This official First Day Cover features the 13¢ Proclaim Liberty stamp depicting the Liberty Bell, postmarked on April 2, 1976, in Liberty, Missouri. The colorful cachet illustrates Revolutionary War soldiers protecting the Liberty Bell from British forces, issued as part of the Vignettes of Americana series for the 1975 postage rate changes.
The Liberty Bell has long symbolized American independence, originally cast in 1752 and famously rung on July 8, 1776, to proclaim the Declaration of Independence. During the Revolutionary War, patriots hid the bell in 1777 to prevent its capture by advancing British troops, an event commemorated on this cover.
A notable detail is the cachet's dramatic oval artwork showing Continental soldiers with cannon and wagons, paired with the slogan "Revolutionary War Soldiers Saved the Liberty Bell From Marauding British Redcoats 1777." The postmark city of Liberty, Missouri, adds a thematic link to the stamp subject.
Collectors will appreciate this clean, well-centered FDC with its striking red-white-and-blue border and clear first-day cancel, making it an excellent addition for Americana, Revolutionary War, or Liberty Bell topical collections.
