Signed First Day Cover.
KRACKE, Don, MARTIN, Fred, and TEMPLETON, Ben.
Price: 50.00 USD
Trio of cartoonists who produced the "Yankee Doodles" comic strip from 1973 to 1977. Signed First Day Cover, 6½" X 3½", with a special cancellation that reads in full "26 / JY" within a circle and "B Free Franklin" (this latter in imitation of the statesman's hand, the free-franking signature he employed). Fine. Single 10-cent "United States" crossed flags stamp at upper right. Two-thirds of this cover, left to right, is filled with a printed "Yankee Doodles" newspaper strip that's been neatly affixed. (Lef to right): First panel shows Benjamin Franklin as a mail carrier bellowing "THE BRITISH ARE COMING!" Second panel shows a Continental Army officer telling the mail carrier, "Ben, Paul Revere brought that news five months ago!" to which Franklin hands him a letter and replies, "True, but as postmaster general, I thought I should personally bring the official notification." Third and last panel shows the officer looking at the envelope as Franklin departs and says "By special delivery mail of course." In the blank area above the strip Kracke signs boldly "Cheers -- / Don Kracke" in bold fineline, and after him Templeton signs (in black ballpoint) and Martin signs (in blue ballpoint). Small portion of original transmittal envelope also present. A fun Bicentennial piece.
