Stamps & Postal History

First Day Covers: What to Record

Covers franked with a new stamp and cancelled on its first day of issue.

The Data Sheet for First Day Covers

The 25 fields worth recording for first day covers, grouped as in the ordicio app. Fields marked with a broader category come from it; the others are specific to first day covers.

Identification

Country Text Stamps & postal history: Country of origin or issue, by its usual English name (historic states as named at the time, e.g. Kingdom of Bavaria).
Catalogue numbers Text Stamps & postal history: Numbers in the main catalogues with the catalogue named, e.g. Scott 245, SG 186, Michel 52, Yvert 140, WNS DE012.05.
Reference link Link Stamps & postal history: Web page about this object or its reference entry (catalogue, database, sale).
Cover type Choice, or your own Covers & postal history: Kind of postal item.
13 choices
Letter / envelope
Postcard (used)
Registered mail
Airmail cover
First flight cover
Zeppelin mail
Censored mail
Military / field post
Ship / paquebot mail
Railway / TPO mail
Stampless / prephilatelic cover
Express mail
Parcel card
Sent from Text Covers & postal history: Place of posting as shown by the postmark or sender's address.
Destination Text Covers & postal history: Place and country of the addressee.
Postmark date Date Covers & postal history: Date of the dispatch postmark.
Issue date Date: First day of issue.
Cachet Text: Printed or hand-made design on a first day or event cover, with its maker.

Condition

Condition notes Text Stamps & postal history: Faults, wear and damage in detail.
Certificate / expertise Text Stamps & postal history: Certificates of authenticity or expert opinions, with issuer, date and number.

Acquisition

How and when the object came into the collection.

Acquisition date Date Stamps & postal history: Date the object came into the collection.
Acquisition method Choice, or your own Stamps & postal history: How the object came into the collection.
Purchase
Auction
Gift
Inheritance
Exchange / trade
Self-collected / found
Commission
Acquired from Text Stamps & postal history: Seller, auction house (with sale and lot number), donor or place where it was found.
Purchase price Amount Stamps & postal history: Price paid including fees and premiums.
Provenance Text Stamps & postal history: Earlier owners and the object's history, oldest first, with sources (labels, invoices, sale catalogues).

Value

Estimated and insured value.

Estimated value Amount Stamps & postal history: Current market value as estimated.
Valuation date Date Stamps & postal history: Date of the current value estimate.
Valuation basis Choice Stamps & postal history: What the estimated value is based on.
Own estimate
Recent sales / auction results
Dealer offer
Catalogue value
Professional appraisal
Insurance valuation
Insured value Amount Stamps & postal history: Sum the object is insured for.

Collection record

Your own inventory data.

Inventory number Text Stamps & postal history: Your own number or label for the object, e.g. C-0042, as written on its label or album page.
Storage location Text Stamps & postal history: Where the object is kept, e.g. room, cabinet, drawer, album and page, box.

Postal history

What the cover tells about how it travelled.

Postage & rate Text Covers & postal history: Postage paid and the rate it represents, e.g. 25 c UPU letter rate, double weight.
Route & postal markings Text Covers & postal history: Transit and arrival marks, registration labels, censor marks, instructional markings and the route they show.
Sender / addressee Text Covers & postal history: Names of sender and addressee when of interest.