FDC Specialist - Vol. 1, No. 4 - October 1984

OFFICIAL FIRST DAY COVERS SERVICED BY POSTMASTER IN OTTAWA.

At the request of several readers, the major portion of this month's issue is devoted to the listing of the quantities of covers serviced for the various issues of Canadian stamps since 1949. It should be noted that these figures include the total of all stamps issued on that day (as noted) and also include all the various types of covers serviced such as: singles, pairs, combinations, blocks, plate blocks, cacheted and uncacheted. Although these figures are an excellent guide to determine the relative scarcity of official covers for a given issue, they cannot serve as a guide to determine the scarcity of a specific type of cachet used for that issue. It is therefore imperative to determine the various types of cachets used for any given issue and the quantity of each cachet made and still available.

Scott # Date Issue Quantity
282 04 01 49 4¢ Newfoundland 47,588
283 06 21 49 4¢ Halifax 46,444
284-8 11 15 49 1¢ to 5¢ K.G. Revised 50,182
294 03 01 50 50¢ Oil wells 7,348
301 10 02 50 10¢ Fur trade 16,780
302 02 01 51 $1 Fisheries 3,186
303-4 06 25 51 3¢ Borden & 4¢ King 19,,889
315 10 26 51 4¢ Royal Visit 33,686
316 04 01 52 20¢ Forestry 12,136
317 07 26 52 4¢ Red Cross 31.,522
318-20 11 03 52 3¢ Abbott, 4¢ Mackenzie & 7¢ Canada Goose 49,633
321 02 02 53 $1 Totem 4,178
322-4 04 01 53 2¢ Polar Bear, 3¢ Moose & 4¢ Sheep 60,171
325-9 05 01 53 1¢ to 5¢ Q.E. 60,067
330 06 01 53 4¢ Coronation 56,923
334 11 02 53 50¢ Textile 7,547
335-6,341 & 343 04 01 54 4¢ Walrus, 5¢ Beaver, 5¢ Q.E., 15¢ Gannet 109,929
337-40 & 342 06 10 54 1¢,2¢,3¢,4¢ & 6¢ Q.E. 62,424
349-50 11 01 54 4¢ Thompson & 5¢ Bowell 31,558
351 02 21 55 10¢ Eskimo 24,464
352-3 04 04 55 4¢ Musk Ox & 5¢ Whooping Crane 53,365
354 06 01 55 5¢ I.C.A.O. 33,959
355 06 30 55 5¢ Alberta & Sask. 26,557
356 08 20 55 5¢ Boy Scouts 58,970
357-8 11 08 55 4¢ Bennett & 5¢ Tupper 47,745
359 01 23 56 5¢ Hockey 43,388
360-1 04 12 56 4¢ Caribou & 5¢ Mountain Goat 56,823
362-3 06 07 56 20¢ Pulp & Paper, 25¢ Chemical 29,843
364 10 09 56 5¢ Fire Prevention 50,143
365-8 03 07 57 5¢ Sports (4 stamps) 94,856
369 04 10 57 5¢ Loon 54,186
370 06 05 57 5¢ Thompson 45,351
371-2 08 14 57 5¢ & 15¢ Postal Congress 57,081
373 09 05 57 5¢ Mining 38,825
374 10 10 57 5¢ Royal Visit 73,004
375 01 22 58 5¢ Freedom of Press 57,369
376 03 05 58 5¢ I.G.Y. 55,130
377 05 08 58 5¢ B.C. Centennial 50,579
378 06 04 58 5¢ La Verendrye 46,314
379 06 26 58 5¢ Quebec 48,620
380 07 30 58 5¢ National Health 49,190
381 09 10 58 5¢ Oil Centennial 49,428
382 10 02 58 5¢ 200th Anniv. of Assembly 68,740
383 02 23 59 5¢ Flight 62,258
384 04 02 59 5¢ NATO 62,138
385 05 13 59 5¢ Country Women 52,093
386 06 18 59 5¢ Royal Visit 86,000
387 06 26 59 5¢ Seaway 136,660
388 09 10 59 5¢ Plains of Abraham 78,045
389 04 20 60 5¢ Girl Guides 66,415
390 05 19 60 5¢ Dollard des Ormeaux 61,235
391 02 08 61 5¢ Northern Development 68,049
392 03 10 61 5¢ Pauline Johnson 110,091
393 04 19 61 5¢ Arthur Meighen 69,146
394 06 28 61 5¢ Colombo Plan 117,901
395 10 12 61 5¢ Resources for Tomorrow 66,870
337p-41p 01 13 62 1¢ to 5¢ Q.E. tag 30,246
396 02 28 62 5¢ Education 73,772
397 05 03 62 5¢ Red River Settlement 70,259
398 06 13 62 5¢ Jean Talon 111,641
399 08 22 62 5¢ Victoria, B.C. 75,100
400 08 31 62 5¢ Trans-Canada Highway 76,668
405 10 03 62 5¢ Q.E. 91,447
401 & 404 02 04 63 1¢ & 4¢ Q.E. 121,066
410 03 05 63 5¢ Sir Casimir Gzowski 82,910
402-3 05 02 63 2¢ & 3¢ Q.E. 90,014
411 06 14 63 $1 Export 19,306
412 08 21 63 5¢ Martin Frobisher 66,577
413 09 25 63 5¢ Postal Bi-Centennial 80,105
415 10 30 63 15¢ Geese 75,631
414 03 11 64 7¢ Jet Plane 53,322
416 04 08 64 5¢ Peace 69,879
417 05 14 64 5¢ Maple Leaf Unity 71,710
418-9 06 30 64 5¢ Ontario & 50 Quebec Florals 142,354
431 07 29 64 5¢ Charlottetown Conference 68,998
432 09 09 64 5¢ Quebec Conference 73,472
433 10 05 64 5¢ Royal Visit 89,163
434-5 10 14 64 3¢ & 5¢ Christmas 122,666
420-1 02 03 65 5¢ N.S. & 5¢ N.B. Florals 138,573
437 03 03 65 5¢ International Cooperation Year 120,838
422-3 04 28 65 5¢ Manitoba & 5¢ B.C. Florals 139,901
438 06 09 65 5¢ Grenfell 70,708
439 06 30 65 5¢ Flag 87,780
424 07 21 65 5¢ P.E.I. Floral 72,830
440 08 12 65 5¢ Churchill 96,990
441-2 09 08 65 5¢ Parliamentary Union & 5¢ Ottawa 140,560
443-4 10 13 65 3¢ & 5¢ Christmas 121,818
445 01 05 66 5¢ Alouette II 82,152
425-6 01 19 66 5¢ Sask. & 5¢ Alta. Florals 230,015
427 02 23 66 5¢ Nfld. Floral 78,522
428-9 03 23 66 5¢ Yukon & N.W.T. Florals 138,973
446 04 13 66 5¢ Arrival of De LaSalle 68,930
447 05 02 66 5¢ Highway Safety 80,708
448 05 26 66 5¢ London Conference 78,357
429A 06 30 66 5¢ Canadian Coat of Arms 84,117
449 07 27 66 5¢ Peaceful Atomic Power 76,247
450 09 08 66 5¢ Commonwealth Assoc. Conf. 79,869
451-2 10 12'66 3¢ & 5¢ Christmas 135,393
453 01 11 67 5¢ Centennial 163,799
454-8 461-5B 02 08 67 1¢ to $1. Centennial Definitives 353,802
469 04 28 67 5¢ Expo 179,242
470 05 24 67 5¢ Woman's Suffrage 78,400
471 o6 3o 67 5¢ Royal Visit 116,774
472 07 19 67 5¢ Pan American Games 125,544
473 08 31 67 5¢ Canadian Press 83,578
474 09 15 67 5¢ Vanier 90,287
475 09 28 67 5¢ Centennial of Toronto 89,351
476-7 10 11 67 3¢ & 5¢ Christmas 134,173
478 02 15 68 5¢ Gray Jay 100,400
479 03 13 68 5¢ Meteorology 92,393
480 04 10 68 5¢ Narwhal 104,551
481 05 08 68 5¢ Hydrological Decade 100,207
482 06 05 68 5¢ Nonsuch 125,532
483 07 03 68 5¢ Lacrosse 103,020
484 08 21 68 5¢ George Brown 97,925
485 09 04 68 5¢ Henri Bourassa 93,644
486-7 10 15 68 15¢ Armistice & 5¢ McCrae 152,591
488 & 459 11 01 68 5¢ Christmas & 6¢ Orange, Elizabeth II 91,333
489 11 15 68 6¢ Christmas 58,396
490 01 15 69 6¢ Curling 97,587
491 02 20 69 6¢ Vincent Massey 101,000
492 03 14 69 50¢ Suzor Cote 59,155
493 05 21 69 6¢ Int'l Labour Organization 97,177
494 06 13 69 15¢ Trans-Atlantic Flight 66,750
495 06 23 69 6¢ Sir William Osler 155,603
496-8 07 23 69 6¢, 100 & 250 Birds 205,809
499-500 08 15 69 6¢ Charlottetown & 6¢ Summer Games 165,178
501 09 12 69 6¢ Sir Isaac Brock 89,908
502-3 10 08 69 5¢ & 6¢ Christmas 147,529
504 11 12 69 6¢ Stephen Leacock 172,826
460 01 07 70 6¢ black, Elizabeth II 73,443
505-6 01 27 70 6¢ Centennial of Manitoba & 6¢ N.W.T. 220,635
507 02 18 70 6¢ Biological Program 151,384
508-11 03 18 70 25¢ Expo '70 (4 stamps) 113,418
512 04 15 70 6¢ Henry Kelsey 154,082
513-4 05 13 70 10¢ & 15¢ U.N. 148,976
515 06 19 70 6¢ Louis Riel 97,802
516 06 25 70 6¢ Sir Alexander Mackenzie 97,443
517 08 12 70 6¢ Sir Oliver Mowat 93,660
518 09 18 70 6¢ Group of Seven 117,501
519-30 10 07 70 5¢ to 15¢ Christmas stamps 1970 258,363
531 11 04 70 6¢ Sir Alexander Smith 102,721
532 02 12 71 6¢ Emily Carr 102,110
533 03 03 71 6¢ Insulin 156,753
534 03 24 71 6¢ Sir Ernest Rutherford 110,454
535 04 14 71 6¢ Maple in Spring 108,804
539-40 05 07 71 6¢ Papineau & 6¢ Hearne 166,754
541-2 06 01 71 15¢ C.B.C. & 6¢ Census 160,860

Issues not listed were not serviced by the Ottawa office for Official cancel. After the issues of June 1st 1971, figures of covers serviced were no longer released by Canada Post. After corresponding with the marketing division of Canada Post, and after several ensuing conversations with them, they have gracefully agreed to research the statistics for the covers issued by them and I have been advised that these figures will be available for the next issue of the Journal. This can be regarded as a major break for FDC collecting in Canada.

As can be readily seen from the figures quoted above, Canadian FDC's are generally grossly undervalued in most catalogues. This is the time to pick up the scarcer issues as they can still be obtained at a reasonable price. I have noticed that more and more young philatelists have a keen interest in FDC's and there will not be enough older covers to go around.

CANADA POST CACHETED FIRST DAY COVERS

Day of issue M D Y Scott Cat. No. Description Single Pair Bl.of 4 PL.BL.
07 06 72 562 8¢ Buffalo Chase 1.30 1.75 - -
07 06 72 563 8¢ Artifacts 1.30 1.75 - -
07 06 72 562-3 8¢ Se-tenant - 1.75 2.65 2.85
07 06 72 562p 8¢ Buffalo Chase (Gen. Tag) 1.75 2.65 - -
07 06 72 563p 8¢ Artifacts (Gen. Tag) 1.75 2.65 - -
07 06 72 562-3p 80 Se-tenant (Gen. Tag) - 2.65 4.50 4.85
08 02 72 582 15¢ Geology 4.70 - - -
08 02 72 583 15¢ Geography 4.70 - - -
08 02 72 584 15¢ Photogrammetry 4.70 - - -
08 02 72 585 15¢ Cartography 4.70 - - -
08 02 72 582-5 15¢ Se-tenant - 8.60* 16.25* 18.00
08 02 72 582p 15¢ Geology (Gen. Tag) 4.70 - - -
08 02 72 583P 15¢ Geography (Gen. Tag) 4.70 - - -
08 02 72 584p 15¢ Photogrammetry (Gen. Tag) 4.70 - - -
08 02 72 585p 15¢ Cartography (Gen. Tag) 4.70 - - -
08 02 72 582-5p 15¢ Se-tenant (Gen. Tag) - 8.60* 16.25* 18.00
Various combinations of pairs and se-tenant blocks of 4 are possible.
09 08 72 594 10¢ Forest (OP-4 Tag)* 1.00 1.20 1.55 1.60
09 08 72 594v 10¢ Forest (OP-2 Tag)* 1.00 1.20 1.55 1.60
09 08 72 595 15¢ Mountain Sheep (OP-4 Tag)* 1.15 1.35 1.85 1.95
09 08 72 595v 15¢ Mountain Sheep (OP-2 Tag)* 1.15 1.35 1.35 1.95
09 08 72 596 20¢ Prairie Mosaic (OP-4 Tag)* 1.20 1.55 2.20 2.35
09 08 72 596v 20¢ Prairie Mosaic (OP-2 Tag)* 1.20 1.55 2.23 2.35
09 08 72 597 25¢ Polar Bears (OP-4 Tag)* 1.33 1.70 2.55 2.70
09 08 72 597v 25¢ Polar Bears (OP-2'Tag)* 1.30 1.70 2.55 2.70
09 08 72 598 50¢ Seashore (OP-4 Tag)* 1.70 2.55 4.25 4.60
09 08 72 598v 50¢ Seashore (OP-2 Tag)* 1.70 2.55 4.25 4.62

CP562-3 First two of a series of 20 stamps issued to honour the Indians of Canada. The Indians of the Plains were the first to be honoured. The stamps were designed by Geo. Beaupre & Ray Webber and printed by Ashton-Potter in a quantity of 30,000M.

CP582-5 During 1972, Canada was host to four international scientific congresses. A set of four stamps was designed by Gottschalk & Ash Ltd. to commemorate each event. These stamps were issued in miniature panes of 16 and were printed by Ashton-Potter.

CP594-598 A continuation of the landscape definitives begun in March 1972, These stamps were also designed by Reinhard Derreth.

THE QUESTION CORNER

Many questions have arisen as to the terms used in collecting First Day covers. I have received a letter from Mr. Gilbert D. Kennedy of Victoria, B.C. in response to one of my letters which appeared in the July 20th issue of the Canadian Stamp News. Mr. Kennedy has been collecting FDC's for more than 52 years and both he and his wife enjoy the hobby despite slight variances of opinion as to what constitutes a true First Day cover.

Since Mr. Kennedy's letter is very lenghty, it is not reproduced here. Suffice it to say that it was written very objectively and in a true philatelic spirit in the sharing of knowledge acquired over many years.

From a true philatelic standpoint, I must agree with Mr. Kennedy that a true First Day Cover should have gone through the regular mail service. I believe the term POSTALLY USED FIRST DAY COVER would be appropriate to describe such an item. A cacheted envelope used in this way should be designated as: POSTALLY USED PHILATELIC FIRST DAY COVER. A cacheted envelope which has not gone through the regular mail should be designated simply. as: PHILATELIC FIRST DAY COVER.

Cacheted envelopes usually, but not necessarily have a design on the envelope relating to the stamp or stamps being issued. This design can consist of words, illustrations or both and can be printed, applied with a rubber stamp or simply hand-drawn. The first Canadian cacheted envelopes were designed and produced by Mr. George Eppstadt for the Confederation and Historical issues of 1927.

Primarily because collectors wish to display attractive covers with nothing distracting the overall appearance, Philatelic First Day Covers are in great demand and command a higher price over the Postally Used Covers. As in all businesses, supply and demand are the factors which determine price. The demand for FDC's is proven to be as follows:
1- Philatelic (cacheted) Unaddressed FDC's.
2- Philatelic, addressed FDC's.
3- Non-cacheted, unaddressed FDC's.
4- Non-cacheted, addressed FDC's.

The term OFFICIAL FIRST DAY COVER should be used to designate a cover bearing the cancellation designed by the Post Office for use on the First Day of issue of any given stamp in the city designated as the Official city. Prior to 1949, several cities use to be designated as official cities and normal cancelling devices were used in these cities to cancel the stamps on the day of issue. Prior to 1949, covers so cancelled may also be designated as Official First Day Covers.

An OFFICIAL CACHET is the term which should be used to designate an illustrated envelope prepared by the Postal Authorities of the issuing country, such as Canada Post covers in Canada. A PRIVATE CACHET should be the term used to designate illustrated covers designed and made by individuals, stamp clubs, stamp dealers, or commercial firms.

UNOFFICIAL FIRST DAY COVERS designates a cover bearing a stamp or stamps cancelled on the day of issue in a city other than the official city.

The question of "CANCELLED ON DAY OF ISSUE" is a most difficult one to assess. In Canada, the stand of the Post Office is that first day cancellations are available for a period of six months from the day of issue. Although I feel this period seems long, it does coincide with the time allocated for the purchase of Mint Stamps for the issue, and is controlled and limited to that span of time. As is generally known, First DAY Covers are processed by the post office prior to the day of issue so that Official Cachets can be made available at philatelic counters across Canada on the day of issue.

Collectors are also aware of courtesy cancels which can be obtained from most Post Offices across Canada. It is not usually difficult to backdate a cancelling device to coincide with the day of issue of a stamp or even days or weeks prior to the day of issue. (Which by the way has been reported on several occasions). I therefore believe that the greater controls offered by the Official cancelling device make covers bearing this cancel more desireable and reliable.