Australian Collector Designs His Own First-Day Covers

Jack Peake was a woodwork teacher in South Australia but also had a fascination for art and stamps. He combined these passions by designing his own first-day covers for nearly 60 years, usually after work. He is thought to have done several thousand and many were given away according to an article that appears in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Reporter James Cockington points out in the piece that Jack started his hobby about 1948 and completed his last cover four days before he died in 2006 at the age of 89.

When he died in 2006 he left the collection to his two art-teacher daughters. Apart from keeping a few treasured items, they decided to auction it.

The record price (so far) for any Jack Peake cover is this one marking the 1956 Olympics. Given an estimate of $200 by Prestige in 2007, it sold for $2645 including buyers premium.

Shown above, Jack Peake.

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