Morris W. Beck Naval Covers
Reference Catalog and Checklist for Collectors
Compiled and Managed by Owen R. Murray, A member of the USCS #5676, and ATA Space Unit #4500
 

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Articles: NEW Apollo PRS Postmarked in Hawaii
NEW ASTP USS New Orleans July 25, 1975 onboard Cover
  Beck Printing Log for Numbered Series
Resources Page Updated June 2008  Updated Checklist June 2008

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Copyright ©2003-2008 Owen R Murray.  All Rights Reserved.    Revised: Tuesday July 22, 2008.

Click on Photos

Beck's cover log shows that 482 covers were printed for cover #515. For each of the space issues, Mr. Beck sent about 25 printed envelopes to the Navy.  These did not have the "B" number on the cover as shown on the right.  The 25 covers were a gift from Mr. Beck to the ship's Captain and crew for handling the batch of collector's covers.  That is why it is called a CREW cover. Most of the CREW covers were given to senior crew members or VIPs on the ship.  These people were not cover collectors and to them, the cover was just a memento. 

These crew covers are very rare covers.  The autographed cover with Grissom's and Young's autograph is from the collection of Steve Durst. 

The two covers shown here are the only ones we have seen.

Most of these covers are forever lost and either destroyed or sitting in some box of old navy papers that will never be seen again by collectors. That is why these CREW covers are so RARE.

Est Value $100-125

It is believed that the Beck cover for USS Boston exists only as a CREW cover. No numbered covers have been observed for USS Boston. 
We have observed USS Boston covers for this event with the navy rubber stamp cachet.

Hand Cancel

BLUE

The USS Harold J Ellison covers for Gemini 3 is a very interesting series of covers.

Dr. Ross J Smith has studied this series and has provided additional information.

All Beck covers observed for USS Harold J Ellison for Gemini 3 event also have the ship's rubber stamp cachet on the reverse of each cover in RED.  The ship's cachet has not been observed in any color on a Beck cover other than red. 

However, on covers with the Navy rubber stamp cachet (on the front), the ship's cachet can appear on the reverse in colors other than red.

Ship's cachet on reverse in RED

BLACK

BROWN/GOLD

The Brown/Gold cancel has only been observed on one Beck Cover.  This might be a unique cover.

Note the pencil writing in the address area. #140.
There is no other address.  One speculation is that this refers to US Navy Task Force #140.  If that is correct, then this cover might have been processed for a crew member.

Also review this scan below.  Click on it to enlarge it.  Note the color of the cachet used on the Navy cachet.  It is the same color as the cancel used on the Beck cover.  The cover below with the Navy Brown/Gold cachet has the ship's cachet in Blue on the reverse.  The Beck cover has the ship's cachet in Red.

RED

BLUE

BLACK

BROWN/GOLD

RED