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

Home     Morris W. Beck Cover Basics      About this Web Site      Contact
Beck Space Cachet Designs     #6 USS Dace Overprint  #220 USS Lowry
Beck 929 Hawkins    Cover Varieties Oddities  Beck's Messages  Astronaut Autographs
1943-1970's Events     Nuclear Ships     Foreign    President Series     States Series    First Day Covers   

The Numbered Series    About the Series  1-50    51-99 MA-8   S,100-150   151-200   201-250   251-299   300-350 MA-9
  351-402   403-455    456-514 GT-2    515-569 GT-3, GT-4, GT-5    570-621 GTA-6 GT-7    622-687 AS-201, GTA-8, GTA-9, GTA-10, AP-3, GTA-11  
688-769 AS-202, GTA-12, AS-204, AS-501, AS-502, AP-7     770-841 AP-8, AP-9, AP-10, AP-11, AP-12, AP-13, AP-14  
  842-899 AP-14, AP-15, AP-16, AP-17, SL-II, SL-III, SL-IV     900-951   952-1000 ASTP

Articles and Resources: Apollo PRS Postmarked in Hawaii
ASTP USS New Orleans July 25, 1975 onboard Cover
How postage rates affected collecting  Beck Printing Log for Numbered Series
  Updated Checklist Nov 2009   GTA-8 USS Boxer  Quantities
        Download Checklists  Join the Space Unit  Join the USCS  Email Mailing List  Other Collector Links

Copyright ©2003-2010 Owen R Murray.  All Rights Reserved.      Revised: Sunday January 03, 2010.

j

Click on Photos

The exact origin of this cover is uncertain, but it is a CREW cover and likely printed on the ship.  It is not the usual rubber stamp BECK cachet applied on board the ship.  For other examples of this type of CREW cover printed on board, see Beck cover 634 Boxer.

Update Feb. 2007.  The exact origin of this two-color cachet is still uncertain.  It is doubtful that Beck printed this.  It is still believed that someone on one of the ships or stationed at Hawaii printed these covers based on Beck's design.

The four covers shown below also have the same 2 color cachet.

Covers from:
USS Hollister
USS Kawishiwi
USS Ozbourn
USS Joseph Strauss

 If you have any information about these covers, please send Owen Murray an email.

We believe that this cover exists with Beck 705 and the Nov 16 date.  If you have an example, please send a scan to us.

Hand Cancel

Any color variations in the scans are from scans.  The cachets are same and colors are the same.
 

Any color variations in the scans are from scans.  The cachets are same and colors are the same.

Hand Cancel

This is the only one observed.  Previously unlisted.
 

Hand Cancel

The hand cancel is seen on many GTA-12 Wasp covers with the Beck designed rubber stamp cachet, but the hand cancel on Beck 709 cachet is almost impossible to find.  This is the only one we have seen in over 40 years.  If you have one in your collection, please send us a scan.

Hand cancel

Cover above is the B710 Wasp hand cancel postmarked after the recovery date.  It is postmarked on November 25, 1966.  Scan is courtesy of Dr. Ross J. Smith.
 

This is the only one we have seen.

Added October 2008

Scan courtesy of Pete Thorsell of eBay dealer PeteStamps.

Cachets 712-715 were printed with the word Pacific.  716-720 were printed with the word Atlantic.

On Jan. 27 1967 a fire on the launch pad killed the crew of 3 during a test.

In honor of the astronauts, the mission As-204 was renamed to Apollo 1.

Cachets 712-716 were never returned.

Cachets 717-720 were held by the Navy and postmarked for the AS-501 flight on Nov. 9 1967.

The Pacific covers 712-716 were never returned.

The Atlantic covers 716-720 were held for AS-501.

Cover was held by Navy and postmarked Nov. 9 1967 for AS-501 unmanned flight.

Click to see note that was sent inside envelope. 

At right: B716 cover with popular airmail envelope.

Cover was held by Navy and postmarked Nov. 9 1967 for AS-501 unmanned flight.

At right: B717 cover with popular airmail envelope.

According to Beck's Printing Log this number was planned for AS-204/Apollo 1.

See the note below for B720 USS Essex.

The appearance of a yellow background on this cover is due to the scan and the tone of the envelope.  The actual color of the cachets in the B716-720 series is consistent.

Cover was held by Navy and postmarked Nov. 9 1967 for AS-501 unmanned flight.

Cover was held by Navy and postmarked Nov. 9 1967 for AS-501 unmanned flight.

The appearance of a yellow background on this cover is due to the scan and the tone of the envelope.  The actual color of the cachets in the B716-720 series is consistent.

Cover was held by Navy and postmarked Nov. 9 1967 for AS-501 unmanned flight.

According to Beck's Printing Log this number was planned for AS-204/Apollo 1.

The B720 cover was sent to the Essex for postmarking because the Essex was to be the PRS for Apollo 1.  When that mission was cancelled the cover was held for the next event that the Essex participated in which was Apollo 7.

The appearance of a yellow background on this cover is due to the scan and the tone of the envelope.  The actual color of the cachets in the B716-720 series is consistent.
 

Dr. Ross Smith makes the following point:
The real question is how did most of the B720 covers find their way to KSC. Maybe they were returned from the Essex to the Navy with a few being kept as a souvenir and then modified for Apollo 7.

Unmanned
Saturn/Apollo 4
AS-501

Unmanned
Saturn/Apollo 4
AS-501

Unmanned
Saturn/Apollo 4
AS-501

Unmanned
Saturn/Apollo 4
AS-501

Unmanned
Saturn/Apollo 4
AS-501

Unmanned
Saturn/Apollo 4
AS-501

Hand Cancel

Previously unlisted

Unmanned
Saturn/Apollo 4
AS-501

Unmanned
Saturn/Apollo 4
AS-501

Unmanned
Saturn/Apollo 4
AS-501

Unmanned
Saturn/Apollo 4
AS-501

Unmanned
Saturn/Apollo 4
AS-501

This previously unlisted cover was sent to us by Dan Duffy.  Dan has two copies of this cover.  This cover has the VIP label we have seen on a number of unique covers.  Also see B784 and B805

S

Added July 2007

Added 2/2010

Previously unlisted

This cover is a B757 postmarked on the USS Nicholas for Apollo 7 recovery. This is the first B757 we have seen.

Beck's hand-written printing log shows B756 and B757 were designated for Pacific recovery ships. Until now, the only Apollo7 Pacific covers observed were from USS Cochrane.  The cover shown might be a unique cover.  Note the handwritten note above the cachet.  " D. R. Ray USS Nicholas DD-449"  It appears to be the same handwriting as the address.. 

We have always assumed that when the US Navy received the shipment of printed envelopes from Mr. Beck, they sent all the covers to the Cochrane.  Now we know that at least one made it to the Nicholas. 

Prime Recovery Ship.  Correct Cover for this number.

Another example

Most cancels on this issue are of poor quality.   Ships RS Cachet on reverse

Above: Another example of the USS Butte.  Note the poor cancel which is typical on this cover.  The rubber stamp shown here is on the reverse of the cover applied by the ship.


Above: Cachet printing error.  Brown missing.  Only green and Red printed.  See HERE

Home     Morris W. Beck Cover Basics      About this Web Site      Contact
Beck Space Cachet Designs     #6 USS Dace Overprint  #220 USS Lowry
Beck 929 Hawkins    Cover Varieties Oddities  Beck's Messages  Astronaut Autographs
1943-1970's Events     Nuclear Ships     Foreign    President Series     States Series    First Day Covers   

The Numbered Series    About the Series  1-50    51-99 MA-8   S,100-150   151-200   201-250   251-299   300-350 MA-9
  351-402   403-455    456-514 GT-2    515-569 GT-3, GT-4, GT-5    570-621 GTA-6 GT-7    622-687 AS-201, GTA-8, GTA-9, GTA-10, AP-3, GTA-11  
688-769 AS-202, GTA-12, AS-204, AS-501, AS-502, AP-7     770-841 AP-8, AP-9, AP-10, AP-11, AP-12, AP-13, AP-14  
  842-899 AP-14, AP-15, AP-16, AP-17, SL-II, SL-III, SL-IV     900-951   952-1000 ASTP

Articles and Resources: Apollo PRS Postmarked in Hawaii
ASTP USS New Orleans July 25, 1975 onboard Cover
How postage rates affected collecting  Beck Printing Log for Numbered Series
  Updated Checklist June 2008   GTA-8 USS Boxer  Quantities
        Download Checklists   Join the Space Unit  Join the USCS  Email Mailing List    Other Collector Links
 

Please note that the naval covers illustrated on this Web site are for reference only and not for sale.
This is a private Web site for the enjoyment of collectors of navy covers. 

Back to Top

Please send comments, additions, corrections or questions to Owen R. Murray

Also see Owen's Photography Website for a monthly computer desktop calendar. 
Owen's original photography is used on a new calendar each month since 2000.

Copyright ©2003-2010 Owen R Murray.  All Rights Reserved        Revised: Sunday January 03, 2010.