Z4410

Flags of Our Nation

Delaware Flag

Rottweiler

Fred's Anecdotal Note

Individually hand painted First Day Covers with cachets

dedicated to the uniqueness of each state.

Plus...for the first time in the history of our hobby,

I'm pleased to present each of the major breeds of dogs

in one magnificent set - a Collins exclusive.

When this beautiful flag set was announced, I thought long and hard about how I could make it distinct and different from any other cachetmaker. At the same time, I wanted to ensure that each cover would reflect the individuality of each of our diverse states. What eventually evolved was thinking "out of the box" and what resulted was as American as apple pie. Because all of the dogs of America had never been featured on a set of U.S. stamps, and because all of the breeds had never been used on a set of First Day Covers by any cachetmaker, I decided that combining our wonderful and varied dogs with our incredible distinctive states would be a philatelic home run. I was right!

Down the road, this will become one of the most coveted and sought-after sets of First Day Covers ever produced. Dog lovers will consider this a treasure of the hobby, and many will pursue it on the open market. And the state-related cachets make it a wonderful series that could be a definition for the term "Americana." You will love it!

Cover Announcement 

Flags of Our Nation

Set of Ten with Protected Option for Ensuing Flag Stamps

Once again I'm pleased to be taking a bold step in the cachet making arena as I announce this unique and beautiful set. In recent years the Postal Service has issued several large sets with national themes such as "Greetings From America" which included all of our individual, diversified states and "Wonders of America" that concentrated mostly on the natural superlatives of our great country. For those collectors who have my "Greetings" with the individual state cachets and my ongoing "Wonders" with the exciting superlative cachets, I think there will be general agreement that the Collins hand painted cachets are the best of any produced.

With the announcement of these terrific state, territory, and Stars & Stripes stamps, I was at the same time pleased and challenged. I was pleased because the long, multi-colored national flags are most attractive in their own right and gave me the always welcomed opportunity to create cachet art that celebrates our great country — the good old U.S. of A. At the same time it presented a challenge to come up with a novel idea or twist that would make this new set exciting and sought-after in its own right — especially in light of the similar subject matter of the two recent sets discussed above. This flag set had so much potential that I felt compelled to give it an identity of its own. And that is exactly what I did.   

Dogs of America

In the thirty plus years that I have been producing Collins cachets, the subject of "dogs" has been virtually ignored by the Postal Service. Year upon year I felt sure that at some point there would be a large set that would be dedicated to this great topic. Just think how many dog owners (including Linda and myself) there are in this nation — and how devoted they are to their loyal canine pets. I would think it would have been a very popular issue. But...it was not to be. To be sure there have been a few isolated issues that pertain to specific breeds, but they have been very few and far between. At some point, the light bulb went on and I conceived the idea of combining the state flag stamps with the most popular and beloved dogs of our nation. Believe me, my friends, when I tell you that after completing the first series of cachets I have concluded that this magnificent set will be one of the most acclaimed and sought-after that I've ever produced. As the illustrations attest, these individually hand painted First Day Covers are spectacular. From this point on, they will be collected not only by present and future Collins collectors but by dog and animal collectors as well — not to mention those who collect flag and state topicals. Anyone who enjoys Americana will treasure these hand painted First Day Covers. As for those cachettnakers who produce this set, one thing is an absolute certainty. Collins will

be "Top Dog."   

Starting Out

Your first cover will be a great one. The stamp presents our Stars & Stripes, and the cachet captures the magic of "America the Beautiful." Purple mountain majesties rise from the fruited plain. Amber waves of grain sway under spacious skies, and, in the foreground a proud yellow Labrador Retriever wearing a red, white, and blue bandana poses in a striking profile. The model was a Yellow Lab we had named "Sam." Although he wasn't an "Uncle," the name certainly fit this cachet perfectly.

The combinations in this first group of ten are fantastic. A lovable Alaskan Malamute by a totem pole and dog sled. Lassie in Hollywood. A beautiful Mountain Dog in Colorado. An adorable Pug in tropical American Samoa. A Basset Hound in the Ozarks of Arkansas. A shipboard Irish Setter gazing at Connecticut's Mystic Harbor Lighthouse. A Great Dane visiting the greatest and grandest canyon in the world. A vigilant Rottweiler in Delaware during its "New Sweden" era. And during a visit to Japan in 1937, Alabama's Helen Keller secured an Akita dog. When it suddenly died, the Japanese government gave her another in 1939. She is officially credited with introducing this breed to the United States and contributed to the "Akita Journal. " In one passage Ann wrote, "The Akita dog has all the quailties that appeal to me — he is gentle, companionable, and trusty. " Each month you will be looking forward to the new addition as this unprecedented set makes its way to completion. You will love them!

Individual State Cachet Content

When I decided to take this exciting and truly unique approach for this set, I knew immediately that I should not (and, in fact, vowed would not) stray from the fact that this was a series of stamps that pertained to the United States as a whole. I knew that each individual state and territory, as well as the District of Columbia and the nation itself would have special individual treatment. Thus, each flag would have a cachet dedicated to it as the distinct entity it is as well as featuring one of the most popular dogs in America. I must tell you that the resulting First Day Covers are spectacular.

The First Ten and Future Issues

This set will include the first ten covers of my "Flags of Our Nation" set. They include Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware and a Stars & Stripes stamp. As usual, I will ship and invoice them at a rate of one per month. By signing up for this first series often, you are guaranteed to have the automatic option of obtaining the remainder of this flag series, and I will continue to send them automatically unless you advise me otherwise.

Speaking of future covers, let me give you a glimpse of what lies ahead. The second group of ten will include Idaho which will feature Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition of discovery. Joining them will be Sacajawea and, of course, the Black Newfoundland that accompanied them to the Pacific Coast and back. Georgia will have the mascot of the University of Georgia. The bulldog's name is UGA VII. The Illinois cachet will recall the great Chicago fire, and the dog depicted is the breed that firemen love — the Dalmatian. And Kansas will have a Wizard of Oz cachet (always in demand by collectors), and the dog will be Dorothy's pet Cairn Terrier.

Just to mention a few of the other dogs and state match-ups will give you an inlding of how this terrific set will unfold. Maryland will have a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. Massachusetts will have a Boston Terrier. Pennsylvania will have a Boxer. (Does he live in Philadelphia, and is his name "Rocky”?) The New Mexico will have a Chihuahua. Oregon will have a Saint Bernard to pay tribute to the two mascots of Mount Hood's Timberline Lodge. Washington will have a Husky due to its proximity to Alaska and because it is the mascot of the University of Washington. All of the covers in this set will delight you with the dog and state match-ups as each of America's favorite dogs appears on a Collins cachet in this set that features each of our states and territories. The combination is wonderful, and this is your opportunity to add a unique series of First Day Covers that are certain to become gems of the hobby.

Don't Miss Out

Over the years, some collectors have missed out because they didn't order new covers or sets on a timely basis. There are many such instances, but one of the best examples is my Lewis and Clark set. Collins collectors had faith in me when I explained the concept of the set, and it sold out in less than two weeks after I offered it. It was "something different" as is this unique Flags of Our Nation set, and I believe that the concept of this Collins set also makes it a prime candidate to be spoken for relatively quickly. We all love our country and Americans love their dogs. I think an individually hand painted set of cachets that combine the two is a sure winner. And it will be the largest set of United States First Day Covers devoted to different dog breeds ever produced by any cachetmaker. All on Collins cachets• done in beautiful watercolors. Those who appreciate Americana will delight in this set of First Day Covers.

Please send in your order form in -a timely manner as reservations and sign-ups will-be on a firstcome/first-served basis. As is usual on the large sets, I will ship and invoice them at the rate of one per month. This provides the time needed for the individual hand painting and, at the same time, makes them affordable for virtually every Collins collector. If your hobby budget permits, you might even want to consider an extra set of these incredible First Day Covers. I am determined to produce for this "Flags of Our Nation" stamp series a set of cachets that will further advance the reputation of Collins. The "Dogs of America" will make an immediate and enduring impact on the hobby. Future Collins collectors who discover my cachets down the road will only be able to wish they had the opportunity for acquisition that now is yours. I hope that you will decide to order them and I look forward to sending the first one America the Beautiful. Thanks