One of the exciting things about shopping on eBay is finding a true "find." Brent serendipitously acquired an historic mint sheet of the 1947 3-cent "Utah Centennial" postage stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first Mormon Pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley.
The sheet margin is signed by a number of LDS Church and U.S. Postal Service notables, including LDS Church 8th President George Albert Smith, David O. McKay (First Presidency second counselor and chair of the 1947 Utah Centennial Commission; later successor to George Albert Smith), Herbert B. Maw (8th governor of Utah), Earl J. Glade (25th mayor of Salt Lake City), Robert E. Hannegan (United States Postmaster General), I. A. Smoot (Salt Lake City Postmaster), Albert Goldman (New York City Postmaster), and Joseph J. Lawler (United States Third Assistant Postmaster General).
The sheet is dated July 24, 1947--the exact centennial date of Brigham Young's arrival.
Highlights in the Life of President David O. McKay by Jeanette McKay Morrell records this about the unveiling of the Utah Centennial stamp:
On July 24, at 9:30 a.m., the great This is the Place Monument was dedicated. The monument was commenced under the direction of President Heber J. Grant, the Monument Commission carrying on and completing their great task under the leadership of President George Albert Smith, who presided at the dedicatory exercises. President McKay addressed the fifty thousand people in attendance at the ceremony.
At 12:15 p.m., a formal luncheon honoring the Utah pioneers was served at the Hotel Utah, ushering in the use of the Centennial Stamp. Joseph J. Lawler, the Third Assistant Postmaster General, and R. E. Fellers, Stamp Superintendent of the United States Post Office Department, from Washington, D. C., were present for this occasion. Mr. Lawler lauded the hardy Mormon pioneers who elected to settle in the new-found freedom of the far west. He said that in selecting a design for the new Utah stamp, the Post Office had endeavored to bring a motif symbolic of that memorable and historic scene of the first wagon train arriving on this spot, July 24, 1847.
President McKay pointed out that the Centennial Stamp had done much to publicize Utah, and commended the Post Office officials for issuing a most appropriate commemorative stamp. Already half a million stamp collectors had requested stamps. Three million stamps were issued to Utah for the Centennial, and 125 million stamps had been printed. This was one of the largest and most popular issues the Post Office Department had witnessed.
The stamp is the second "Mormon" stamp (i.e., stamp with an LDS-related theme) ever issued. And all for just $45.55 (plus $7.63 shipping/handling).
Eureka!
Pictured above: Historic mint sheet; image of commemorative Utah Centennial Stamp Souvenir Program; members of the First Presidency and Utah Governor Herbert Maw seated at base of Brigham Young Statue at intersection on Main Street and South Temple on July 24, 1947. For further information, see:
Deseret News: Celebrating Pioneer Day in 1947; 100th anniversary of Mormons' arrival was party of the century, July 20, 2009
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