W2201

Surrender of Gen. John Burgoyne

Saratoga, New York - 1777

Collins Cover Announcement 

SURRENDER AT SARATOGA

General Burgoyne Defeated by General Gates

One Dollar High-Value Issue - Immediate Ordering Suggested

This is a cover that I've been anxious to offer and one that I know many of you have been anxious to acquire. Let me get right to the details.

I'd like to start with the stamp itself because it is an out-right undeniable beauty. Aside from its one dollar face value which by itself makes it desirable, the pictorial design on this issue was created more than a century ago. It was engraved by James Smillie in 1869 and was based on a John Trumbull painting which was completed in 1824. The subject is the 1777 Battle of Saratoga which was a significant event in our victory in the Revolutionary War. The stamp depicts the Surrender of Burgoyne, and I must urge you to put this one under a magnifying glass. This 1869 creation was by a true craftsman engraver and a master at his trade. Considering most of today's stamps, it makes the true philatelist that much more appreciative of the care and workmanship and personal pride that went into designing the stamps of yesteryear. Stamps like this $1.00 high-value will not come along very often, and I caution you not to miss it on the COLLINS First Day Cover.

And, what a COLLINS it is! The hand-painted cachet has such a wealth of detail that even my long-term collectors will be amazed when they see it. The surrender scene is what I chose to picture and it came out beyond my expectations. The red-coated General Burgoyne offering his sword to the flamboyant General Gates attired in a dashing white uniform. He is flanked by other American officers uniformed in the more traditional Continental blue. Special care was taken in the design execution and color selections for hand painting to make sure that it was a fitting complement to the workmanship of the 1869 stamp design. Take my word, you will not be disappointed.

I realize that this cover will become a priority for most of you (and it does deserve that status), but be careful not to overlook the other two covers in this offering. The Norman Rockwell series is proving to be a collector favorite and the final Winter Olympic five cover set comes to completion, so do give them your attention because they, too, are destined to become sought after COLLINS Covers. 

In conclusion, I would like to gently warn you that this "Surrender at Saratoga" cover will be a sell-out. It is one of the finest First Day Covers that you will ever see, and to avoid disappointment I urge you to send your order right in. have no doubts that it will take off on the open market once I'm sold out, so it certainly is a fine opportunity to pick up a sure winner extra if you're so inclined. I can tell you straight out that this one will not be available for long.

The one-dollar denomination puts it in the "high-value" classification. The 1869 engraved stamp design gives it a quality that is rare today. The hand-painted cachet is rich in color tones and detail that is exceptional. The limited numbers ensure that it will sell out immediately making it subject to open market supply and demand and price. The COLLINS logo means that I am offering what probably is the "best of the issue and a cover that very well could win the "Best of the Year" award. Don't miss this one. Surrender at Saratoga. Item #W2201.  $17.75.

A Final Note

Five patriots strain at the lines attached to a large cannon. A sixth pushes at one of the spoked wheels. These half-dozen citizen-soldiers hurry to position their gun before the battle begins. The hand-painted action scene is an additional attraction as I've placed this vignette to symbolize the individual efforts that led to victory. It is a perfect final touch in terms of cachet art and one of those 'extras" that mean so much to COLLINS collectors. The Spirit of '76.