FREE: 1959 block of six 7c Balloon Jupiter airmail stamps MNH Scott #C54

The listing, 1959 block of six 7c Balloon Jupiter airmail stamps MNH Scott #C54 has ended.

Up for auction is an interesting block of six 1959 7c Balloon Jupiter airmail stamps. Stamps are MNH and Scott #C54.

For anyone interested, here is the story behind this stamp:

On August 17, 1859, the balloon Jupiter, piloted by professional balloonist John Wise, attempted a ‘transcontinental voyage’ from Lafayette, Indiana, to New York City. Although his flight was cut short by unfavorable weather conditions, Wise earned a place in history by having arranged with Lafayette postmaster Thomas Wood to carry a mail bag containing 123 letters. Previous attempts to carry mail by balloon had not been sanctioned by the Post Office Department.

Although the Jupiter ascended to 14,000 feet, Wise still could not find an air current to carry him east. Finally, the balloon started to drift south and Wise was forced to throw most of his ballast overboard. Knowing that the small amount of ballast that remained would not “suffice for a whole night’s sail,” Wise was forced to land a few miles south of Crawfordsville, just thirty miles from Lafayette. He had been in the air five hours and seven minutes.

Upon landing, Wise handed over the mailbag to a postal agent for the New Albany & Salem Railroad. The letters were then taken to New York by train. Although Wise’s flight had been documented as the first airmail flight, nearly a century passed before one of the letters Wise had carried about the Jupiter was discovered.

It's a nice looking stamp though, and this set come from a smoke free home for your collection!