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Ersttagsbriefe: Was Ihre FDC wert sind, nach Jahrzehnten
Aktualisiert · 5 Min. Lesezeit · Vom StampGo-Team
Kurze Antwort
Die meisten Ersttagsbriefe (FDC) sind ein paar Euro oder weniger wert, weil sie millionenfach für Sammler hergestellt wurden, vor allem nach den 1940er Jahren. Mehr wert ist ein Beleg, wenn er früh ist (vor etwa 1930), ein seltenes oder handgemaltes Cachet trägt, eine seltene Marke oder einen Fehldruck zeigt oder einen ungewöhnlichen Stempel hat. StampGo erkennt die Marke auf dem Beleg, damit Sie wissen, wo Sie anfangen.
Die wichtigsten Fakten
- Was ein FDC ist
- Ein Umschlag oder eine Karte mit einer neuen Marke, entwertet am Ersttag
- Cachet
- Das gedruckte, gestempelte oder gezeichnete Motiv, meist links auf dem Umschlag
- Geschichte
- Organisiertes FDC-Sammeln begann in den 1920ern, die Cachet-Herstellung boomte in den 1930ern
- Die meisten FDC
- Ein paar Euro oder weniger wert
- Mehr wert
- Belege vor 1930, seltene oder handgemalte Cachets, seltene Marken, Fehldrucke
- Fachgesellschaft
- American First Day Cover Society (AFDCS)
What is a first day cover?
A first day cover is an envelope or card bearing a new stamp, cancelled on the stamp's first day of issue, usually in the official first-day city. Many carry a cachet: a printed or hand-drawn design related to the stamp.
First day cover collecting as we know it took off in the 1920s, and cachet-making became a full industry in the 1930s. Large cachet makers produced covers for nearly every new US stamp from then on, which is why so many survive.
How much are first day covers worth?
Most are worth a few dollars or less. First day covers were produced by the million for collectors, so supply far outstrips demand, except for early, unusual or specialist covers.
| Decade | Typical value | Worth more when |
|---|---|---|
| Before 1930 | Often tens of dollars and up | Early dates, scarce stamps, rare uncacheted covers |
| 1930s | A few dollars to tens | Early cachets by notable makers, hand-painted cachets |
| 1940s–1950s | Usually a few dollars | Unusual cachets, scarce stamps, special postmarks |
| 1960s–1980s | Usually under a few dollars | Hand-painted cachets, errors, small-run cachet makers |
| 1990s–today | Often less than the stamps' face value | Very limited cachets, errors |
Which first day covers are valuable?
Early covers, especially from before the 1920s, covers with scarce or hand-painted cachets, covers bearing expensive stamps or errors, and covers with unusual postmarks.
- Early first days: covers made before FDC collecting was organized are scarce.
- Hand-painted cachets, and limited-edition cachets by sought-after artists.
- High-value or rare stamps on cover, where the stamp alone is valuable.
- Errors on cover, such as a missing color or an imperforate stamp. See error stamps.
- Unusual postmarks: unofficial first-day cities, or covers cancelled before the official date (“pre-dates”).
Should I remove stamps from first day covers?
No. A first day cover's value lies in the whole item: the stamp, cancellation and cachet together. Removing the stamp destroys the cover's value, and a loose stamp is usually worth very little.
Store covers upright in boxes or cover albums, away from damp and sunlight, and avoid rubber bands and paper clips, which dent and stain envelopes.
How do I check what a first day cover is worth?
Identify the stamp and date, note the cachet maker and whether the cachet is hand-painted or printed, check the envelope's condition, and compare recent sales of the same cover.
The American First Day Cover Society (AFDCS) is the specialist organization for FDC collectors, and a good place to learn about cachet makers and values. For large accumulations, see how to value a stamp collection.
What makes a first day cover cachet valuable?
Scarcity and artistry. Early cachets, hand-painted or hand-drawn designs, small production runs and work by sought-after artists are worth more than mass-printed cachets from the big commercial makers.
- Early cachets: George W. Linn's 1923 cachet for the Harding memorial stamp is generally considered the first printed cachet, and cachets from the 1920s–30s are the most collectable.
- Hand-painted cachets: each one is unique, and collectors of particular artists pay premiums.
- Limited runs: covers produced in the hundreds rather than the tens of thousands.
- Mass-market cachets: printed by the big commercial makers in huge quantities, and usually worth little on their own.
How do I identify a first day cover's cachet maker?
Look for a name or logo on the back flap or in a corner of the cachet. Many commercial makers signed their covers, and collector references, including those from the American First Day Cover Society, catalogue cachet makers in detail.
Even without a name, the design style, the envelope and the printing method can point to a maker. Knowing the maker helps you compare like with like when you look up sold prices.
Are British and other countries' first day covers worth anything?
The same rules apply: most modern covers are worth little, while early covers, scarce postmarks and special cachets are worth more. British first day covers from before the 1960s are scarcer than later ones, when official Post Office covers became widely available.
On British covers, special handstamps and the town where the cover was cancelled can matter as much as the cachet. Covers bearing high-value stamps, such as the 1929 £1 PUC, are sought after. See UK stamp values.
Schritt für Schritt
How to check a first day cover with StampGo
The stamp is the starting point. StampGo identifies it from a photo, and the checklist above helps you judge the rest of the cover.
- 1
Scan the stamp on the cover
Tap Scan Now and photograph the stamp, leaving it on the envelope.
- 2
See the issue, year and value
StampGo identifies the stamp and its year, and gives a reference price for the stamp itself.
- 3
Judge the cover
Check the cachet, the postmark date and the condition. Hand-painted cachets and early dates add value.
- 4
Save it to your collection
Add it to your collection to keep a record alongside your other stamps.
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Häufige Fragen
Sind Ersttagsbriefe etwas wert?
Meist nur wenig. Die meisten bringen ein paar Euro oder weniger, doch frühe Belege, handgemalte oder seltene Cachets und Briefe mit seltenen Marken oder Fehldrucken können deutlich mehr wert sein.
Was sind Ersttagsbriefe der 1960er und 1970er wert?
Die meisten liegen unter ein paar Euro pro Stück, weil sie in riesigen Mengen entstanden. Ausnahmen sind handgemalte Cachets und seltene Cachet-Hersteller.
Was ist ein Cachet auf einem Ersttagsbrief?
Das Motiv, ob gedruckt, gestempelt oder von Hand gezeichnet, meist auf der linken Seite des Umschlags, das sich auf die Marke oder den Anlass bezieht.
Wo kann ich Ersttagsbriefe verkaufen?
Häufige FDC verkaufen sich am besten in Sammellosen, online oder an Händler. Bessere Belege gehen an Fachhändler, auf Briefmarkenmessen oder über die American First Day Cover Society an andere Sammler.
