Sending First Day Covers

Ever wonder how people get their awesome FDCs? That's "First Day Covers" for us non-philatelic folks. It's an envelope that has been stamped and cancelled on the first day of that stamp's release. The U.S.P.S. offers multiple cancellation options these days, from the classic looking barred example of above to elaborate color digital cancellations that are designed to compliment the stamp design. 

 

Ordering First-Day-of-Issue Postmarks
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at local Post Offices or from the U.S.P.S. website. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice*, address the envelopes to themselves or others and place them in larger envelopes addressed to the various postmaster assigned to a particular stamp release. *Yes, that means you can make mail-artified or otherwise decorated envelopes for this purpose, and you can address them to people other than yourself, like the one I received in the photo above.

The U.S. Postal Service also sells its own FDCs for a premium over the face value of the stamp; however, those covers are blank, and do not have the cachets—that is the designs printed or painted on the left side of, or all over, the cover—that most collectors prefer. The cover also will need an address to which it should be returned. Since unaddressed covers are the standard collecting form for FDCs, a peelable label is the suggested form. Each cover must have inside a filler card of index or postal card thickness, with the envelope either sealed or with the flap tucked in—the latter being the preferred collecting format.

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. For more than 50, there is a 5-cent charge per postmark. To send the cover to the address to which it must be sent for the FDOI cancel, your FDCs should be sent in an outer envelope. Nowadays, to prevent an additional cancellation’s being applied in transit, or other damage to the cover, some collectors send along another return-addressed envelope in which the FDC can be returned by the USPS.

Stamp News Now has a calendar up of the 2017 releases which they seem to be keeping fairly current. Send your covers to:

FDOI - [Name of Stamp Issue]
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900

If you're a collector of FDCs, kindly share your tips and experiences in the comments! 

Comments

[FinnBadger]

I also like to check http://collectpostmarks.com/available-postmarks/ as well for special postmarks.

[Kat]

I sent an Australian first day of issue envelope to one of my pen pals last week. Had 4 stamps on it (Australian Street Art set). My local post office hete is pretty slow at getting anything like it here. I just hope she likes them (when they turn up)!

[Keri]

Does anyone know what test envelopes are? Read the USPS wants two when ordering color first day covers.

[J.A. Maguire]

I've learned that the FDC's I found clearing out my parents' basement has no value. BUT can I use them to mail things? Thanks for any help.

[Donovan Beeson]

Typically, First Day Covers are given a cancellation mark for the first day of issue. Since those stamps are cancelled, they cannot be used for mailing.
You can use the envelopes IF you add current postage.