1985 Oil Wagon 1890s Transportation Series First Day Cover

This classic official ArtCraft First Day Cover continues the Transportation Series by featuring the horse-drawn oil wagon of the 1890s—a specialized delivery vehicle used to transport kerosene and lubricating oil from refineries to homes and businesses in the early petroleum era. The strip of three 10.1¢ coil stamps (Scott #1902 series, issued for bulk rate) illustrates a small steam locomotive pulling two oil tank cars labeled "OIL," emphasizing the transition from horse power to rail in the oil industry. The detailed cachet artwork shows a period scene: a mustachioed driver in bowler hat and apron standing beside a large, ornate horse-drawn oil tanker wagon with spoked wheels and brass fittings, parked in front of a Victorian house with smoke rising from the chimney, all in rich grayscale to capture the industrial yet domestic feel of late-19th-century America. Postmarked April 18, 1985 (issue date), in Oil Center, New Mexico—with a crisp "First Day of Issue" cancellation (ZIP 88266)—this cover appeals to petroleum history collectors, horse-drawn vehicle enthusiasts, early oil industry philatelists, or completists of the Transportation coil series. It is in superb unaddressed vintage condition with strong contrast, clean lines, and no faults, perfect for transportation or Americana collections.