Mexico-New York flight cover signed by Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart is best known as the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, which she did in 1932. She set many more records, including three years later being the first person to fly solo nonstop from Mexico City to Newark, New Jersey (destination New York City) on May 8-9. Mexico issued a special overprinted stamp for this goodwill flight. She carried approximately thirty-five covers with the special overprinted stamps.

Earhart autographed this registered envelope, addressed to her husband, George Palmer Putnam, a publisher in New York City. The Mexican stamps were cancelled before departure and the US stamps on arrival.

This flown piece of mail is part of Earhart's personal collection, donated to the Smithsonian in 1968 by Elsie M. Williamson. Williamson had acquired the collection directly from Earhart's husband with the assistance of stamp dealer Jacques Minkus of Gimbel Galleries.

Scott Catalogue USA: 696, 720
Scott Catalogue Mexico: C74, CO14

Museum ID: 0.279483.1.18.1