{"product_id":"1970-edgar-lee-masters-6-petersburg-il-first-day-cover-1","title":"1970 Edgar Lee Masters 6¢ Petersburg, IL First Day Cover","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis 1970 First Day Cover features a block of four 6¢ Edgar Lee Masters commemorative stamps, postmarked on the official first day of issue in Petersburg, Illinois, on August 22, 1970.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEdgar Lee Masters (1868–1950) was an American poet and biographer best known for his 1915 masterpiece Spoon River Anthology, a groundbreaking collection of free-verse epitaphs that revealed the hidden lives of a fictional Midwestern town. The stamp's issuance in Petersburg—his birthplace and the real-world inspiration for much of his work—adds special philatelic significance.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe cover bears the stamps in their issued block format with the printed \"First Day of Issue\" inscription directly below, paired with a crisp circular postmark from the 62675 ZIP Code area. No additional cachet artwork appears, making the stamp block itself the focal point.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA strong addition for collectors of American literature topicals, Illinois postal history, or 1970s commemoratives, this clean FDC displays well and represents an important literary figure honored at his hometown post office.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Maple Springs","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51392028541092,"sku":null,"price":4.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0580\/4713\/5908\/files\/20260629140440.jpg?v=1782775577","url":"https:\/\/maplespringsllc.com\/products\/1970-edgar-lee-masters-6-petersburg-il-first-day-cover-1","provider":"Maple Springs","version":"1.0","type":"link"}