First-day cover classics, more in June 25 Kelleher auction

By Michael Baadke

The material offered in the June 25 public auction from Daniel F. Kelleher, advertised as the MLG collection, includes many United States first-day covers and pre-first-day covers (those postmarked prior to the announced issue date), plus flight covers, exposition covers and much more.

Nearly 200 lots of material from the 1904 Louisiana Purchase/St. Louis World Exposition are among the items on offer. Some 80 lots at the end of the sale comprise exhibition special printings for the U.S. possessions of Cuba, Guam, the Philippines and Puerto Rico from 1899 to 1907.

One highlight from the 1898 Trans-Mississippi issue is a first-day cover franked with one each of the 1¢ through 10¢ Trans-Mississippi stamps (Scott 285-290).

The cover was sent by registered mail from Washington, D.C., to Germany. Along with the Washington double oval cancels on each stamp, a violet registered marking on the front is dated June 17, 1898 (the issue date for the Trans-Mississippi set).

A New York Exchange Office registration label is affixed at lower right.

Kelleher reports that the cover is backstamped New York on June 18, and Metz (Germany) on June 26.

The 2019 Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers values an FDC with Scott 285-290 all on one cover at $75,000.

Kelleher has estimated this example at $40,000 to $60,000.

Kelleher describes it as “A unique first day cover and one of the most important of all recorded commemorative first day covers.”

Another registered FDC in this auction is from the same set, mailed to India, and franked with one each of the 1¢ and 4¢ stamps, and two each of the 2¢ and 5¢ stamps.

Information about the upcoming auction can be found at www.kelleherauctions.com, or contact Daniel F. Kelleher Auctions, 22 Shelter Rock Lane, Unit 53, Danbury, CT 06810.

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