A1401s

Great Americans

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

Fred Collins Signature

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. 

Summer 2020 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 12 A1401 — Buffalo Bill Cody — Triple First Day postmarks 6-6-88

This is one of my personal favorites and has been sold out for a very long time. My friends Maureen and Skip did this trip for me, and June 6, 1988 was a Wyoming marathon for them. They were at the Cody Post Office when it opened to get the new stamps. Immediately they affixed pairs to the upper right and obtained the bullseye first day of issue. With that pair completed, they headed out for Buffalo, Wyoming, with one affixing pairs to the upper left while the other drove. That pair got the large bullseye with killer bars from Buffalo, and they were on the road again. With Skip driving, they headed to a remote crossroads in the middle of nowhere — Bill, Wyoming. There was only one building at this intersection, and it housed a general store, single pump gas station, and a U.S. Post Office. After obtaining the day of issue postmark on a third and final pair, the cancels read from left to right "Buffalo Bill Cody." It was a major philatelic feat and was a Collins exclusive. The bottom of the cover has my hand painted cachet. 

Bill Cody was a Pony Express rider at age 15. The mail route ran from St. Joseph to Sacramento. Western images include a bison, Indian chief, Colt 45 pistol, and Express rider. A final touch is my replication of the actual Pony Express cancel used on the mail they carried, and it ties the Cody pair to the envelope. As you can see, I went all out to create this gem. Bill, Wyoming no longer exists, but these covers will keep its memory alive. When they were done, Maureen and Skip bought a few supplies in the general store. They filled up at the lone pump out front. They thanked the postmaster for his help, and he thanked them for their company. Saying good-bye to the only resident of Bill, they exited the only building. It didn't take them long to get out of town.