This is an official First Day Cover for the 1969 16¢ Liberty Bell embossed stamped envelope, postmarked in Washington, DC on June 16, 1969. The Art Craft cachet depicts the ringing of the Liberty Bell in the Pennsylvania State House, with the caption “Announcing the Passage of the Declaration of Independence.”
The 16¢ denomination paid the then-current first-class letter rate plus airmail surcharge for nonprofit organizations. The envelope’s embossed design features the iconic Liberty Bell, tying directly to the 1969 issuance that honored this enduring symbol of American independence.
A notable detail is the dual imagery on the cover: the cachet shows colonial figures ringing the bell while the indicium itself reproduces the bell in red embossing. The Art Craft branding and 1969 date appear at lower left.
Collectors value this cover for its clean Washington, DC first-day cancel, attractive two-color cachet, and representation of the short-lived 16¢ embossed envelope issue.
