This Art Craft First Day Cover features the 5¢ West Virginia Statehood commemorative stamp issued June 20, 1963, and postmarked in Wheeling, West Virginia, on the first day of issue. The cachet celebrates the centennial of West Virginia’s admission to the Union with a striking illustration of the State Capitol in Charleston and the official state seal.
West Virginia was born in the midst of the Civil War when the western counties of Virginia chose to remain loyal to the Union and formed their own state, officially admitted on June 20, 1863. The stamp’s design highlights the state’s distinctive outline and the Capitol dome, underscoring the centennial theme.
A notable detail is the red-outlined state map on the stamp that precisely matches the cachet’s focus on statehood. The cover is addressed to Robert E. Bakeman, D.O., in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a common practice among mid-century collectors.
In excellent condition with a crisp postmark and well-preserved cachet, this FDC is an attractive addition for collectors of Art Craft covers, U.S. statehood issues, or Civil War-era commemoratives.
