HISTORY OF JONAL ArtCovers

JONAL ArtCovers began its evolution in early 1970. At this time, some Philatelic-Numismatic Covers (PNCs) were being issued with inserts whose only relation to coins were that they were made of metal. If you are a PNC collector you would understand how ridiculous this was! Eunice Alter, a self made artist in Massachusetts, and Jack Stuckart, then newsletter editor of SPAN (The Society of Philatelics and Numismatics) got together via postal mail. As a joke they started sending each other home-made PNCs with inserts of metal washers and safety pins and sand dollar sea shells to mock what the coin and stamp industry was accepting as a PNC. When Jack saw the beauty and creativity of Eunice's work, he realized she should be producing a lot more than just jibes at the stamp and coin industry. So, the newsletter editor of SPAN flew out to Massachusetts offering financing and professional advice to Mrs. Eunice Alter (a busy mother of six at the time) in hopes he'd convince her to start a business creating legitimate hand drawn, hand painted PNCovers. Needless to say he succeeded - and JONAL had its humble beginnings.

Philatelic (stamp) Numismatic (coin) Covers are envelopes with cancelled stamps on them, a coin mounted inside and showing through a dye cut-out, and often times a silk screened or printed picture. First Day of Issue Covers have their stamp cancelled on the first day the Post Office makes the stamp available for sale to the public. PNCs can be elaborate or simple, hold coins that are uncirculated or valuable or simply minted as a collector's item. PNCs, for the most part, are sold by large companies in great or limited quantities (just like art prints or collector's plates) and mostly printed in some form that can be produced in large numbers. That is why the pictures on them are printed or silk screened. PNCs are often designed to commemorate a historical, political, or social event - just as the stamps you buy at the Post Office which commemorate a President, end of a war, Nobel Prize winner, holiday, etc.

Eunice Alter, founder of JONAL ArtCovers, has created a unique niche for herself in the world of Philatelists and Numismatists. Her First Day of Issue Covers and PNCs are each researched and designed so that the coin, stamp and illustration are all inter-related and celebrate an important event or famous can see why JONAL ArtCovers are so popular among serious coin and stamp and art collectors! Also, some of JONAL's PNCs are autographed by great political, entertainment and sports heroes making them an incredibly unique and valuable collector's item!

The Bicentennial covers were exhibited at the Cardinal Spellman Philatelic Library. The Arthur Fiedler Tribute Cover is part of the permanent Arthur Fiedler Exhibit at the Boston Statehood Library. Four dedication covers, including one dedicated to the composer, Louis Alter (New York Songwriter's Hall of Fame in 1975), for his song "Manhattan Serenade" are in the SHOF archives, awaiting placement in a permanent museum. Various collections of JONAL Art Covers have been displayed at ANA Conventions in N.Y., Boston, San Diego, and in many Post Offices and Banks.

Eunice Alter has been asked to speak at stamp and coin club meetings in Boston and in California. She was honored by SPAN in 1973, and again in 1983, as Woman of the Year - joining Margo Russell (former editor of Coin World) as two-time winner of this coveted award! Eunice was President/Treasurer of SPAN until it closed. Some of JONAL's greatest treasures include covers autographed by nine First Ladies, Presidents, Astronauts, Cosmonauts, Olympic Medal Winners, Sports heroes, as well as famous authors, Composers, Musicians, and Movie Stars.

The research and creativity that goes into each JONAL ArtCover makes for a tremendously informative and enjoyable collection. Each JONAL ArtCover is HAND PAINTED and signed by the artist.

Covers were produced and numbered under the lines Pre-JONAL (PJ), JONAL Coastal (JC), JONAL Proof (JP), JONAL Special Edition (JS), JONAL Limited Edition (JL), and JONAL ArtCovers (J). The JONAL designation was provided by Jack Stuckart, the newsletter Editor in 1970 of the Society of Philatelists and Numismatists, and is comprised of 'Jon', her late son's first name, and 'al' the first two letters of her last name 'Alter'.

Eunice was born December 27, 1930 in Stoneham, Massachusetts. The profile photo shows Eunice (when she was an amazingly young looking 71 year old) in front of displays of her magnificent Hand Drawn & Hand Painted PNC JONAL ArtCovers during a presentation at the Long Beach Coin Club in April, 2001. She is presently living in Huntington Beach, California.