Lot #865: USA First Day Cover August 25, 1988 - USA 25¢ 1932 Packard (Scott #2385) - Official USPS Watercolor Cachet - Postmarked Detroit, Michigan

1988 USA Commemorative Cacheted First Day Cover - Watercolour picture of 1932 Packard automobile. Cachet by United States Postal Service. Stamped with 1988 USA Twenty-Five Cent "1932 Packard" Stamp (Scott #2385). Postmarked August 25, 1988 at Detroit, Michigan This 1988 First Day Cover (FDC) celebrates the 1932 Packard, a vehicle often considered the "gold standard" of American luxury during the Great Depression. As part of the "Classic Cars" series, it highlights the transition of the Packard Motor Car Company into the multi-cylinder era with the introduction of their refined Twin Six (later known as the Twelve). The Stamp is the 25 1932 Packard (Scott #2385). Issued on August 25, 1988, this stamp depicts the Packard at a time when the company was renowned for its "Ask the Man Who Owns One" slogan and its uncompromising engineering. The illustration focuses on the Packard's iconic radiator shell and the "Pelican" (or Cormorant) hood ornament, which became a symbol of pre-war prestige. The high-performance luxury of the 1932 Packard, specifically the L-29 model, which was revolutionary for being the first major American front-wheel-drive car. This 1988 specimen features an Official USPS Watercolor Cachet. The watercolor approach provides a softer, more artistic interpretation of the vehicle compared to the sharp lines of the stamp itself. By the late 1980s, the USPS frequently produced its own "Official" cachets printed using high-speed offset lithography to mimic the look of an original painting. Dimensions: 10.5 mm x 15 mm Pickup category timeslot {A}