS ITSELF ON A SUMMIT'S LEDGE. IT IS THE UNDISPUTED KING OF THE HIGH COUNTRY. POWERFUL. CUNNING. DEADLY. BY ANY OF ITS OTHER NAMES -- COUGAR PANTHER, PUMA -- THE MOUNTAIN LION IS A TRUE SYMBOL OF WILDLIFE IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS HAND-PAINTED CACHET OF OUR LARGEST NATIVE CAT WILL RIVET YOUR ATTENTION.

A UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL VIEW OF THE PLAYFUL RIVER OTTER IS PRESENTED AS WE SEE THIS CURIOUS CREATURE FROM AN UNDERWATER PERSPECTIVE. YOU ARE BELOW THE SURFACE WITH THE FISH AND PLANTLIFE AS YOU WATCH THE OTTER CATCH HIS DINNER. HIS MENU CHOICE I WILL LEAVE AS A SURPRISE.

A BEAVER POND AT WORK IS ONE OF NATURE'S MOST PICTURESQUE GIFTS. IN THE FOREGROUND, A PRIME RESIDENT GNAWS HIS WAY THROUGH A LARGE ASPEN TREE. A DAM HAS FLOODED A STREAM CREATING THE POND AND A PROMINENT LODGE HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED. SERENE AND PEACEFUL -- A TRANQUIL INTRUSION INTO A BEAVER'S HABITAT.

THE SET COULD NOT REACH ITS TRUE POTENTIAL WITHOUT A DRAMATIC PRESENTATION OF THE BALD EAGLE. THE COLLINS EAGLE SOARS IN FULL FLIGHT ABOVE THE FORESTS, AMONG THE MOUNTAIN PEAKS AND AT THE CLOUD-FILLED ENTRANCE TO THE HEIGHTS OF THE HEAVENS. THE COLLINS WILDLIFE SET COULD START AND FINISH WITH THIS AWESOME AND INSPIRING CACHET. AT ONCE BOTH SIMPLE AND COMPLEX -- THE SIMPLE GRANDEUR OF A LONE EAGLE HIGH ON THE WING ABOVE AN UNSPOILED WILDERNESS AND COMPLEX IF ONE WISHES TO VIEW THIS SIGHT AS A SYMBOL OF ALL OF THIS COUNTRY'S NATURAL TREASURES -- ITS WILDLIFE AND THEIR HABITATS.

Above, I've only given you a brief verbal glimpse of a dozen of the hand-painted cachets in this set. 12 of 50. Only a taste. I did not tell you of the Flying V of Canadian geese; or, of the huge bull moose; or, of the handsome bobwhites; or, of the pronghorn antelopes at dawn; or, of the exciting mountain goat clinging to a snowy mountain slope; or, of the prowling bobcat; or, of the mother black bear with cubs; or, of the flame-red fox set against a brilliant blue sky; or, of the thirty (yes, 30) other wild creatures not even mentioned on these pages.

For a monthly payment of $11.50 you can enjoy building this COLLINS Wildlife collection as you will receive new covers in the set with each and every shipment you receive from me. Time is short -- your deposit must be postmarked by this coming Tuesday, June 9th. Please see the enclosed letter for details, and I hope you will be among the collectors who acquire this set. All fifty are winners.