Let’s start with the past. Naval cancels first appeared in 1908, but little was written or known about them (and there were few collectors) prior to the 1920’s. It was at that time that Lieutenant Commander Francis E. Locy wrote an article on the subject, and shortly thereafter he created a system for classifying navy ship cancels.
 
Naval Cancels Then and Now
Covers from naval vessels that have been de-commissioned or destroyed (like those from the Pearl Harbor fleet) may be purchased through auctions (like mine) or made by traded for between private collectors. The number of available covers is limited, of course, which increases their cost.

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Lieutenant Commander Francis E. Locy is the father of the Locy System, a basic set of illustrations of the general form of cancels and a list of code letters that are used to describe variations from the standard format unique to various naval vessels.
 
A standard U.S. Navy cancellation consists of a dater circle — sometimes referred to as ‘the dial’ The dial is positioned at the left, with the ship’s name molded into it around the circle. There are also slots in the center into which slugs can be inserted for the date. To the right, a ships cancellations has bars or other devices that deface the stamp so that it cannot be used again. These devices are called “killers,” and are often straight lines.
 
Most of the variations in cancellations are changes or rearrangements of the wording the dial, or variations in the killer.

The “Day of Infamy” speech is one of the best-known American political speeches of the 20th Century. It was delivered by to Congress and a stunned nation on December 8, 1941 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, often referred to as “The Stamp Collectors’ President.”
 
FDR was elected to the nation’s highest office in November 1932. His unprecedented four terms in the White House were marked with continuing political and economic crises. Yet despite the turmoil, the 32nd President of the United States, a lifelong stamp enthusiast, never lost touch with his hobby and found time to create original designs for several United States stamps issued while in office.

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James E. Lee’s Special Newsletter – No. 173
Special Holiday Offers Included in this Issue
December 4, 2007
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Be sure to check out the Featured Titles and This Week’s Specials
for some unusual titles and offers.

In the cover section you will find the addition of one of cover;
a 28 cent rate to Germany paid with a 24c (78) and two Black
Jacks (73). This cover comes from the Daven Anderson collection
which was sold over 25 years ago. It has a PF certificate.

Nothing has been added to the essay-proof page this week.
However, all of the Livingston airmail material is now on our
site. Click Here and the link will take you to the page. Please
allow a few minutes for the page to download.

Most all of the One-Of-A-Kind added this past week sold. This
week we have added a couple popular auction catalog runs at
special reduced holiday prices.

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