A1401

Great Americans

William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody - Soldier, Bison Hunter, and Showman

Collins Cover Announcement 

BUFFALO BILL CODY

Famous American Series

Your collection will welcome this UNIQUE and EXCITING hand-painted First Day Cover. Once again, I am proud to offer a collectible that I believe will be judged to be the "best of issue" for any produced.

The three cancels on each of the covers provide the ultimate in combining two unofficial and one official First Day postmarks. A pair of the 15-cent stamps is canceled at Buffalo, Wyoming. An adjacent pair is canceled at Bill, Wyoming. And, a third adjacent pair is canceled at the official city of Cody, Wyoming. As you read the triple cancels across the top of the envelope from left to right (all of excellent quality), they read the name of that American legend -- Buffalo Bill Cody. Truly one of the finest cancel combinations to ever be obtained for any First Day Cover,

and I thank Utah collector Jim Jones for making me aware of the Bill, Wyoming Post Office.

The top third of the cover is devoted to the six stamps (three pairs) and the triple city (Buffalo Bill Cody) First Day postmarks. The bottom two-thirds of the cover is devoted to the dandy handpainted cachet. And what a fine western theme cachet it is.

Bill Cody was a Pony Express rider at the age of 15. The brave and gallant lads who moved the nail from St_ Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento and San Francisco, California captured the imagination of the nation then and have held an esteemed place in U.S. history ever since. It is upon the "Pony Express" theme that this COLLINS cachet is based.

The route itself is shown stretching from St. Joe to Sacramento.

Along the route, the mail pouch was passed along at such places as Chimney Rock, Fort Bridger and Carson City. Pictured in the cachet are western illustrations of the period -- a Sioux war chief, a colt revolver, a buffalo, an express rider and other Pony Express memorabilia. You'll enjoy looking at this colorful and historic rendition of young Bill Cody's wild west.

And, finally, let me tell you of the "final touch" that makes this cover a real beauty. You may have seen in philatelic publications the attractive Pony Express cancel with galloping horse that was applied to letters that were carried. Well I thought it would be most appropriate to have a reproduction stamp (with First Day June sixth date) on this COLLINS cover. And, so it is. A very attractive rubber stamp Pony Express cancel that ties the Cody pair of stamps and also extends into a spot left for it in the cachet. As such, it provides an unusual visual and physical connection of First Day stamps to the Pony Express theme cachet -- you will love it! The realistic flavor that it bestows on this outstanding FDC is something you must see for yourself.

Respectfully I urge you not to miss adding this milestone COLLINS cover to your holdings. It has the fabulous triple (two unofficials and one official) Wyoming cancels of Buffalo Bill and Cody. It has the hand-painted cachet that takes you back to the era of the Pony Express. It has the Pony Express oval rubber stamp that ties a pair of the Buffalo Bill stamps to the cover and really looks terrific. This is a fine First Day Cover. Item #A1401 - $8.50.