X5105s

La Florida

Naming of Florida, 500th Anniversary

Red and Pink Hibiscus, Yellow Cannas, White and Purple Morning Glories, & White and Purple Passionflowers

Seminole Chief Osceola

Signature

Collins Cover Announcement 

Florida

Osceola

Incredibly Beautiful Block of Four Stamps

When these stamps were issued and I first held the colorful pane, it was an instant decision that I would do a First Day Cover with the block of four. Taken as a group, I consider these the finest floral stamps that I have seen in my entire cachetmaldng career. They are incredible! With the stamps representing the flora of this beautiful state, I decided that my cachet should depict a part of the historic human element of the last four centuries. Accordingly, shown on this magnificent philatelic piece is the Seminole reader Osceola.

Almost two hundred years ago in the 1830s, this courageous Native American led a band of Seminole warriors as they resisted attempts by the U.S. Army to remove them from their long-time tribal lands. American settlers wanted to develop apiculture, and as more moved to the area, they kept increasing pressure on the government to relocate the Native Americans.

In 1832 five Seminole chiefs refused the demand that their people be moved west of the Mississippi River. Osceola rose to prominence and led the fight to remain in Florida. On December 28, 1835 his band won a skirmish near Fort King and subsequently wiped out a column of U.S. troops marching from Fort Brooke. On September 21, 1838 he was captured at Fort Moultrie while engaging in peace talks. He was imprisoned at Fort Marion in St. Augustine, but Osceola's capture by deceit caused a national uproar and protest. The treatment of Osceola and the other Seminoles was condemned by Congress, and artist George Catlin met the war chief and asked him to pose. That oil portrait inspired a number of engravings, prints, cigar store Indian statues, and this individually hand painted cachet. The legendary Seminole leader died of malaria a few months later.

The magnificent block of four flower stamps and the Seminole War Chief Osceola cover is now ready. Collins # X5105 at $15.75.