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: Saturday July 31, 2010.

j

Click on Photos

Steve Durst reports finding another unnumbered Beck on an unlikely cover, the USS Yorktown newsletter for the Apollo 8 recovery by the ship and cancelled on the recovery date, December 27, 1968.  The printed Beck cachet is orange and unnumbered, and really stands out.  USS Yorktown newsletter as mailed from the ship by the ship's Public Affairs Officer.

Newsletter with recovery date
Scan courtesy of Steve Durst

Ship's name on bottom of cancel

The scan to the right shows a blocked out "Pacific" and "Atlantic" added to the cachet.

Scan courtesy of Ross Smith

In July 2007, Dan Duffy reports another example of this very scarce cover, making it 4 total observed.   It has the VIP address label seen on other covers.

Also see Beck 733

This is a machine cancel.  The hand cancel is very rare and not observed on a Beck cover.  Watch for the hand cancel on a Beck.  If you have one, report it to this Webmaster.  A hand cancel on a Beck would be worth $200.

Scan courtesy of Tom Steiner
Example of this cover with a missing background color.

Scan courtesy of Tom Steiner
Example of this cover with a missing background color.

Beck's Log shows 493 cachets printed for 801

Beck's Log shows 493 cachets printed for 801

An example sold for $27.05  5/09

Beck's Log shows 493 cachets printed for 801

The Hornet hand cancel on 801 and 802 are seen less frequently than either of the machine cancels.
Est. Value $75-100

Another example of this elusive hand cancel.  Note that this cover is addressed to Robert Boudwin, a very well know space cover dealer.

Beck's Log shows 474 cachets printed for 802

Beck's Log shows 474 cachets printed for 802

Cover at right has the autopen autograph of Neil Armstrong, the first man to step on the moon in 1969.  the postmark is from the USS Hornet.

Beck's Log shows 474 cachets printed for 802

The Hornet hand cancel on 801 and 802 are seen less frequently than either of the machine cancels.
Est. Value $75-100

An example of this cover sold for about $40 Feb 2006.

Beck's Log shows 463 cachets printed for 803

Also watch for B803 and B804 with A.M.
This cancel exists on RS cachets but not observed on Beck.

Another example of B803.  This one is signed by the Apollo 11 "Hawaii Rescue Two"  aircraft unit signed by the team members !

Beck's Log shows 456 cachets printed for 804

Also watch for B803 and B804 with A.M.
This cancel exists on RS cachets but not observed on Beck.

Beck's Log shows 465 cachets printed for 805

Beck's Log shows 465 cachets printed for 805, but only about 25 were printed without the cachet number.  Beck gave these covers to the ships crew for VIP usage.  That is why it is called a CREW cover.

Beck's Log shows 449 cachets printed for 806

Beck's Log shows 449 cachets printed for 806

Beck's Log shows 449 cachets printed for 806

Beck's Log shows 444 cachets printed for 807

Beck's Log shows 444 cachets printed for 807

Note that the difference in the two above lines is the position of the A.M. in the postmark.

We don't know how many covers were cancelled with each type of cancel.

Beck's Log shows 444 cachets printed for the numbered 807, but does not show a quantity printed for the CREW cover, given to the ship.  It is believed that about 25 covers of each design were sent unnumbered to the navy for this flight, but we have no confirmation on this.

Note that this cover has the same date cancel as first B807 cover listed above.
We don't know how many covers were cancelled with each type of cancel.

Scan from SB Milstein Feb 07

This is a CREW cover because it doesn't have the Beck number.

This cover is listed under B807 because most B807 covers  were postmarked by the USS New.  Beck's printing log did not specifically identify the cachet number with a ship as he did for some earlier flights.

Beck's Log shows 444 cachets printed for 807

Another example.  Note the cancel has a straight line cancel, no date.
 

This is a machine cancel. The hand cancel exists but not observed on a Beck cover.  If you have a Beck cover with a hand cancel for this event please send scan to Owen Murray.

This is not a Beck cover.  It is an Artopages cover.  We show it here to illustrate the USS Hornet hand cancel for this event.  Not observed on a Beck cover.

Ship's name is at BOTTOM of cancel.

Beck's Log shows 668 cachets printed for 838

Sold for about $30 on eBay.

Close-up of the skewed cancel

Ship's name is at BOTTOM of cancel.

Beck's Log shows 668 cachets printed for 838

Ship's name is at TOP of cancel.

Beck's Log shows 668 cachets printed for 838

Scan courtesy Luc Jallot

Beck's Log shows 621cachets printed for 839

This is the splashdown date for Apollo 14.  Note that the cachet on the reverse of the cover is dated.

We have seen two examples of this cover. One was offered on eBay in July 2008 by RJIPhilatelics.

Beck's Log shows 626 cachets printed for 840

The actual color of the lunar craft is actually gold/yellow and not the gray/silver shown in this scan.  See note below.

CREW

Beck's Log shows 626 cachets printed for 840

Both CREW covers shown at right are the same color.  Any difference in color is due to the quality of the scan.  The bottom cover is closer to the actual cover.

The color of this color is true to actual color. This Beck CREW cover was sold on eBay in September 2008 $19.95
Scan Courtesy Ross Smith

Beck's Log shows 1098 cachets printed for 841

CREW

rjiphilatelics.

This might be a one-of-a-kind cover.  It is the Beck Apollo 14, Atlantic cachet CREW COVER.  Postmarked at Kennedy Space Center on Feb. 9, 1971, the recovery date.  It also has the Official Blue KSC Cachet. 

This VERY RARE cover is likely worth over $100 because it is so unique.

Take a good look because it is likely the only one you will ever see with the #9

Note that the colors for all the 841 covers are the same, blue, red and silver/gray.  Any differences is due to scans.

CREW

The scan for this cover was sent to us by David Ball.

See the line above.

If any collectors have more information about these covers please contact us.

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: Saturday July 31, 2010.