For many years I had believed the “Century of Progress” cover my Aunt had prepared for me, using the 50˘ Air Mail stamp, was a First Day Cover, but I found out I was wrong when I began to read publications dealing with FDCs. This one’s journey began with a cancellation in Akron, Ohio, on October 25, 1933. Next stop, the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago. A reverse-side cancellation (Chicago, IL, 10 a.m., October 26, 1933) sent it on its final leg, Scottdale, PA, where the post office officially received it at 8 a.m. on October 27, according to a reverse-side cancellation. The length of its journey—less than 2 days!

Meanwhile another cover had begun a journey that would take it farther and would last much longer. This one was really a FDC and would have a block-of-four 50˘ Century of Progress Flight air mail stamps paying its fare. Regrettably they are well off-center, so not nearly as desirable as the single on the first cover.

This FDC was sent to the post office in New York, NY, where it was canceled on October 2, 1933, at 12–M and began its journey. As requested, it went by way of Friedrichshafen, Germany, where it was given the purple Century of Progress Flight stamp. I have no idea when it acquired the red triangular stamp. Also in Friedrichshafen it boarded the Graf Zeppelin and headed for Seville, Spain. A reverse-side cancellation which is not very clear times this stop as November 1, 1933. After a long lapse, this cover was reverse-side canceled in the G.P.O. of New York at 9:30 a.m. of November 14, 1933. That ended the cancellations, so we can only assume it reached Chicago before reaching its owner, Carle H. Schafer in Denver, Colorado.

This second cover was purchased as a 16th birthday gift for our oldest child who sold his collection several years later, giving it to his Dad rather than allow it to be sold with the rest of his collection. It is difficult to believe that we paid just $12.50 for it!