2020-06-29 Mon

A first-day cover (FDC) is a postage stamp on a cover, postal card or stamped envelope franked on the first day of the issue. It is authorized for use within the country or territory of the stamp-issuing authority. The first-day cover is a kind of birth certificate. It states when the stamp was first issued. FDC also gives additional Information through its design about the stamps it carries.

On 10 January 1840, a Uniform 1d postmark was released which allowed a universal penny postage rate; this was a postmark that was paid and was applied when the letter was sent. Here began the very first First Day Covers.

India Post issued a number of FDCs so far. Here’s a unique FDC issued by India Post. Issued in the year 1973 to commemorate India’s Independence Day, the FDC was issued for the stamp sowing a meeting between Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.

This F.D.C. bears three different cancellations on the same day (15th August 1973) in the same city (Allahabad / birthplace of Jawaharlal Nehru) viz the First-day cancellation of Anand Bhawan (Allahabad) which was the venue of the Release function of this stamp, First-day cancellation of Allahabad Philatelic Bureau and, a special cancellation of Allahabad Philatelic Exhibition which was organized by the Postal Department at Allahabad G.P.O.

Image Courtesy: philamirror.info