First Day Cover for Sidney Lanier Stamp

Shown here is a first day cover for the 1972 stamp commemorating Georgia poet Sidney Lanier. When the Postal Service releases a new stamp, typically it is available on the day of release only in one selected city that has a tie to the stamp. Additionally, a special cancellation is available at the site of first day ceremonies to authenticate that the stamp was purchased and postmarked on the day of release. A third component of most first day covers is a cachet (ka-shay) -- or design related to the stamp -- prepared and sold by commercial firms. Vendors often have cacheted covers for sale at the site of a stamp's release so collectors can apply the stamp and then have a cancellation applied, thus producing a first day cover. The engraved envelope shown above was one of several available for creating Sidney Lanier first day covers.

(c) Carl Vinson Institute of Government, The University of Georgia

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