14¢ American Indian turns up on first flight cover mailed to South Dakota

It feels like it has been a long time since I added anything to my collection of 14¢ American Indian stamps on cover. I recently spotted a cover on eBay, however, that caught my attention.

Mailed from Reno, Nevada, to Washington, D.C., this envelope was carried on the first CAM 18 route flight between Reno and Watertown, South Dakota.

I haven’t been able to find anything definite about the addressee, but the postmaster who autographed the cover, George Smith, apparently had some political connections. He served at least informally as an advisor on post office matters to one of Nevada’s United States Senators.

While this is obviously a philatelic solo use of the American Indian stamp, the price was right. Including taxes and shipping, I paid $2.19 for this envelope. That’s easily the least I’ve ever paid to add a 14¢ cover of any sort to my collection!

Published 2026-07-12