# 4901398 - 1993 Postal Museum - Pony Express Tab Proofcard (US #2780)

 

Although delivering mail by horseback was not a new practice – about 500 B.C. Persian postriders carried messages distances of 1,500 miles in just over 7 days – it continued to be America’s main mode of postal transportation until the late 1800s. On April 3, 1860, the famed Pony Express system of continuous horse-and-rider relays launched its inaugural journey from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California. At 5:30 p.m., on the 13th, the final messenger reached his destination. Such colorful Old West characters as “Buffalo Bill” Cody and “Pony Bob” Haslam braved the dangers of wilderness travel to move mail across the 1,800-mile route. To accomplish this feat, riders changed horses six to eight times between the 157 stations along the way. The mail was carried in a special pouch called a mochila. This rectangular piece of leather was fitted with four locked pockets for mail, and cut-outs for the saddle horn and seat. During a change of horses, the mailbag was quickly lifted off one animal and thrown on another. This piece of equipment was vital for keeping within the two-minute limit allowed for relay stops. Despite its fame, the existence of the Pony Express was brief. With the advent of the transcontinental telegraph, on October 26, 1861, the mail-toting steeds were halted forever.

 

The stamp on this First Edition Proofcard – US #2780 – pays tribute to those early pioneers of mail delivery, and also commemorates the opening of the National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C., on July 30, 1993.

 

 

 

Often called the ultimate philatelic issue, the Fleetwood Proofcard is a distinctive commemorative with an elegantly embossed surface. Each Proofcard bears an original work of art complementing the theme of the stamp and created exclusively for Fleetwood by a leading American artist. Proofcards are often collected on their own, but would also make a beautiful addition to your existing stamp or cover collection.