The Mason Cancels
The Earliest Known Usage (EKU) Of
The Elvis Forever Stamp
David Saks walked into the Mason, Tennessee post office around 2:30 pm August 10th, 2015 and purchased three sheets of the Elvis Forever Stamps. They were cancelled with the Mason, Tennessee circular date stamp (CDS) of August 10, 2015. Two days early. They are the only known August 10th cancellations in the world.They are great philatelic rarities of extraordinary magnitude.They are known throughout the world as the Mason Cancels. David has the USPS receipt from the postal clerk which includes the August 10, 2015 cds. The photos are attached for you. David sent 16 of the stamps from one sheet to himself attached to letter sized envelopes with the plate postions of the sheet numbered from one through 16 to the left of each stamp located in the upper right corner of each envelope which also includes the August 10, 2015 circular date stamp cancellation. Seven arrived in David's mailbox Tuesday August 11th and the other 9 on Wednesday August 12th, the day of the FDC ceremony at Graceland of which David attended, all taking place two days prior to the national authorized official release of the stamp. Remarkably, David also obtained the first officially cancelled cover at Graceland August 12, 2015, as well, signed by the Postmaster Steve Cole and the USPS clerk John Whitaker, as #1.
Here's a link to that story:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Or92nMYOfM
The Very First Cancelled Elvis Presley Forever First Day Cover News media throughout the world wanted the story.
David spoke with Memphis Postmaster Steve Cole at Graceland at the Thursday, August 13th satellite cancellation station and he said that he didn't think the clerk would be dismissed, but couldn't answer that question with certainty. One of the postal inspectors, who visited David Tuesday morning, also echoed the thoughts of Postmaster Cole when David spoke with him early Thursday morning. He reiterated that they were satisfied that he had done nothing improper or illegal in his transaction with the postal clerk, as bribery, coercion, compulsion to sell or conspiracy were their chief concerns. The thought of such a crime or an attempt to acquire the sheets or covers in that fashion struck David with disgust and revulsion. He takes great pride in his hobby. David walked into the post office in Mason around 2:30pm on Monday August 10th, 2015, purchased the three sheets from the clerk, whom he had never seen before, had the letters addressed to himself and the sheets cancelled and drove to Graceland to show Elvis Presley Enterpises CEO Jack Soden. He then drove to the Commercial Appeal to show them to entertainment managing editor Peggy McKenzie. Peggy has written stories about David's enthusiasm for stamp collecting over the years. She was unavailable so her deputy editor, Mark Richens, decided to report on the story. More than anything, David's chief concern was his hope that the postal clerk would not be dismissed.The foregone conclusion of the others that he'd spoken with was that she would not be.
She kept her job. David would have been truly sorry if that had occurred, he'd have requested her reinstatement with a letter to the Postmaster if that had been a tragic outcome of a harrowing week, and David gladly would have returned the sheets if her job had been contingent upon it. U.S.P.S. postal inspectors allowed David to keep the early Mason Cancels. The other concern for some had been that David obtained the sheets with a profit motive.
If that were true he would have cancelled another sheet or set of envelopes in his possession on August 11th or sold them on eBay, or another auction, immediately after obtaining them, which he could have, and also profited handsomely. He did not.
David could have cancelled the other full mint sheet on August 11th, the Tuesday prior to the FDC event, had thirty-three full hours to do so, and did not. David did none of these things, and had plenty of time to do so. David simply wanted the philatelic community and Elvis fans to know that he's a stamp collector, not a stamp dealer, and desired an unparalleled variety of the stamp. The "Elvis Forever" Mason, Tennessee cancellations are radically distinctive and have no equal. David discovered a unique opportunity in Mason, Tennessee and obtained three Elvis Forever sheets early on August 10, 2015 in good faith. The Mason Cancels Are Not For Sale
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Please enjoy the following press releases, including the YouTube Videos, by clicking or copy and pasting the links below: http://archive.commercialappeal.com/entertainment/music/2-days-early-collector-buys-sheets-of-new-elvis-presley-stamps-ep-1225198677-324189821.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw9C18vyCyQ&feature=youtu.be
http://www.linns.com/en/news/stamp-news/2015/08/elvis-presley-stamps-sold-early-in-tennessee.html
http://postalnews.com/blog/2015/08/11/2-days-early-collector-buys-sheets-of-new-elvis-presley-stamps/
http://elvis-express.com/news2015-08-1403.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_Presley_forever_stamp