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Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
1938 National Air Mail Week U.S. Commemorative Cover
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum

1938 National Air Mail Week U.S. Commemorative Cover

Object numberMO 1949.129.1.47
Name Cover, Commemorative
Maker
Date1938
Mediumpaper, ink
Dimensionsoverall H 3 5/8 in x W 6 1/2 in (9.2 cm x 16.5 cm )
DescriptionA stamp cover commemorating National Air Mail Week in 1938. On the left side of the white air mail envelope is a stamped purple ink cachet consisting of a circle in which is an illustration of a miner standing on railroad tracks which lead to the entrance of a mine shaft behind him. Text encircling the illustration reads: NATIONAL AIR MAIL WEEK / MAY 15th TO 21st. 1938. / ★ BOROUGH OF ASHLAND PENNA. ★ / INCORPORATED 1857. Below the cachet is the original ink signature of the Ashland postmaster: John C. Colahan, / Postmaster.

The envelope is addressed to (handwritten in ink): His Excellency, / President Roosevelt, / Washington, / D.C. In the upper right corner of the envelope is an adhered US. green 1¢ Benjamin Franklin postage stamp and a preprinted U.S. blue 5¢ Air Mail postage stamp (Scott UC2). The envelope is postmarked Ashland, Pennsylvania, May 15, 1938.
Label TextFranklin Roosevelt was an avid, lifelong stamp collector who gathered over 1.2 million stamps into his personal collection during the course of his life. He began collecting stamps at the age of eight at the suggestion of his mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt, who passed on her collection to him.

After FDR's death, his personal stamp collection, including this stamp cover, was sold at public auction in 1946 in accordance with his wishes.
Additional Details
Custodial History NoteLent to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum by Charles M. Abbott in 1949. It was donated as a bequest of Abbott to the Library in 1952.
Credit LineGift of Charles M. Abbott
National Archives Catalog CollectionFranklin D. Roosevelt Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 735948)
National Archives Catalog SeriesStamp Collecting Materials (National Archives Identifier 749938)
Use Restriction StatusUnrestrictedCopyrightReproduction or other use of these holdings or images thereof is unrestricted.
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Non exposé