1976 State Flags Sc 1633-1682 FDC Complete Fleetwood Album Set

This is a high-quality, complete collection of First Day Covers (FDCs) featuring the iconic State Flags se-tenant sheet issued for the American Bicentennial. Produced by Fleetwood, this set remains one of the most popular and ambitious philatelic projects of the 1970s.

• Year of Issue: 1976.

• Scott Numbers: Sc 1633 through Sc 1682 (Complete set of 50).

• Cachet Producer: Fleetwood.

• Cachet Design: Each cover features a sophisticated, multi-color engraved cachet specific to each state. The design includes:

  • The State Flag in full color.

  • An engraved depiction of a statue or monument representing a famous figure from that state's history (e.g., Jabez L.M. Curry for Alabama, Charles M. Russell for Montana).

  • Biographical text and the date the state was admitted to the Union.

• Condition: Premium unaddressed and clean covers, housed in the original deluxe burgundy presentation album with gold-stamped "The Flags of the Fifty States" lettering. Includes the accompanying descriptive booklet.

• First Day of Issue (FDOI) Cancel: All covers bear the official circular postmark from Washington, D.C., dated Feb 23, 1976.

• Special Marking: A "FIRST DAY OF ISSUE" machine slogan cancel ties each individual state stamp to its corresponding cover.

🇺🇸 The Bicentennial State Flags: A Philatelic First

The 1976 State Flags issue was a landmark event in United States postal history, representing the first time the USPS issued a sheet containing 50 different stamp designs.

• Massive Coordination: To produce this set, Fleetwood commissioned original artwork for all 50 states, ensuring that each cachet told a unique story of local pride within the larger national Bicentennial narrative.

• The Washington, D.C. Ceremony: The stamps were released in the nation's capital on February 23, 1976. This date was chosen to coincide with the winter meeting of the National Governors' Conference, allowing representatives from every state to participate in the unveiling.

• Historical Statues: The inclusion of state-specific statuary in the cachets provides an "outdoor museum" feel to the collection. For example, Alabama's cover features Jabez Curry (educator and diplomat), while Montana's features Charles M. Russell (the legendary "Cowboy Artist").

• Educational Value: The Fleetwood set was designed to be a permanent historical reference. The combination of the flag, the admission date, and the biographical narrative on the reverse of each cover makes this a comprehensive study of the Union.

This complete album set is a premier collectible for specialists in Bicentennial philately, State Flag topicals, or Fleetwood premium editions. Finding a fully intact, unaddressed set in the original publisher's album is a cornerstone achievement for any serious 20th-century U.S. collection.