100 Years of Motoring in South Africa
South Africa, Pretoria · 1997-01-04
Official first day cover (FDC) · South African philately
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A striking blueprint style 1997 South African first day cover celebrating a century of motoring, featuring an early carriage style motor car. This cover is postmarked on 04-01-1997 in Pretoria. It marks 100 years of motoring in South Africa, commemorating the arrival of the country's first motor car a century earlier. The stamp and cachet both depict an early carriage style vehicle typical of the 1890s, with large wire spoked wheels and minimal bodywork, reflecting the earliest era of motoring before mass production reshaped car design.
Description of the Cachet
The cachet uses a striking blueprint style illustration of an early motor carriage rendered in white line work against a deep blue graph paper background. The design has a technical, schematic quality, evoking an engineer's drawing rather than a decorative scene. "100 YEARS OF MOTORING IN SOUTH AFRICA" runs across the top in bold red and black lettering. The single stamp shows a full colour version of the same vintage vehicle, an open topped carriage style motor car with large spoked wheels and a rear facing bench seat. The Pretoria postmark features its own small illustration of an early motor car, dated to the anniversary. This cover marks a century since the first motor car arrived in South Africa, tying the philatelic release to the country's transport history rather than its natural or postal heritage.
Information Card
No info card was produced for this cover. Only the cover itself is available.
Theme: Transport
Condition: FineGood condition. Minor wear or small imperfections, but overall well-presented.
Addressed: No
Signed: No
SG reference: 949
SAPO serial number: 6.48
Estimated value: ~US$0.43
This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.
This first day cover (FDC) is part of Southern Covers, a private collection of 209 first day covers documenting the postal history and philately of South Africa and the homeland states. New to first day cover collecting? Read the guide to learn about cachets, postmarks, and stamp collecting terms, or browse the whole collection of Southern African FDCs.
