View a Collection of 
Rhode Island Tercentenary - 300th Anniversary First Day Covers 
or
200th Anniversary of Rhode Island Statehood First Day Covers

Covers bearing cachets, as illustrated by the three covers shown above can be purchased directly from the cachet maker or from stamp dealers.

Many First Day of Issue cover collectors prefer to service their own covers. Since First Day covers are available for 30 days from the issuing post office, one method of servicing your own covers is as follows:

(1) Purchase the new issue from your local post office when it becomes available. (If your local post office does not carry the new stamp you may have to visit a larger post office in the area that includes a Philatelic Center.) 

(2) Affix  your stamp/s to the upper right hand corner of the envelope, (usually 1/4 inch from both the right and top edges). 

(3) Fasten a peelable label containing your address near the bottom center of the envelope. (Blank peelable labels are available at most office supply stores.)

(4) Place a filler card (thin piece of cardboard) inside your envelope. 

(5) Place your cover or covers inside of a stamped outer envelope addressed to the First Day of issue city and mail it.

EXAMPLE:
Postmaster
Customer-Affixed Envelopes
Name of First Day City, State, ZIP Code-9991 
(or the ZIP+4 Code given).

Note: First Day Cities and their addresses are listed on the USPS Website and in the various Stamp Weekly's. Artcraft also maintains an online issue calendar which lists the addresses of the First Day Cities.

There is no additional payment required, however the envelope must arrive at the designated First Day Post Office within the 30 day time frame.

With the advent of low-cost computer graphics programs and printers, it has become much easier for the layman to produce well designed cachets of their own.

If you decide to produce your own cachets/artwork on the cover, you can  place your cachet on the envelope prior to sending it to the post office or apply it after you receive the cover back as an add-on cachet. 

You can also purchase un-cacheted First Day Covers directly from the USPS Philatelic Center  (800-782-6724) in Kansas City and then add your cachet after receiving your cover/s.

Another way to receive First Day of Issue covers is to join an FDC Subscription Service. Many of the larger cachet producers provide a service  of this type and most of them are listed in Stamp Weekly or BI-Weekly newspapers such as Linn's.

Artcraft, Brookman, Mystic, RKA Stamps, Kendal Bevil and Collins are a few of the cachet makers that provide cover subscription services.

NOTE: On occasion, First Day cancels are issued from other cities in addition to the Official First Day City. These are called Unofficial First Day Cancels.  First Day covers for the Rhode Island Tercentenary Issue exist with cancels from 117 different unofficial cities, (includes stations, branch post offices and ships).
  
See: Rhode Island Tercentenary Unofficial City - First Day Cover Section