Rattlesnake Island has issued their own first ever Pictorial Postmark. There was a special 40th anniversary USPS Pictorial Postmark in 2006, but the RILP has never issued there own special postmark.This special one-day only pictorial postmark commemorating the April 8th 2024 Total Solar Eclipse is truly a once in a life time event in Ohio. The last one to occur was in 1806 and the next one is in 2099.They are offered in the standard FDC envelope style and in the 4" x 6" postcard design featuring the aerial view of the island from 11-10-22. The RILP stamps are from either the 2022 or 2023 issues. The postcards will be local post franked with the correct 50 cent stamp and the envelope will have the 75 cent stamp. All RILP eclipse covers will be unaddressed, RILP stamps cancelled with the April 8th eclipse pictorial postmark, and be franked with the forever USPS 2017 eclipse stamp and be cancelled in Port Clinton, Ohio with the Postmark America PC Lighthouse hand cancel. The price is $ 5.00 for either style on the "SHOP 2022-2023" sales tab.
In other wonderful news, plans are going well to have another rare occurrence of a different sort.
Tentatively, on Sept. 10th at 1:00pm Rattlesnake Island Local Post will invite the public to a"First
Day of Issue" ceremony at the Liberty Aviation Museum in Port Clinton, Ohio located next door to the airport where Griffing Flying Service flies the Lake Erie Island's mail. The Aviation Museum will be quite fitting for the new stamp theme of "Island Aviation through the Decades". The eclipse cancel ties in well to one of the new stamps featuring the Piper Archer with the solar eclipse in the background for the "current island aviation".
Dave Gill
RILP-PMG