For sale is a 1963 era FIRST DAY COVER STAMP with a CIVIL WAR theme. Envelope is in good condition but has minor condition issues as seen in the photos. Envelope has a typed mailing address.
Envelope includes a 5 cent stamp honoring the battle of GETTYSBURG which was stamped on July 1, 1963 on the FIRST DAY OF ISSUE. The envelope was postmarked in Gettsyburg, PA (of course) and mailed to Washington, DC.
A first day cover (FDC) is a stamped envelope, postal card or other postal material that was processed at the post office or off-site, receiving a cancellation that states “First Day of Issue” or something similar. Depending on the postal authority there may be a ceremony to commemorate the first day of issue. While it was once true that all FDCs were cancelled on the actual day of issue of the stamp, this has not been the case for many years because large quantities of FDCs are routinely now canceled by the post office in bulk, often weeks or more after the first day of issue.
