Postmark Calendar

December 1, 1962 ....

and a four bar duplex cancel (Type 4B - 20mm) is applied to a US Christmas Stamp on this cover from Saint Augustine, Illinois. Unlike its more well-known namesake in Florida, Saint Augustine, Illinois is a small village ... the population in 1960 was ~200.

I slightly enhanced the colour of this item so it is easier to see that it did once have a mailing label.

Notwithstanding the 'FDC' cachet from ArtCraft ... this is clearly a repurposed envelope. The Mannerheim cachet was sold for use with the 1960 Mannerheim stamps (Sc. 1165 and 1166 - part of the Champions of Liberty Series). I'm assuming these were remaindered or overstock items from 1960 used by the sender in 1962. Why? 

To collect 'Saint' postmarks ... I've attached several other examples of old cachets from 1962. In each case the address label was removed (I assume this was the collector's address) and an old out-of-date cachet was used. All of them have cancels from somewhere in the US with the word 'Saint'. Found all of these is an old fifty-cent box from a local dealer. I can only assume there are more ... somewhere. 

Stamp:
US Christmas Issue
Wreath and Candles
Issued on November 1, 1962
4c, Green and Red
Sc. 1205