This Official First Day Cover bears the 13¢ US Bicentennial stamp honoring the Marquis de Lafayette, cancelled in Charleston, South Carolina on June 13, 1977. The cachet, produced for the Foreign Volunteers for Independence series, features a handsome color portrait of Lafayette in uniform within an ornate octagonal frame.
Lafayette, a young French nobleman, played a pivotal role in the American Revolution, arriving in 1777 to serve without pay and becoming one of George Washington’s most trusted generals. His participation symbolized the international support that helped secure American independence and later influenced France’s own revolutionary ideals.
A notable detail is the cachet’s reproduction of Lafayette’s own words: “The moment I heard of America, I loved her…” together with the 1777–1977 bicentennial emblem. The cover carries the red “Official First Day Cover” inscription beneath the portrait.
Collectors will appreciate this well-preserved example’s sharp postmark, vibrant cachet colors, and direct tie to the 1976–1977 Bicentennial celebrations, making it an attractive addition to Revolutionary War or foreign-volunteer topical collections.
