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John Muir 1964 Postage Stamp

and First Day Covers


While most of the links on this page were last updated in 2000, and updated (2022) and expanded, a more regularly updated version of John Muir Stamps and First Day Covers may be found on the Planet Patriot John Muir Postage Stamps and Covers website. That site is regularly updated by American First Day Cover Society member Harold Wood, and features a more visual approach with a photo gallery of John Muir First Day Covers.

1964 John Muir Postage Stamp, Scott # 1245


John Muir and Redwood Forest

This 5-cent stamp honoring the naturalist John Muir was issued through the Martinez, California, post office on April 29, 1964. Designed by Rudolph Wendelin,  the stamp portrays a redwood forest with a shaft of light coming down at an angle through the trees to highlight Muir with a hiking staff. Superimposed on this background is a drawing of Muir's face.


This stamp was printed on the Giori press and issued in panes of fifty stamps each. An initial printing of 125 million stamps was authorized. This 5 cent postage stamp was issued on April 29, 1964. Scott Number: 1245.

Background on the Stamp

First Day Covers

Mellone's Specialized Cachet Catalog of First Day Covers (1960s, Vol, II (FDC Publishing Co, 1985), lists thirty-five different cachet designs for the First Day Covers for the 1964 John Muir postage stamp. See pages 173-174 from the Mellone Catalog listing the John Muir First Day Covers of 1964 (PDF on forever.com). A complete listing of each of these First Day Covers, indicating the Mellone number and the cachet maker are provided in the listing below. (Non-Mellone-catalogued first day covers are provided at the end of this list.) The links contain scans with descriptions of most of these first day covers.

M-1 - C Anderson M-13 - Ralph Dyer M-25 - Maul
M-2 - Aristocrats M-14 - E.K. Cachet M-26 - Overseas Mailer
M-3 - Artcraft M-15 - Elmont M-27 - Sarzin
M-4 - Artmaster (See also 2019 Webcraft Enhanced) M-16 - House of Farnum M-28 - Treyco Double B
M-5 - Artopages M-17 - Fleetwood M-29 - F. J. Ulrich Rainbow Bridge (1 of 2)
M-6 - E. Atkinson M-18 - Fluegel M-30 - F. J. Ulrich (2 0f 2)
M-7 - Boerger A.B.C. M-19 - C. George M-31 - Universal Philatelic Cover Society (almost same cachet as KJM)
M-8 - Al Boerger M-20 - C. G. Junior III M-32 - Von Ohlen
M-9 - BSA Troop 239/Post 239 M-21 - Griffith (1 of 3) (Yosemite Falls) M-33 - Designer Unknown (Muir Woods postcard)
M-10 - Cachet Craft/Boll M-22 - Griffith (2 of 3) (Sequoia Grove) M-34 - Designer Unknown (cachet is brief biographical text)
M-11 - Centennial M-23 - Kolor Kover M-35 - Designer Unknown (cachet identified as "P.Press" by some stamp dealers)
M-12 - Chickering-Jackson M-24 - KJM Please contact us if you can provide a scan for any of the missing links!

Cachets Not in Mellone Catalog

Combination Covers

Event Covers

(Covers celebrating dates other than 1964 First Day of Issue)


Please contact the harold.wood@sierraclub.org if you are aware of additional First Day Covers not listed here, or if you have any of the missing items from the Mellone catalog listing, for addition to this collection. Please e-mail your scan of the cover for inclusion, or if you do not have access to a scanner, please provide a color photocopy.

Other Philatelic Collectibles


John Muir was subsequently honored with a 32 cent postage stamp in 1998, which also has many First Day Covers.

Sources:Scott, 1987, Specialized Catalogs of U.S. Stamps
Mellone's specialized Cachet Catalog of First Day Covers (1960s, Vol, II)
American Philatelic Research Library

See also:

130th Anniversary of the Sierra Club with John Muir Cachet by Coverscape (2022)



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