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1976 Bicentennial Stamps : Stamped at State Capital First Day issued w/ Governors Autograph

Big_Tex_19Big_Tex_19 Posts: 7 ✭
in Stamps Forum

I have recently purchased a set of every States Bicentennial Stamp in 1976 on envelopes, stamped from the States Capital on the first day it was issued and also autographed by the Governor of the state at the time of the stamp. Can someone let me know approximately what the value on this might be? I am not in the stamp collecting business but thought I bought at a great price and wanting to sell in order to purchase baseball cards/memorabilia. Thanks in advance!

Comments

  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,371 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It sounds like a commercially produced set. I doubt if the signatures are real. I don't follow this type of material but suspect it has very little appeal in today's stamp market and very little value. Modern stamp items don't have much of a following these days. The remaining collectors tend to want the classics.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • Big_Tex_19Big_Tex_19 Posts: 7 ✭

    I am very certain that this is not a commercially produced set and I can assure you the signatures are authentic. This is some pictures of what I got.





  • ernie11ernie11 Posts: 1,949 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I can't answer your question, but this is impressive!

  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,371 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It is an interesting item. It is unfortunate the cachets on the covers are a very common type (and all the same). Value is speculative. It is probably an item for a stamp auction. Let the market decide what it is worth.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,371 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thinking more about it, I think an autograph auction would be a better venue than a stamp auction.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • ernie11ernie11 Posts: 1,949 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @291fifth said:
    Thinking more about it, I think an autograph auction would be a better venue than a stamp auction.

    Agreed. The real interest here would be in the autographs, not the covers.

  • Big_Tex_19Big_Tex_19 Posts: 7 ✭

    Thank you all for your guidance. Outside of eBay, is there a place online that would hit a large majority collectors in this type of stamps and autos?

  • ernie11ernie11 Posts: 1,949 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 21, 2019 2:12AM

    @Big_Tex_19 said:
    Thank you all for your guidance. Outside of eBay, is there a place online that would hit a large majority collectors in this type of stamps and autos?

    I don't know of any, but you might go to this website and ask the owner. This is not up Tom's alley, but he might be knowledgeable enough to point you to someone else who would be interested.

    https://goldenageautographs.com/vintage.html

  • DBSTrader2DBSTrader2 Posts: 3,485 ✭✭✭✭

    Jerry Brown....... George Wallace........ some autograph collector would probably be interested in the covers, if they were hand-made and not just via an auto-signature machine or secretary. I wonder if someone bought the individual stamps/cachets & went to the trouble of mailing them to each P.O. for FDC cancellations (I know I used to do that, and was able to do so for a specified time period after the actual issue date), and then mailed to each Governor's office with a SASE and request for a signature............. lots of work, but COULD be done on either a small scale (just 1 set) or somewhat larger................ although I figure at least 1 Governor would balk at signing multiple requests from someone looking just to turn a profit at the time. Do you have more history on the collection? Just curious. (I had a set with just the stamps/cancellations addressed to me, done as a kid. But nothing beyond that like these signatures....)

  • Big_Tex_19Big_Tex_19 Posts: 7 ✭

    Thanks again for the guidance and feedback. I am in Vegas for a trade show till Thursday night and will be more than happy to photograph the entire binder that I have. It is impressive and I purchased at a hole in the wall antique store in Oklahoma. I have shown to several that are into collecting sports memorabilia and they all truly believe they are 100% authentic. I don't have any other info regarding the binder itself other than it was somewhat of a barn find.

  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,371 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The original collector/owner put a great deal of thought and effort into pulling that set off. It is a shame that the stamp area has suffered such a severe downturn that all that is likely to have value are the autographs.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • JBKJBK Posts: 15,685 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The first day covers are common - the value is in the autographs. Ideally it would be kept as a set, but unfortunately many dealers will break it up to sell individually.

    There is a chance that some are autopen or secretarial.

    If you want to sell, best to contact a medium sixed auction house that specializes in autographs.

    That is a very tremendous effort that some collector put into that set.

  • JBKJBK Posts: 15,685 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 30, 2019 1:48AM

    I took a look at the Governors in 1976 - some future Senators, no future Presidents. No one sig is worth big money but as a set it is a very nice thing, at least from an historical perspective,

    Why not throw it out on the Stamps and Autographs BST forums here.

  • Big_Tex_19Big_Tex_19 Posts: 7 ✭

    Thanks I will definitely do that this weekend. Appreciate the feedback

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