![]() This cover is interesting because of the multiple historical events being documented. It also is interesting because of the multiple postmark dates. The three events are (1) Vice-President Lyndon Johnson meeting with Pope John XXIII in September 1962, (2) Lyndon Johnson Presidential election on November 4th, 1964, and (3) the death of Lyndon Johnson on January 22, 1973. The two photos on the left side of the cover are from Johnson's Vice Presidential to the Vatican in September of 1962. The text on the cover seems to have been a papal message to Lyndon Johnson on winning the 1964 U.S. Presidential election from Pope Paul VI. Postmarks on the cover are dated November 4th, 1964, and January 22, 1973. (shown below) ![]() ![]() It is interesting to have two Vatican postmarks with such different dates. The 1/22/1973 postmark to the right appears to be an airmail postmark and looks to be Type II-6. VPS documentation (and the German Study Group) states that this type was recorded as being used from 11/11/1949 to 3/16/1961. The 11/4/1964 postmark to the right looks to be a handstamp I-54Type. Recorded usage on this type is from 3/21/1963 to 1/1/66. So, the cover has one postmark within a reasonable usage timeframe and one that does not seem reasonable. One has to wonder how the two different postmarks were obtained on the same cover. Any ideas? Is this really something being done by the Vatican Post Office? Let us know your thoughts. |