Słynne znaczki
Koperty FDC: ile warte są twoje, dekada po dekadzie
Aktualizacja · 5 min czytania · Zespół StampGo
Krótka odpowiedź
Większość kopert pierwszego dnia obiegu (FDC) jest warta kilkanaście złotych lub mniej, bo powstawały milionami dla kolekcjonerów, zwłaszcza po latach czterdziestych. Koperta jest cenniejsza, gdy jest wczesna (sprzed około 1930 roku), ma rzadki lub ręcznie malowany rysunek, nosi rzadki znaczek albo błąd druku, lub ma nietypowy stempel. StampGo rozpoznaje znaczek na kopercie, więc wiesz, od czego zacząć.
Najważniejsze fakty
- Czym jest FDC
- Koperta lub karta z nowym znaczkiem, skasowana w dniu wprowadzenia do obiegu
- Rysunek (cachet)
- Drukowany, stemplowany lub rysowany motyw, zwykle po lewej stronie koperty
- Historia
- Zorganizowane zbieractwo zaczęło się w latach dwudziestych, wytwarzanie rysunków rozkwitło w trzydziestych
- Większość kopert
- Kilkanaście złotych lub mniej
- Warte więcej
- Koperty sprzed 1930 roku, rzadkie lub ręcznie malowane rysunki, rzadkie znaczki, błędy
- Towarzystwo branżowe
- 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.
Krok po kroku
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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Pytania i odpowiedzi
Czy koperty FDC są coś warte?
Zwykle niewiele. Większość kosztuje kilkanaście złotych lub mniej, ale wczesne koperty, ręcznie malowane lub rzadkie rysunki oraz koperty z rzadkimi znaczkami albo błędami druku bywają warte znacznie więcej.
Ile warte są koperty FDC z lat sześćdziesiątych i siedemdziesiątych?
Większość poniżej kilkunastu złotych za sztukę, bo powstawały w ogromnych ilościach. Wyjątkiem są rysunki malowane ręcznie i rzadcy wytwórcy.
Czym jest cachet na kopercie FDC?
To motyw — drukowany, stemplowany albo rysowany ręcznie — zwykle po lewej stronie koperty, nawiązujący do znaczka lub do samego wydarzenia.
Gdzie sprzedać koperty FDC?
Pospolite najlepiej schodzą w partiach, w internecie lub u handlarzy. Lepsze koperty można sprzedać wyspecjalizowanym handlarzom, na wystawach filatelistycznych albo innym kolekcjonerom przez American First Day Cover Society.
