This 1963 First Day Cover features the 5¢ The Sciences commemorative stamp issued by the United States Post Office on October 14, 1963, in Washington, DC. The cover bears a handsome Artmaster cachet marking the 100th anniversary of the National Academy of Sciences, founded in 1863.
The stamp and cachet honor the National Academy of Sciences during a period when American scientific achievement was central to national identity, from space exploration to medical research. The Academy was chartered by President Lincoln to advise the government on scientific matters, a role it continues today.
A notable detail is the cachet’s faithful reproduction of the Academy seal showing the figure of Science holding a torch with the motto “Let There Be Light,” surrounded by the full organizational name. The cover is franked with a block of four stamps tied by the official first-day circular datestamp.
Addressed to Josephine R. Erwin in San Diego, California, the cover reflects the era’s common practice of sending FDCs to collectors and correspondents across the country.
A clean, well-centered example ideal for collectors of science topicals, Artmaster cachets, or mid-century U.S. commemoratives.
