Beginning with the NIA National Convention in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. in 1986, a series of limited edition, custom designed postal cachets, was created to commemorate the show and the region it was held in by using relevant artwork and U.S. Postage stamps. The practice continued 14 years until the Scottsdale, AZ show in 1999. The cachets were the brainchild of Bill Bennett, an avid stamp and insulator collector from New York. Bill's son Jeff was the artist behind the first four years of issues and Michelle Bakay of Ft. Collins, CO was the artist from 1990-99. Coordination of sales and distribution was handled primarily by former NIA President Kevin Lawless.

Most of the cachets were printed in color and the designs had input from the show hosts to create a local flavor including scenes, signs, and insulators from the region. The stamps selected for the cachets likewise had a connection to the area of the show and/or industries related to communications and electrical power. The cancelation marking was also custom designed to reflect the location and date of the show being commemorated.

The cachets were issued in quantities from 481 the first year (only two other years had more than 200 and all the rest were from 100 to 180.) In most years, a second cachet of very limited production (from 20-30) was produced utilizing as one of the stamps the 10₵ Alexander Graham Bell stamp from the Famous American Inventor Series of 1940. The Bell stamp was one of smallest of the production runs of the 35 stamps in the series and is the most valuable of them all. As a result of their scarcity, cachets with this stamp were much more expensive than the others.

In some years, multiple stamp combinations were used. For example, for the 1995 show in Marlboro, Mass., nine different stamp combinations were used incorporating stamps from each of the states in the Northeast and New England.

Use the "View Original" link at the top of the page to see the detail of these cachets.

This lot is one of if not the most complete sets in existence. In all, there are 33 different covers (plus one duplicate) including 11 with the Bell stamp. All are in pristine condition and are beautiful and pertinent reminders of the shows they commemorate as well as the history represented by insulators and industries they portray.

Previously offered for $205.00 ppd., below their original cost.

SALE PRICE: 150.00 PPD.