David spoke with Memphis Postmaster Steve Cole
at Graceland at the Thursday, August 13th satellite cancellation station and PM Cole said that he didn't think the
clerk would be dismissed, but couldn't answer that question with certainty. One of the postal inspectors, who
visited David on Tuesday morning, also echoed the thoughts of Postmaster Cole when David spoke with him early Thursday morning.
The inspectors reiterated that they were satisfied that David had done nothing improper or illegal in his transaction
with the postal clerk, as bribery, coercion, compulsion to sell or conspiracy were their chief concerns. The thought of
such a crime or an attempt to acquire the sheets or covers in that fashion struck David with revulsion. David takes
great pride in the hobby.
David walked in to the post office in Mason around 2:30pm on Monday August 10th, 2015, purchased
the three sheets from the clerk, whom David did not know nor had never seen before, had the letters addressed to
himself and the sheets cancelled, and drove to Graceland to show the sheets to Elvis Presley Enterpises and Graceland
CEO Jack Soden.
David then drove to the Commercial
Appeal to show them to entertainment managing editor Peggy McKenzie. Peggy has written stories about David's enthusiasm
for stamp collecting over the years. She was unavailable so her deputy editor, Mark Richens, decided to report the
story, included in the links below for you.
More than anything, David's chief concern, was his hope that the postal clerk would not
be dismissed.
The foregone conclusion of the others that he'd spoken with
was that she would not be. She kept her job.
David
would have been truly sorry if that had occurred, and David would have requested her reinstatement with a letter
to the Postmaster if that had been a tragic outcome of a harrowing week, and he would have happily returned the sheets
if her job had been contingent upon their return.
U.S.P.S. postal inspectors
permitted David to keep the early Mason Cancels assuring him that he had not violated any postal regulation.
The other concern for some had been that David obtained the sheets with a profit motive.
If that were true David could have cancelled another sheet or set of envelopes in his possession
on August 11th or sold them on eBay or any auction immediately after obtaining them and also profited handsomely
of which he did not.
David could have cancelled the other full mint sheet
on August 11th, the Tuesday prior to event, had an additional thirty-three full hours to do so and he did not.
David did none of these things, and had plenty of time to do so.
David wanted the philatelic community, and Elvis fans, to know that he's a stamp
collector, not a profit-seeking stamp dealer, and desired an unparalleled variety of the Elvis Forever stamp. A stamp
error now an important contribution to the postal history of the United States of America.
The Elvis Forever Mason, Tennessee cancellations are radically distinctive and have no equal.
David discovered a unique opportunity in Mason, Tennessee
and obtained three Elvis Forever sheets in good faith.
Nothing more.
The Mason Cancels Are Not For Sale