This 1978 First Day Cover features the 13¢ Capt. James Cook commemorative stamp issued by the United States on January 20, 1978, in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Artmaster cachet depicts Cook seated with navigational charts alongside a map of the Pacific, marking the 200th anniversary of his explorations of the Hawaiian Islands and the Alaskan coast.
Captain James Cook's voyages fundamentally expanded European knowledge of the Pacific. His 1778 sighting of Hawaii and subsequent charting of the North American coastline from Oregon to the Bering Strait remain landmark achievements in maritime history and cartography.
The cover displays both the Hawaii 1778 and Alaska 1778 stamp designs, each showing Cook's ship Resolution against the respective coastlines—an uncommon paired presentation on a single Artmaster FDC.
A desirable addition for collectors of explorers, maritime history, or U.S. bicentennial-era issues, this well-centered cover remains in fresh condition with a clear Honolulu postmark.
