Details:

Nine United States Supreme Court Justices autographed First Day Cover (FDC), commemorating the First Amendment right of the people to petition the government for redress of grievances. The cover bears two 10-cent "People's Right to Petition for Redress" commemorative stamps from the Americana Series, canceled November 17, 1977, in New York, on their first day of issue.

The cover features the original autographs of nine United States Supreme Court Justices, signed in blue and black ink:

Warren E. Burger (1907–1995) – Chief Justice, 1969–1986. Appointed by President Richard Nixon, Burger presided over the Supreme Court during landmark decisions including Roe v. Wade (1973) and United States v. Nixon (1974).

William H. Rehnquist (1924–2005) – Associate Justice, 1972–1986, and Chief Justice, 1986–2005. Appointed to the Court by President Nixon and elevated to Chief Justice by President Ronald Reagan, Rehnquist served for more than 33 years.

Anthony M. Kennedy (1936–) – Associate Justice, 1988–2018. Appointed by President Ronald Reagan, Kennedy frequently cast the deciding vote in closely divided constitutional cases.

Sandra Day O'Connor (1930–2023) – Associate Justice, 1981–2006. Appointed by President Ronald Reagan, O'Connor became the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court.

David H. Souter (1939–) – Associate Justice, 1990–2009. Appointed by President George H. W. Bush, Souter participated in significant decisions concerning civil liberties and constitutional rights.

John Paul Stevens (1920–2019) – Associate Justice, 1975–2010. Appointed by President Gerald Ford, Stevens served for more than 34 years and became an influential voice on constitutional law and individual liberties.

Lewis F. Powell Jr. (1907–1998) – Associate Justice, 1972–1987. Appointed by President Richard Nixon, Powell frequently held a pivotal position in closely divided cases, including Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978).

Byron R. White (1917–2002) – Associate Justice, 1962–1993. Appointed by President John F. Kennedy, White was a former professional football player who served on the Court for more than three decades.

William J. Brennan Jr. (1906–1997) – Associate Justice, 1956–1990. Appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Brennan became one of the most influential Supreme Court justices of the 20th century, particularly in matters involving civil liberties, freedom of speech, and equal protection.

The attractive commemorative cover features an illustrated cachet of the United States Supreme Court building beneath a decorative scroll celebrating the Bill of Rights and the constitutional right to petition the government for redress of grievances.

An impressive collection of nine Supreme Court autographs representing two distinct eras of American judicial history: the Burger Court (1969–1986) and the Rehnquist Court (1986–2005).

The collection is particularly interesting for including the autographs of both Chief Justices Warren Burger and William Rehnquist, who served consecutively as leaders of the Court.

Although the cover contains nine signatures, it does not represent a complete sitting Court from any single year. Seven of the signers served together during the Burger Court from 1981 to 1986, while Kennedy and Souter joined during the subsequent Rehnquist Court. The signatures were collected over time following the cover's original 1977 issue date.

Fine condition with light age toning and minor handling wear. A small pencil notation appears in the upper left corner.

The Burger and Rehnquist Courts collectively spanned more than three decades of important constitutional developments, including landmark decisions involving presidential authority, civil rights, abortion, affirmative action, federalism, and freedom of expression. This collection brings together nine prominent figures from those two influential periods in United States Supreme Court history.

Authentication:
Includes a full letter of authenticity from JG Autographs, Inc.

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Reference sku: 11700 1419360-1