W1201s

Ratification of the Constitution

New Jersey

Fred Collins Signature

Collins Cover Announcement 

NEW JERSEY STATEHOOD

The hand-painted cachet illustrates many things associated with the Garden State of New Jersey. For starters, there is a large basket-type cornucopia spilling forth its bounty of harvested vegetables -- Jersey tomatoes and Jersey sweet corn; lettuce; beets; carrots; peppers; cucumbers; and, squash. A very colorful array of good food from Mother Early. The wildlife species chosen for New Jersey is one that abounds throughout the state -­the breath-taking white-tailed deer. A regal buck with proud antlers is shown on the cover. Two very important inventions first used here are shown -- Samuel Morse's telegraph key and Thomas Edison's electric bulb. Higher education has its mention with Ivy League Princeton being represented. Not to be forgotten is the fall pageant in Atlantic City -- the crowning of Miss America. New Jersey has rightfully been called the cross-roads of the American Revolution and representing this era -- Molly Pitcher mans the cannon of her fallen husband in the Battle of Monmouth.

The cover has two stamps -- one canceled at the official city of Trenton, New Jersy and the other at the B. Free Franklin Colonial Post Office in the unofficial city of Philadelphia -- home of the Continental Congress. Item #W1201. $7.75

Summer 2020 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 9 W1201 — New Jersey — Bicentennial of Statehood 9-11-87

This bold and lovely cover continues my series of first day covers for the Statehood Bicentennials for each of the original thirteen colonies. I traveled to Trenton to obtain a first day of issue bullseye cancel. It was there that after George Washington crossed the Delaware River his army defeated the British and Hessians. This victory was followed by one at Princeton, and the tide of war began to change. Then it was off to Philadelphia to obtain the pictorial day of issue postmark done in colonial format at the historic B. Free Franklin Post Office. The hand painted cachet shows Molly Pitcher at the Battle of Monmouth, Edison's electric light bulb, a beautiful white-tail buck, a contestant in the Miss America Pageant, a Princeton University pennant, and a cornucopia of fresh vegetables from the "Garden State." This is a bold and attractive Collins honoring my home state.