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Post by stamphinger on Jul 9, 2019 2:47:36 GMT
With a few exceptions, I don't collect first-day covers. In recent years, however, one of those exceptions is commercial use of first-day covers. The very first of these that I remember acquiring was back in 1967 when the centennial of Nebraska statehood stamp, Sc. 1328, was issued. The Northwestern Bell Telephone Company, used the occasion to send its monthly billing in an envelope canceled on the first-day of issue of Sc. 1328. I was living in Omaha, Nebraska, at the time and a Northwester Bell customer, so I received my monthly billing in one of these covers. I kept the cover for many years, then lost it somewhere and did not think much about it until a couple of years ago when I saw the cover below listed on eBay. I bought it and have been acquiring commercial first-days since then. One of the draw-backs of collecting these covers is that most are on #10 envelopes. Many collectors don't like the larger envelope and avoid them, but that does make them a little less expensive to acquire. I'll be posting some of the commercial usages I have collected. If others have any, please post them. I would like to see them. StampHinger Don  |
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tomiseksj
Moderator 
Woodbridge, Virginia, USA
Posts: 6,263 
What I collect: Worldwide stamps/covers, Cinderellas, Ohio Prepaid Sales Tax Receipts, U.S. WWII Ration ephemera
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Post by tomiseksj on Jul 9, 2019 3:04:43 GMT
From my ever-growing Iwo Jima stamp FDC collection, a House of Farnam-cacheted cover imprinted by the Phoenix-Connecticut group of Fire Insurance Companies (Mellone 929-51). The card shown below was enclosed in the cover.   |
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tomiseksj
Moderator
Woodbridge, Virginia, USA
Posts: 6,263
What I collect: Worldwide stamps/covers, Cinderellas, Ohio Prepaid Sales Tax Receipts, U.S. WWII Ration ephemera
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Post by tomiseksj on Jul 9, 2019 13:55:43 GMT
This First Day Cover, with its Art Craft cachet and 3 cent rose lake, perf. 11x10.5, School Teachers issue stamp (Scott 1093; July 1, 1957), marking the centennial of the National Education Association appears undeniably "philatelic."  However, the commercial nature of the cover becomes clear upon examining its letter content -- a marketing letter from Augusta, Georgia's WRDW Radio/TV promoting the virtue of advertising on its stations.  |
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Post by stamphinger on Jul 11, 2019 1:36:27 GMT
As my interest in commercial usage of first-day covers developed I discovered the offerings of the Texas Refinery Corporation (TRC). A query on another forum turned up information that this company prepared around 40 first days of commemorative issues between 1960 and 1965. The same query indicated that the person most likely behind these covers was Ed Richardson, a Texas collector and treasurer of the Texas Refinery Corporation. All of the TRC covers are colorful and they tend to urge the company's salesmen on to greater sales. In the mid-60s, the covers began featuring the company's top sales people on the cover along with comments about he subject of the stamp. My favorites are those that depict the ghostly sales manager Percy. Percy is front and center on the cover below, my earliest to date. The stamp, Sc. 1157, on this cover commemorates Mexico's independence from Spain and was a joint issue with Mexico's Sc. 910. The TRC used field salesmen to market its products, primarily lubricants and other petroleum-related products. This cover contained a letter (below) from the company's ghostly, fictional sales manager Percy to the sales staff urging them on to higher sales. The cover also has a colorful printing on its reverse continuing the Mexican theme of the front. I don't know if this is the earliest TRC first-day cover, but if so, it is certainly an eye-catching start to the series. StampHinger Don The front of the cover  The reverse of the cover  The letter  |
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Post by stamphinger on Jul 17, 2019 22:12:38 GMT
Here is a second Texas Refinery Corp., first-day cover for the Camp Fire Girls stamp, Sc. 1167. Unfortunately, there was no letter with this one and we may never know what Percy's important question was. Don StampHinger  |
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Post by stamphinger on Jul 27, 2019 16:57:40 GMT
As a boy at home in Iowa, I remember that my mother was a avid magazine reader and there were always an abundance of them available. Look, the mailer of this first-day cover was one of them. For those who don't remember it, Look was one of the photo-story magazines that rose to popularity in the late 1930s. It was a creditable rival to Life magazine. Look generally featured more photographs than Life. Look was published in Des Moines, Iowa, and always closely associated with the Des Moines Register and Tribune, daily Des Moines newspapers owned by the Cowles Media Company. The magazine began publication in 1937 and ceased publishing in 1971. This cover is destined for my Iowa covers collection. Don StampHinger  |
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anglobob
Member 
Posts: 2,425
What I collect: France and French Colonies,French cinderellas British Commonwealth QE2
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Post by anglobob on Jul 27, 2019 18:38:22 GMT
Don....interesting info on the TRC covers and the use of the older and more typically English name of Percy.
My Dad used to tell stories when I was younger and he always used the name of Percy to create a fictional character.
Bob
PS I wanted to name my first boy Basil Percy....but my wife objected....
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brightonpete
Departed
Rest in Peace
On a hike at Goodrich-Loomis
Posts: 5,110
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Post by brightonpete on Jul 27, 2019 19:20:40 GMT
The one Percy that I remember was a CBC TV show with "Percy the Pea." Unfortunately, I remember very little of the show. It is from the mid 60's IIRC. I laughed so hard at him. I have tried to find info on the show since, but have failed. Maybe I try again now...
Percy the Pea must have been a part of some other show. I wish I could find something about it. Although almost 60 year later, I'd probably wonder what I thought was so funny about it!
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hrdoktorx
Member
Posts: 6,588
What I collect: France (and French territories), Africa, Canada, USA, Germany, Guatemala, stamps about science, flags, maps, stamps on stamps...
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Post by hrdoktorx on Jul 28, 2019 6:53:51 GMT
When my late grandfather, a stamp collector himself, had his private medical practice in Montreal, in the late 1960's and early 1970's, he often received FDCs mailed to him from a pharmaceutical company which contained advertisements for their products. I inherited his collection and still have these FDCs and have shown a few in the past. The pharmaceutical company continued when my mother got her medical degree. Here is an example of an unopened envelope she received, in which I can feel the advertising leaflet is present. My grandfather used to open these FDCs, but she usually didn't. Front:  Back:  |
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Post by stamphinger on Jul 28, 2019 12:24:41 GMT
Hi Bob:
Yes, that is interesting. A diminutive of Percival, I suppose. Not a popular name in the U.S. I don't remember ever knowing someone named Percival or Percy. I do like the TRC's ghostly sales manager, though. It fits him well.
Don
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Post by stamphinger on Jul 28, 2019 12:29:52 GMT
Hi hrdoktorx:
Every once in awhile something worth keeping shows up in the mail unsolicited. I hope you will show some more of those FDCs.
Don StampHinger.
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hrdoktorx
Member
Posts: 6,588
What I collect: France (and French territories), Africa, Canada, USA, Germany, Guatemala, stamps about science, flags, maps, stamps on stamps...
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Post by hrdoktorx on Jul 29, 2019 20:10:28 GMT
Well, since stamphinger asked, here's another pharmaceutical advertising Canadian FDCs, here thematically matching the stamp celebrating 50 years of insulin :  |
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hrdoktorx
Member
Posts: 6,588
What I collect: France (and French territories), Africa, Canada, USA, Germany, Guatemala, stamps about science, flags, maps, stamps on stamps...
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Post by hrdoktorx on Jul 31, 2019 20:42:06 GMT
Another (older) example of a pharmaceutical advertising FDC:  |
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hrdoktorx
Member
Posts: 6,588
What I collect: France (and French territories), Africa, Canada, USA, Germany, Guatemala, stamps about science, flags, maps, stamps on stamps...
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Post by hrdoktorx on Aug 2, 2019 5:23:15 GMT
Another pharmaceutical advertising FDC:  |
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Post by stamphinger on Aug 2, 2019 11:38:24 GMT
I have wondered who in a company that does commercial FDCs is responsible for cachets, stamp purchase, printing of envelops, getting franked covers to the first day post offices, etc? Since most people these days know little about stamp collecting, FDCs, stamp issue dates, how to get first-day cancels, it would seem that the company would have to employ a collector or possibly find one on staff to get a commercial first day cover out to its mailing list. Just being aware of upcoming stamp issue dates requires some specialized knowledge.
Since commercial first days are basically a marketing technique, was, or is, it possible, that there was an outside company, a cachet designer/printer or first-day cover servicing company, that specialized in first day covers did all of the work for the company that mailed a commercial first day cover? Does anyone know or have any insight about how commercial first days come to be? An inside job, or an outside service function?
Don StampHinger
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hrdoktorx
Member
Posts: 6,588
What I collect: France (and French territories), Africa, Canada, USA, Germany, Guatemala, stamps about science, flags, maps, stamps on stamps...
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Post by hrdoktorx on Aug 4, 2019 6:45:53 GMT
Another advertising FDC example:  |
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hrdoktorx
Member
Posts: 6,588
What I collect: France (and French territories), Africa, Canada, USA, Germany, Guatemala, stamps about science, flags, maps, stamps on stamps...
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Post by hrdoktorx on Aug 5, 2019 20:11:43 GMT
Yet another example of a pharmaceutical advertising commercial FDC:  |
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Post by stamphinger on Aug 15, 2019 12:02:06 GMT
A commercial usage first-day cover from the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company to what appears to be a trade school. I can't image what the connection between Firestone and this school would have been, I wish the contents were with the cover. Blairstown, Iowa, is not very large, only 700 souls at the 2010 census. I could find no evidence that the construction school is still in existence. Don StampHinger  |
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Post by stamphinger on Sept 10, 2019 12:57:00 GMT
I continue to acquire commercial usage first-day covers from the Texas Refinery Corporation when reasonably priced. Here is a recent acquisition commemorating the American Music stamp, Sc. 1252, issued October 15, 1964. Most of the Texas Refinery covers were not posted airmail and this one is unusual for that reason, and, also, as it is substantially overpaid at 15 cents. Eight cents was the airmail rate in 1963. The music theme is continued on the reverse and the cover came with an insert admonishing recipients to not remove the stamps. Don StampHinger
The cover
The reverse
The insert  |
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Post by stamphinger on Sept 19, 2019 18:20:34 GMT
My latest Texas Refinery Corp., first-day cover. This one is slightly different in that it is less colorful than others and includes Percy in a less prominent way, but still introducing the first-day of issue while complimenting eight of the company;s outstanding salesmen.
Don StampHinger  |
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gatodiablo
Member
Posts: 425
What I collect: Places I've been, and places I want to go.
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Post by gatodiablo on Sept 24, 2019 0:38:53 GMT
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gatodiablo
Member
Posts: 425
What I collect: Places I've been, and places I want to go.
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Post by gatodiablo on Sept 24, 2019 0:47:08 GMT
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Post by stamphinger on Oct 8, 2019 19:51:05 GMT
This cover is a recent acquisition. I have seen these Campbell Soup covers before, but I don't remember one being a first-day cover too. I've always wanted a cover that used the 1948 chicken stamp as postage. The first-day status on this one is a bonus. My only question about this cover is why was it sent to the company's general sales office address instead of to a specific person? A downside for some collectors is the #10 envelope. That doesn't keep me from collecting them, however.
Don StampHinger
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Post by rjan55 on Oct 8, 2019 20:17:22 GMT
The Campbell's cover would have appealed a bit more with chicken soup advertisement to match the Poultry Industry stamp.
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de61
Member
Posts: 262
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Post by de61 on Mar 20, 2020 18:07:38 GMT
From 1930, a first day cover for the C12 Airmail issue advertising W. W. Betts' Postage Stamps. This was apparently a philatelic magazine, but I have never seen an issue.  |
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de61
Member
Posts: 262
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Post by de61 on Mar 20, 2020 18:11:28 GMT
From Time magazine, an FDC for the #772 1935 Connecticut Tercentenary issue. It, unfortunately, did not come with the contents.  |
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de61
Member
Posts: 262
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Post by de61 on Mar 20, 2020 18:16:43 GMT
From 1936, an FDC for the #782 Arkansas Centennial issue. It was sent by Henry P. Latham, an insurance agent for the Aetna Fire Group. As is apparent, the person receiving the FDC did not heed the instructions, as it is opened at the top and not at the left side.  |
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de61
Member
Posts: 262
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Post by de61 on Mar 20, 2020 18:21:33 GMT
A colorful FDC for the #802 Virgin Islands territorial issue from 1937. I have included both types. The first shows the format that allows advertisers to include a message - in this case, A. H. Riise, a rum distiller. The second type shows the general format for FDC collectors.  |
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de61
Member
Posts: 262
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Post by de61 on Mar 20, 2020 18:30:21 GMT
An FDC from 1944 commemorating the 125th Anniversary of the sailing of the Steamship "Savannah." The FDC was issued by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to promote National Foreign Trade Week.   |
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de61
Member
Posts: 262
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Post by de61 on Mar 20, 2020 18:37:24 GMT
Another colorful FDC, this one for the #1153 50-Star Flag commemorating the addition of Hawaii as a state. It also shows the progression of the flag changes between 1957 and 1960. Unfortunately, the original sender wrote on the back. I am guessing the cover was produced by a travel and tourism agency.   |
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