W1501

Settling of Oklahoma

First Land Run 1889

Collins Cover Announcement 

SETTLING OF OKLAHOMA

This is an interesting item for your collection featuring several positive aspects. For starters, it is a postcard with a hand-painted cachet and there aren't many of those around. Also, it has an unofficial cancel from a pioneer jumping off point and like handpainted cachets, unofficials on postcards are as scarce as hen's teeth.

1889 was the first land run to settle the Oklahoma Territory. The stamp shows wagons and mounted riders galloping straight toward the viewer. The hand-painted cachet is a sweeping view of the start of the rush as covered wagons and horsemen stampede to stake out their land claims in the new territory. It really captures the essence of this period in our history.

Of further note, the Postal Service has just announced the release of a 1993 stamp to commemorate the Centennial for the famous Cherokee Strip Land Rush. In that one, about 100,000 settlers partook in a gigantic land run to settle northern Oklahoma. This cover will be an excellent companion piece to that forthcoming COLLINS cover.

This FDC depicts an exciting time as our country pushed westward. An action-packed cachet and stamp. A meaningful Purcell, Oklahoma postmark actually obtained on the Day of Issue via a trip to the Sooner State. A nice addition to your collection. Item #W1501. $7.25.