Building up a Stamp Collection

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How to get Space Covers yourself

Part 2

Obtaining Signed Covers
By Andy Swanston

Cosmonaut Covers

On 10-1-1964 the first Six Soviet cosmonaut; Gagarin, Titov, Nikolaev, Popovich, Bykovsky and Tereskova visited the Ministry of Communications in Moscow. For this visit a small number of sets of 6’ covers were serviced, each having a stamp showing one of the Cosmonauts. Each cosmonaut signed the covers with their own stamps on.

I understand that this was the first time that a group of Soviet cosmonauts had officially signed philatelic items. I remember that the covers were on offer at the time at £7 each, as this was at that time about half a week’s wages, they were way out of my range. How then did I manage to obtain a set?

In 1964, 1 was lucky to be awarded the first STAMPEX medal struck, with my entry on ‘Spate Exploration’ and I went down to be presented with it. While at the Exhibition, I visited the Russian Stand to make a complaint about the lack of help I had received from the Soviet Embassy. I spoke to the Trade Delegate who offered his help in any matter related to my interest.

When I was informed about the set of signed covers, I contacted him, and asked if he could obtain me a set from Russia. This he did at £13 for the set. I have never seen this set offered since, and I shudder to think what they will be worth today.

Apollo Covers

When the first landing on the Moon was made by Apollo 11 there was a large demand for autographs of the Moon team, this demand was filled in the main by the use of the Autopen. To obtain the personal signatures I took the chance of sending a Samoa Splash down cover to the U.S. Embassy when the astronauts visited London. To make things easier I enclosed a return post label. 

When my cover was returned ‘signed’ they also signed the label and returned it with the Samoa cover. I now have two sets of autographs. As the signed label was not much use as it was, I stuck it an a card applied a Belgian space stamp and sent it to Brussels requesting it to be posted back to me. To my delight it was returned with a special visit postmark. As can be seen, unlike the Autopen, the Autographs are not exactly the same.

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