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

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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.

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Click on Photos

Number produced: 340

Number produced: 313

Number produced: 420

Number produced: 460

Number produced: 285

Number produced: 252

Number produced: 239

Number produced: 481

Number produced: 430

Number produced: 301

Number produced: 379

Number produced: 493

Number produced: 352

See Note Found in Cover

Front     Back

Number produced: 411

Number produced: 277

Number produced: 350

Number produced: 427

Beck printing log=311+25+2ndMailing 42=378.
2nd mailing means that Beck sent a second batch of covers to the Navy, probably along with covers 331-342.

Since the ship's name is not printed on the cover, the covers may have been distributed in any manner by Navy.

Scan courtesy of Dr Ross Smith

Extra line rubber stamped below Date of Recovery-"Date of Blastoff"
 

This example has a rubber stamp added.

Beck's printing log indicates that B317 was designated for USS Fletcher.

Number produced: 355

Beck's printing log indicates that B317 was designated for USS Fletcher.

See comment under B317 USS Fletcher

Beck's printing log indicates that B317 was designated for USS Fletcher.

For more information, see Beck's printing log for this issue HERE.

See comment under B317 USS Fletcher

Beck's printing log indicates that B317 was designated for USS Fletcher.

See comment under B317 USS Fletcher

Beck's printing log indicates that B317 was designated for USS Fletcher.

Consider two Beck covers for Gordon Cooper's flight in 1963 postmarked on the prime recovery ship, USS Kearsarge.

According to Mr. Beck's cachet printing log B317 cachet was intended for USS Fletcher and not USS Kearsarge.  B323 was the correct cachet for USS Kearsarge.

Mr. Beck sent a total of 378 printed B317 envelopes to the US Navy for this flight.  The box was marked so all the B317 covers would go to USS Fletcher.

That is not what happened.  The US Navy distributed the B317 envelopes to at least 7 different ships including USS Kearsarge.  This means that the actual number of covers cancelled by USS Fletcher is far less than 378.  No one knows the real quantity. 

This means that the quantity of B317 covers cancelled on the other ships including USS Kearsarge is VERY LOW.  Our guess is 50 or less USS Kearsarge covers exist on B317.

USS Kearsarge is the only known cancel for B323, the correct cachet number for USS Kearsarge.  Nearly 300 B323 were produced.

Conclusion is that USS Kearsarge B317 cover is worth much more than the Kearsarge B323 for the same event.  The B323 covers sells on eBay for $100 or more.

Very Scarce
Prime Recovery Ship. Ship Cachet on reverse
Scan courtesy of Paul Huber

The two covers shown here are addressed to the same collector, Edwin L Lyons

Another example below:

Scan of cover from the collection of Eddie Bizub via the estate of Richard Learn. Added 5/09

Front and back example scans courtesy of Charlie Hamilton.  Added 5/09

Scan courtesy of Luc Jallot

Beck's printing log indicates that B317 was designated for USS Fletcher.

See comment under B317 USS Fletcher

Beck's printing log indicates that B317 was designated for USS Fletcher.

The J W Thomason cover for this event has been observed with either the AM or PM cancels.  See 327 below. 

See comment under B317 USS Fletcher

Paul Huber notes that the four 317 covers listed above were pencil addressed to Edwin L Lyons. Our guess is that someone in the Navy intercepted these envelopes and sent them home or to a relative.  If Edwin Lyons was a collector, we likely would have seen more covers like these. This is only our guess.

Beck's printing log indicates that B317 was designated for USS Fletcher.

Number produced: 355

Beck's printing log indicates that B318-was for USS John A Bole.|
 

WHAT IS A CREW COVER?  Click HERE

This is the only CREW for B318 we have seen.

Beck's printing log indicates that B318-was for USS John A Bole.|

Number produced: 349

Number produced: 338

Number produced: 288

Extra line rubber stamped below Date of Recovery-"West of Intl Dateline"

Beck's printing log indicates that B321-was for USS Duncan.
 

The cover at the lower right shows an additional rubber stamp below the printed line "Date of Recovery"  The rubber stamp says, "West of Intl Dateline"

It is believed that it was added by the US Navy to explain the date the cover was cancelled.  We are sure that Mr. Beck DID NOT apply the line "West of Intl Dateline".

Number produced: 316

Note extra line in cachet below "Date of Recovery" saying "West of Intl Dateline"

If you have any covers other than B322 with this extra line please send us a scan.

Beck's printing log indicates that  B322-was for USS De Haven
 

#323 sold for $125 on eBay 2005.

#323 sold for $100 on eBay Oct, 2008

Watch for Kearsarge Hand Cancel for this event. The HC has been observed on covers, but none seen on Beck.

Let us know if you have any Beck covers from the Kearsarge without the ships RS cachet on the back of the cover.

Number produced: 318

Beck's printing log indicates that B323-was for USS Kearsarge
 

Watch for Kearsarge Hand Cancel for this event. The HC has been observed on covers, but none seen on Beck.

WHAT IS A CREW COVER?  Click HERE
 

Number produced: 338

Another example.

Beck's printing log indicates that  B324-was for USS Taussig
 

Number produced: 250

Number produced: 318

CREW
 

This CREW cover is listed under 326 because it is the number for the Epperson cover.

Same as above without Beck Number. Crew Cover. Beck cover with no number CREW. 

Beck's printing log indicates that B326-was for USS Epperson
 

Number produced: 338

Beck's printing log indicates that B327-was for USS John W Thomason
 

Number produced: 283 or 383?

Hand Cancel

Number produced:

Number produced:

Number produced:

Number produced: 409

Number produced: 368

Variety: Date is over stamped

The cover at lower right sold on eBay for $32.00 11/05

Scan courtesy of Karl Hass

Beck's printing log indicates that  B332-was for USS Myles C Fox
 

Added 5/09

Beck's printing log indicates that  B332-was for USS Myles C Fox
 

Added 5/09

Number produced: 360

Number produced: 356

Extra line rubber stamped below Date of Recovery- "Date of Blastoff"

Beck's printing log indicates that B334-was for USS Nantahala
 

CREW

This CREW cover is listed under 334 because it is the number for the Nantahala cover.

Number produced: 351

Number produced: 345

Beck's printing log indicates that  B336-was for USS Charles R Ware
 

Number produced: 342

Number produced: 342

Extra line rubber stamped above Date of Recovery-"May 16 1963"
We don't know if the USS Hyman added this line or if a collector did.

Beck's printing log indicates that  B338-was for USS Hyman
 

Number produced: 342

Number produced: 340

Number produced: 336

Number produced: 327

Number produced: 376 for collectors+ 10 PC +600 for customer = 986

Number produced: 411

Number produced: 365

Number produced: 431

Number produced: 413

Number produced: 545

Number produced: 478

Number produced: 547

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. 

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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.