SCCS/NLP Historical Research
Timeline
SCCS/NLP Historical Research
Timeline
Space City Cover Society (SCCS) started in January of 1967 in Houston, Texas just shortly before the Apollo 1 accident. SCCS was created by Harry Anderson and M. Allen Banks and began issuing commemorative covers documenting all aspects of the U.S. Space Program. Also in 1967, SCCS started the NASA Local Post (NLP) and began creating covers bearing the local post stamps (Lo-Po). Covers were produced with and without the Lo-Po stamps. |
For the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Air Mail Service, SCCS in cooperation with Granville Elder, Houston Postmaster, flew mail by helicopter from NASA Mission Control to the downtown Houston Post Office. To commemorate the event, SCCS created covers that were carried along with the mail being transported by helicopter to the main post office. The covers were canceled upon arrival at the main post office. (Document-94) |
SCCS took part in the first day of issue ceremony for the Apollo 8 six-cent commemorative stamp that was issued in Houston on May 5, 1969. SCCS created a multi-colored cachet cover that was included in the official ceremony program given to the astronauts in attendance. The first day programs were printed by the Houston Post Office in their print shop on paper provided by SCCS. (Document-54) (Document-94) (Document-108) |
M. Allen Banks co-founder of SCCS/NLP passed away on June 22, 1969. Banks also founded "Treyco" a first-day cover company. "Treyco" cachets were used to collect cancels on the day of the Apollo 1 accident. |
SCCS serviced covers for the Apollo 11, "First Man on the Moon" stamp, in two different cites, Washington, D.C. and Houston, Texas. While Washington, D.C. was the official first day city, Houston became the "unofficial first day city." SCCS arranged to purchase stamps early in the morning on September 9, 1969 and had them flown to Houston by a special courier. Volunteers were on hand in Houston to apply the stamps to the three different SCCS covers. Covers were then carried to the post office for canceling and by five o'clock that afternoon all the covers had been canceled with the Houston, September 9, 1969, p.m. machine cancel. The Houston covers also bore a NASA Local Post commemorative stamp and hand cancel. Since there was a fee paid to the persons who transported the covers to the Houston Main Post Office for cancellation, this became the first legitimate use of the NASA Local Post. (Document-94) |
To commemorate the ten initial honoree's, SCCS issued a NASA Local Post souvenir sheet and cover for the event. SCCS also canceled dinner programs bearing the NASA Local Post stamp that was created for the event. SCCS provided souvenir sheets and programs to those in attendance of the event. (Document-94) |
The "Space Log" a publication of the Space City Cover Society was first released in April of 1971 and was sent free to those collectors who provide stamped-self-addressed envelopes. "Space Log" detailed current and historical space events as well as information on covers being produced by SCSC. (Document-109) |
Space City Cover Society and the Space City Courier Service held the Houston Texas Mailer’s Postmark Permit (MPP) #1. A Mailer's Postmark Permit is a cancellation applied by a mailer to a piece of mail before depositing it with the USPS for mailing. SCCS was authorized to use Permit #1 by the Main Houston Post Office on July 3, 1972. (Document-97) (Document-135) |
The NASA Local Post ended with the beginning of the Space Shuttle Orbital Missions, starting with STS-5. As of the last STS-4 Lo-Po, SCCS had created 96 NASA Local Post Souvenir Sheets. Approximately 260 different SCCS covers with a single NLP Lo-Po attached had been created. (Document-94) |
Harry Anderson turned over most of the day-to-day operations of SCCS to two individuals. One individual took care of getting the mail, opening and depositing the checks. The other individual filled orders and also took care of the mail. Anderson continued to design covers, obtained photographs, type set and readied copy for the printer. Operations personnel were not identified by name. (Document-121) |
SCCS continued to produce covers without the Lo-Po stamps. SCCS covers from 1983 to 1992 have been found. It would appear that SCCS went out of business sometime in late 1992 or 1993. An untold amount of covers had been produced. |
From April of 1971 to today all of the "Space Log" publications were produced on 8½" X 11" paper. Effective in October of 1988, the new format for "Space Log" will be in a booklet style of 5½" X 8½" size. (Document-140) |
Harry Anderson relinquished being President of SCCS due to a serious illness. Four people were selected during this time frame to guide the SCCS cover program and club activities. (Document-122) |
In the 1980's SCCS helped form "Space City", a future space colony. It was organized to help set up private space agency departments such as a postal system. (Document-103) |
By the late 1980's and into the early 1990's, the use of the Space City Cover Society name was being eliminated, with only the SCCS initials and logo being used. By the end of the 1990's, the name "Space City" was replacing the Space City Cover Society name. The long time Space City Cover Society Post Office Box address of 53545, Houston, Texas, 77052, was changed to Box 36192, Houston, Texas, 77236. |
Harry Anderson the long time president of SCCS/NLP passed away on January 24, 2010, leaving a legacy of covers behind him. (Document-28) |
After Harry’s passing, the Mary Jane & Association Stamp Shop helped sell the bulk of the SCCS/NLP estate. Mystic Stamp Company of Camden, New York bought most of the covers and in 2011 placed them up for sale with Regency Superior Auctions of St. Louis and Los Angeles. |
In September of 2010, Gerard’s Stamps, posted a large lot of SCCS/NLP material on e-Bay and BidStart Internet auction sites. The material consisted of approximately 500,000 covers, NLP Lo-Po sheets, original NASA Press Kits, historical documents and photos. Most of the material sold, however Gerard’s Stamps still offers a small selection of NLP material on e-Bay. (Document-40) (Document-29) |
Regency Superior held an auction at ORCOEXPO (Orange County Expo) Stamp Show in Anaheim, California, on January 28-30, 2011 that featured a 1968 Apollo 8 NASA Local Post Presentation Folder that was signed by the Apollo 8 crew (Borman, Lovell and Anders). Inside of the presentation folder was the A-3-NLP NASA Local Post souvenir sheet. The presentation folder fetched $675.00. Regency Superior had estimated the value of the folder was between $750.00 and $1,000.00. (Document-43) Also featured in this auction was Lot #588, "1969-81 NASA Local Post Cover Hoard" containing over 700 covers. The cover lot fetched $850.00. Regency Superior had estimated the value of the covers were between $700.00 and $900.00. (Document-46) |
Regency Superior held an auction in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 10-12, 2011 that featured 10,000 or more of NASA Local Post souvenir sheets, including some covers. The lot fetched $1,000.00. Regency Superior had estimated the value of the lot between $1,000.00 and $1,500.00. (Document-45) |
Heritage Auctions held an auction in Dallas, Texas, on November 30, 2011 that featured an Apollo 8 crew signed First Day Cover. The cover was a First Day of Issue for the Apollo 8 stamp, Scott #1371, released in 1969. The cover originally belonged to Astronaut Paul Weitz and came with a letter of authenticity. The cover fetched $2,031.50. (Document-47) |
In another Regency Superior auction held at the ORCOEXPO (Orange County Expo) Stamp Show in Anaheim, California, on February 3-5, 2012, featured a lot of 45,000 NASA Local Post covers. The lot of covers fetched $4,250.00. Regency Superior had estimated the value of the covers was between $4,000.00 and $6,000.00. (Document-44) |
Regency Superior held an auction in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 9-10, 2012, that featured an autographed Apollo 11 launch cover (A-06-NLP-FDC-1) signed by Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins. The cover fetched $3,500.00. Regency Superior had estimated the value of the cover between $1,500.00 and $2,000.00. (Document-49) Also featured in this auction was Lot #313, "1960's-70's Space City Cover Society Covers & NASA Local Post Stamps" containing over 400 covers. The cover lot fetched $250.00. Regency Superior had estimated the value of the covers between $350.00 and $500.00. (Document-50) |
An e-Bay Auction in October of 2013 listed a blue cachet version of the Apollo 1 Memorial Cover (shown in Document-48) that sold for $157.50. (e-Bay Listing - Document-112) |
An e-Bay Auction in January of 2019 listed a orange cachet version of the Apollo 1 Memorial Cover (shown in Document-48) that sold for $152.50. (e-Bay Listing - Document-147) |