Untitled Document

U.S. SPACE THEME SLOGANS AND HAND CANCELLATIONS

The Post Office Department has produced numerous space theme machine postmarks. Often the subtle differences between some of them go unnoticed by most people. Hopefully, most of them have been listed below.

Only postmarks seen on "space covers" with a space theme, or mentioning the word space, are illustrated below. This is not an attempt to list all known postal markings from the various sites.

Bear in mind that these were used on all mail at the time, not just for one occasion. Therefore, it is possible to find them on envelopes of regular mail.

Often individuals, dealers, or stamp clubs would design a cachet and print envelopes to obtain copies of some of these postmarks. I have illustrated some of these covers with the various cachets below.

IMPORTANT: The Wapakoneta, Ohio slogan was only used for the dates listed and the first day of use of the KSC Space Shuttle is accurate. I believe, but am not certain, that they were used for six months before being withdrawn. If you can provide more accurate information on the dates of use of the other postmarks please contact the editor (R. Howard Courtney), at rhcourtney33 at gmail.

Many of the year dates for these postmarks will eventually be changed as collectors look for them and share information. While the dates may change, it is important to list them now to share what is known to exist.

Akron, Ohio

Dates of use: January 28, 1988 to at least January 28, 1989

Beaufort, North Carolina

Dates of use: 1988 ?

Bellwood, Illinois

Dates of use: 1972 ?

Cape Canaveral, Florida

Dates of use: 1971 ?

Dates of use: 1971 ? Covers with these two postmarks have been seen with the same dates on them. Therefore, both postmarks were used at the same time.

Dates of use: 1974 ? - August 20, 1974 (Last day of use)
Also used at: Denver, Colorado; Chicago, Illinois; Houston, Texas; Huntsville, Alabama; New York, New York; U.S. Postal Service, CA; U.S. Postal Service, MA; U.S. Postal service, WA; Washington, D.C., and most likely many other places as well.

Columbus, Ohio

Dates if use: 1969 ?

Copernicus (The subject)

Dates of use: 1973?
Used at: Massachusetts and most likely other states.

Dates of use: 1973?

Downey, California

Dates of use: 1979 ?

Dates if use: 1981 ?

Dates of use: 1982 ?

Greenbelt, Maryland

Dates of use: 1975 ?

Dates of use: 2009 ?

Hampton, Virginia

Dates of use: 1967 ?

Hampton-Newport News, Virginia

Dates of use: 1976 ?

Hampton Roads, Virginia

Dates of use: 1985 ?
This postmark is similar to the large one for Hampton, January 21, 1986.

Jackson, Michigan

Dates of use: 1969 ?

Dates of use: 1971 ?

Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Dates of use: 1972 ?

Dates of use: 1975 ?

Dates of use: 1973 ?

Dates of use: 1973 ? (Narrower space at bottom of date circle)

Dates of use: 1976 ?

Dates of use: 1976 ?

Dates of use: 1976 ?

Dates of use - March 1, 1977 - ?

Dates of use: 1979 ?
No ZIP Code. "For Benefits on Earth. NASA".

Dates of use: 1981? (No bars attached to the right side and no ZIP Code.)
"For Benefits on Earth. NASA". Also used at: Huntsville, Alabama; New Orleans, Louisiana; San Francisco, California; Seattle, Washington and most likely many other cities.

Dates of use: 1991 ?
ZIP Code at bottom. Exists with two sizes of circle one 21mm, the other 22mm. "For Benefits on Earth. NASA". Also used at : Palmdale, California

Dates of use: 2009 ?
ZIP Code at bottom right.

Dates of use: 1983 ?
Also used at: Cleveland, Ohio; Edwards, California; Washington, D.C.

Dates of use: 1981 ?

Dates of use: 1994 ?

Dates of use: 2009 ?

Dates of use: 1979 ?

Long Beach, California

Dates of use: 1991? - ?
Also used at: Atlanta, GA, Pasadena, CA and most likely numerous other cities.

Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama

Dates of use: 1981 ?

New Concord, Ohio

The two bottom covers with the same design, but reversed colors, both exist with, and without, the later "John Glenn's Presidential Candidacy Announcement. New Concord, Ohio, April 21, 1983" text on the right side of the cover. This text was added years after the covers were made.
Dates of use: 1962 ?

New York, New York