Event covers are a type of stamp covers (decorated, stamped and canceled commemorative

envelopes An envelope is a common packaging item, usually made of thin, flat material. It is designed to contain a flat object, such as a letter or card. Traditional envelopes are made from sheets of paper cut to one of three shapes: a rhombus, a sh ...

) that are created to celebrate an event or note an

anniversary An anniversary is the date on which an event took place or an institution was founded in a previous year, and may also refer to the commemoration or celebration of that event. The word was first used for Catholic feasts to commemorate saints ...

. A design (called a "

cachet In philately, a cachet is a printed or stamped design or inscription, other than a cancellation or pre-printed postage, on an envelope, postcard, or postal card to commemorate a postal or philatelic event. There are both official and private ( ...

") is generally placed on the left side of the envelope (although there are also "all over" cachets). It explains what is being commemorated on what date, and generally also includes an illustration page. Ideally, the stamps used relate to the celebration (for instance, space stamps for a shuttle launch). Cancels can often be obtained in the city of the event (such as Kitty Hawk for the Wright Brothers first flight anniversary). In the United States, larger quantities can be obtained from a special cancellation unit maintained by the Postal Service in

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...

. If a special cancellation (one with a design) has been created for a particular event, the cancel can generally only be received from the local post office involved in the event. A good example of a special Event cover was one by the Isle of Man Philatelic Bureau that was issued in 1985 to mark the anniversary of the aircraft Douglas

DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company, which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and World War II. It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper version ...

, which was of interest, not only because of the high volume of air mail handled by Dakotas at that time, but also the link between the names of Douglas, Isle of Man, and Dakota - Douglas DC3. A 26p stamp was specially issued by the Isle of Man and a special handstamp was also created for these covers,Top-flight honour for schoolboy - Front Page - Lincolnshire Standard - 13 December 1985 which was deliberately created with a Dakota flying "free" and not boxed in.Special Dakota Cover Inside Information Card - Isle of Man Philatelic Bureau - 17 December 1985 The envelope was also officially acknowledged by the

McDonnell Douglas McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturing corporation and defense contractor, formed by the merger of McDonnell Aircraft and the Douglas Aircraft Company in 1967. Between then and its own merger with Boeing in 1997, it produ ...

company and bore their official DC3 logo in the bottom right of the Envelope. The earliest recognized event covers were

presidential inauguration A presidential inauguration is a ceremonial event centered on the formal transition of a new president into office, usually in democracies where this official has been elected. Frequently, this involves the swearing of an oath of office. Examples o ...

covers, which were first created in the early part of the 20th century. Event cover creation and collecting is considered part of the first day cover hobby, which creates decorated covers to commemorate the issuance of stamps. (The stamp hobby calls envelopes "covers" because letters were originally simply wrapped in a blank piece of paper or "cover".) Event covers can include mail that was aboard aircraft that flew the mail between two points, usually large cities, for the first time, however these covers are usually referred to as

First flight cover In aerophilately, a branch of philately, a first flight cover, also known by the acronym FFC, is mail that has been carried on an Maiden flight, inaugural flight of an airline, route, or aircraft, normally postmarked with the date of the flight of ...

s by collectors.

References

{{Reflist Postal markings Philatelic terminology

See also

References