1c Black on Buff, Postal Card (UX5). Cancelled by bold cross and "Springfield Mass. Sep. 30" (1875) double-circle datestamp, used to West Springfield Mass., addressed to "Master Ernest-Bagg in care of J W Gabb, West Springfield Mass.", manuscript "This card is the first one of the new issue ever mailed in the U.S. Sept. 30/75", this message is also repeated on back, insignificant edgewear not mentioned on accompanying certificate

VERY FINE. A REMARKABLE POSTAL CARD. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED FIRST DAY USE OF THIS POSTAL CARD. BASED ON THE NOTATION, THIS IS ALSO THE VERY FIRST EXAMPLE OF THIS POSTAL CARD MAILED ON THE OFFICIAL FIRST DAY OF ISSUE. FIRST DAY POSTAL CARDS FOR ANY ISSUE ARE EXTREMELY RARE. THIS ITEM IS UNIQUE.

According to the United States Postal Card Catalogue, for at least the first 50 years of postal card use, little attention was paid to observance of "first-day use" as we now know it. Even if an official first day of issue was announced, few cards, if any, were actually made available to the public on that day. In many instances, since no rate change was involved, postmasters were ordered to exhaust their stock of old cards before ordering a supply of the new.

Accompanied by article from July-Oct. 1965 Postal Stationery (p. 23) discussing this card. Prior to the discovery of this card, the earliest known use was October 5.

With 1992 P.F. certificate

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