This impressive First Day Cover features the $14 Spanish Imperial Eagle stamp (Scott #O139, Official Mail series for penalty mail use), depicting the rare and endangered raptor of the Iberian Peninsula with its distinctive dark plumage, pale head and shoulders, and powerful build. The stamp shows the eagle in flight against a stylized sky background in bold colors. The cachet artwork, signed by wildlife artist John Swatek, presents a vivid, close-up portrait of the Spanish Imperial Eagle perched on a rocky outcrop—its intense gaze, golden nape, and spread wings rendered in rich browns, creams, and blues against a soft sky—emphasizing its majestic yet vulnerable status. Postmarked May 15, 1985 (issue date), in Washington, DC—with a precise "First Day of Issue" cancellation (ZIP 20066)—this cover is highly desirable among bird of prey collectors, ornithology philatelists, high-denomination Official Mail specialists, or those building sets of the 1985 Official Mail bird series. It remains in outstanding unaddressed vintage condition with lifelike colors, fine detail, and no wear, ideal for wildlife or conservation-themed collections.
