Last week, thousands of people descended on Sacramento. It wasn’t a repeat of the amazing California Gold Rush of 1849 though there were some monetary similarities. This time, throngs came to attend the Great American Stamp Show – the event held annually in various cities for hobbyists from around the world to buy, sell, trade and gawk-at collectible stamps worth millions of dollars.
Sacramento is just a stone’s throw from Modesto – about 75 miles. In any other state, 75 miles might be a considerable distance. Not in California. Many people there actually commute that distance daily. Others sit on the freeways for three or four hours driving to and from work. Consequently, cars are ubiquitous in the Golden State. It will be interesting to see what happens in 2035. That’s when pending legislation would ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars in the state....
Modesto was the setting for American Graffiti, arguably the most iconic movie about the 1960s. Though certainly a love story, American Graffiti focused largely on the classic cars that cruised the Modesto strip. (Though set in Modesto – the boyhood home of the film’s director George Lucas – the movie was filmed in Petaluma, also near Sacramento.)
If shot today, the cost for renting the vintage cars and hot rods seen in the film surely would come with a hefty price tag. Not so in 1973 when the film was made. Those countless old vehicles were locally sourced. Owners were paid $25 plus the chance to hang out with the young “stars” and watch the film being made. (In his film debut, Harrison Ford was told to get a flattop haircut for his role as hot-rodder Bob Falfa. Ford, a successful carpenter who really didn’t care if he was in the film or not, refused. As a compromise, Director George Lucas allowed him to wear a straw Stetson cowboy hat in his scenes.)
The rite-of-passage cruising of the ‘60s may be just a memory for most, other than those attending this month’s stamp show in Sacramento. At the show, the U.S Postal Service officially issued the latest commemorative stamps honoring memorable “Pony” cars, built beginning in 1964. That was the year Car Life editor Dennis Shattuck coined the term inspired by the Ford Mustang. He used the name “pony cars” as a blanket description for the customized autos that were instantly so popular.
By definition, the vehicles also fall into the “muscle car” category. Those are traditionally hot rod cars with hefty engines that make them particularly suited for drag racing.
During the 1940s, ‘50s and early ‘60s, automobile images and advertising was directed at the mature family man seeking massive vehicles. By the mid-60s, automakers started catering to a rapidly growing young driver customer base. Instead of the previous “bulge-mobiles” found in their parent’s garages, that new target wanted fast, sporty and affordable cars that were less bulky and more fun.
The five new stamps have a current face-value of 60-cents each. Their “Forever” status makes them usable for whatever the prevailing First-Class rate may be for a one-ounce letter in the future.
A popular area of topical collecting for hobbyists has been collecting only stamps depicting a particular topic – in this case, automobiles. That’s a broad category that even includes a 2018 sheet of 10 stamps showcasing popular Hot Wheels toy cars. These five new stamps are a good addition evoking substantial memories.
For anyone who owns one of the cars, or dreamed about owning one, collectible First Day of Issue cancels on the stamps are available by mail. To obtain them, purchase the stamps at a local post office, affix one to a self-addressed envelope and send that inside of a separate mailing envelope to: FDOI Pony Cars Stamp; USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services; 8300 NE Underground Drive; Suite 300; Kansas City, MO 64144-9900.
All requests must be submitted no later than December 25. The specially canceled envelopes will be returned via regular mail.
For more collecting advice, visit www.PRexford.com