L1401s

Ratification of the Constitution

New York

Fred Collins Signature

Collins Cover Announcement 

NEW YORK STATEHOOD

This cover represents the eleventh and final stamp issued to date in the thirteen stamp set. North Carolina will be issued in mid-1989, and Rhode Island will be the thirteenth and final issue in 1990.

The New York COLLINS is a wonderful representation of the Empire State. Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees, bat on shoulder, looks determined to step up to the plate for just one more swing. The Statue of Liberty, proud lady of New York Harbor, lifts her torch skyward. A West Point cadet stands at attention straight as an arrow and on the opposite side of the cachet of the Annapolis Midshipman shown on the Maryland cover. If you have ever visited Niagara Falls, you can recall the thunder of the plummeting water -- the falls are portrayed as is Fort Ticonderoga which played such an important part in our nation's early history. A bobcat, silent stalker of the Adirondack and Catskill Mountains perches on a rocky crag, ready to pounce on unsuspecting prey. And, finally, doesn't everyone remember the legend of those same Catskill Mountains where Rip Van Winkle wandered away to sleep soundly for twenty years to awake a bearded old man? Rip stretches out under a tree in this New York State hand-painted cachet, the bowling pins of his extraordinary fantasy scattered in the mountain meadow beyond. The border and letters are painted in a rich, dark blue.

These COLLINS FDCs for the Bicentennial birthdays of the original thirteen states were specifically designed to accommodate both the appropriate official State cancel (Albany, New York, for this one) and the Philadelphia Ben Franklin Philatelic postmark. I chose Philadelphia because it was in that very city that each of the thirteen states formed their union, one by one. I also chose the B. Free Franklin Colonial postmark because the format serves as a link from yesteryear to today. For each of the Statehood stamps, this meant being at the official city in the morning and making it to the Philadelphia Post Office in the afternoon. Pressure! Not always easy, but on the first eleven I'm happy to report "mission accomplished" with North Carolina (1989) and Rhode Island (1990) yet to go. 

It was lots of fun to work out the format of two cancels, framed cachet and hand-painted lettering. It was interesting to decide what to include in each State's cachet. It was challenging to choose balanced and contrasting color combinations for the set. But, most of all, it was, and is, gratifying for me to be able to offer this set of Bicentennial Statehoods to you for your collection. There is no other set by any cachetmaker that can compare. Getting to Philadelphia on each issue date. Two stamps having both official and unofficial cancels. Hand-painted lettering. Custom Statehood hand-painted cachets giving each cover an identity of its own while, at the same time, achieving a design coordination that clearly makes each one an important part of the set. Part of the union of thirteen colonies into a single nation. New York. Item #L1401. $7.75

Summer 2025 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 17 L1401 — Bicentennial of New York Statehood — 7/26/88

This cover was the eleventh of thirteen Bicentennial of Statehood stamps that were issued from 1987 through 1990. The New York State cover is a wonderful representation of the Empire State. Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees with bat on his shoulder looks determined to step up to the plate for just one more swing. The Statue of Liberty, proud lady of New York Harbor, lifts her torch skyward. A West Point cadet stands at attention straight as an arrow. Also pictured are Niagara Falls, Fort Ticonderoga, a bobcat (silent stalker of the Adirondack Mountains), and finally Rip Van Winkle from the Catskill Mountains' legend stretching out under a tree alongside the bowling pins of his extraordinary fantasy scattered in the mountain meadow beyond. As occurs on the other Bicentennial of Statehood covers, the official State capital stamp (Albany on this one) is canceled on the first day along with the Philadelphia B. Free Franklin philatelic postmark which was chosen by me for all thirteen of the states because it was in that very city that each of the thirteen states formed their union, one by one.