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"AUTHENTIC ALASKAN GLACIER POSTCARD WITH CRUISE PASSENGER MESSAGE - DISAPPEARING NATURAL WONDER!
You're viewing a stunning postcard capturing the majestic Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau Alaska - sent during an actual Alaska cruise in June 2000. These documented accounts of Alaska's rapidly receding glaciers are becoming increasingly valuable as climate change dramatically alters these ice formations!
This postcard provides a perfect time capsule of both Alaska tourism at the millennium and a glacier that has significantly retreated in the decades since this photograph was taken. This may be your ONLY CHANCE to own this specific documented visitor experience from a rapidly changing natural landmark!
Description
This vibrant chrome postcard features a professional color photograph by renowned Alaska photographer Jeff Schultz capturing the visitor viewing area at Mendenhall Glacier.
The image shows tourists gathered at the stone viewing platform overlooking the massive glacier as it extends dramatically down from snow-capped mountains to a lake dotted with small icebergs.
Evergreen trees frame the viewing area creating a perfect composition that showcases the scale and majesty of this natural wonder against the brilliant blue Alaskan sky.
The photograph is bordered in striking red with 'MENDENHALL GLACIER' prominently displayed in bold red letters against a blue background at the bottom of the card.
The back features a genuine handwritten message from cruise passengers describing their adventure 'cruising the Pacific Coast of Alaska visiting unusual places & enjoying every moment!'
The postcard was actually mailed from Anchorage on June 22 2000 with a 33¢ US postage stamp showing strawberries providing complete documentation of its authentic Alaskan origins.
Historical Significance
This postcard captures Mendenhall Glacier at the turn of the millennium providing crucial visual documentation of its appearance before two decades of accelerated glacial retreat.
The Mendenhall Glacier has become one of the most visible examples of climate change impact making images from specific documented dates increasingly valuable for both collectors and environmental historians.
The card's message offers a firsthand account of the Alaska cruise industry in 2000 a period of significant growth in Alaska tourism that would help shape the region's economy in the 21st century.
The viewing platform shown has undergone renovations and changes as visitor numbers have increased and the glacier has receded making this a snapshot of a specific moment in Alaska's tourism infrastructure development.
The postmark featuring the slogan 'Begin an Adventure of Giant Proportions - Collect Stamps' represents a particular period in US Postal Service history when specialized cancellations were used to promote stamp collecting.
Condition
This 23-year-old postcard remains in exceptional used condition with vibrant unfaded colors and sharp photographic details.
The glacier's white and blue ice formations are rendered in striking clarity against the mountain backdrop and blue sky.
The postmark and 33¢ US postage stamp (showing strawberries) are intact and clearly legible enhancing its value as a complete postal history item.
The handwritten message dated June 20 2000 remains crisp and perfectly legible documenting the sender's authentic Alaska cruise experience.
Both the Arctic Circle Enterprises copyright information and the photo credit to Jeff Schultz are clearly visible establishing the postcard's provenance.
There are no significant tears creases or damage visible on either side - just minimal edge wear typical of a card that actually traveled through the mail from Alaska to Pennsylvania.
Age/Era
This postcard can be precisely dated to June 2000 both from the handwritten date (June 20 2000) and the clear Anchorage postmark (June 22 2000).
The turn of the millennium was a significant period for Alaska tourism representing the golden era of cruise ship expansion in the region before post-9/11 security changes.
The 33¢ postage stamp dates from a specific period in US postal history (1999-2001) when first-class postcard rates were transitioning.
The photographic style printing quality and use of barcoding on the card are all typical of premium tourist postcards from this specific era.
Arctic Circle Enterprises was a prominent publisher of Alaska postcards during this period known for their high-quality photographic reproductions of Alaskan landmarks.
Rarity
While Mendenhall Glacier postcards are produced regularly ones with complete postal history and documented cruise passenger experiences are significantly less common in the collector market.
Postcards featuring the glacier from this specific year (2000) provide an important visual reference point for environmental changes as the glacier has retreated substantially in the subsequent decades.
The excellent condition of both the image and the handwritten message make this a superior example compared to most used postcards from this period that typically show more significant wear.
The specific combination of the Jeff Schultz photograph Arctic Circle Enterprises publication complete Alaska cruise passenger message and perfect postmark creates a comprehensive Alaska ephemera item that would be difficult to replace.
As interest in climate change documentation grows these dated images of rapidly changing glaciers are becoming recognized as vanishing pieces of environmental history that increase in significance with each passing year.
Collector's Note
This postcard would make an exceptional addition to collections focused on Alaska tourism glaciers environmental history or cruise ship memorabilia.
The combination of the professional glacier photography with the complete postal usage (including message postmark and stamp) makes this a more comprehensive historical document than unused examples.
The specific Juneau/Mendenhall Glacier connection provides regional interest for collectors of Alaska ephemera or national parks history.
As Mendenhall Glacier continues to retreat at an accelerating rate dated photographic documentation becomes increasingly valuable for comparison and historical record.
The cross-category appeal (Alaska glaciers cruise history environmental documentation) offers multiple collecting justifications and display opportunities.
Shipping Information
Your Mendenhall Glacier postcard will be carefully packaged in an archival sleeve and shipped in a rigid mailer to ensure safe arrival.
Buy multiple postcards and pay only ONE low shipping cost!
Don't miss this rare opportunity to own a piece of vanishing glacial history! This postcard not only captures the majestic Mendenhall Glacier as it appeared at the turn of the millennium but also provides a documented firsthand account of the Alaska cruise experience that has helped shape the region's modern identity."
_gsrx_vers_1715 (GS 9.9.2 (1715))
Offered by Gosla Antiques & Collectibles, purveyors of antiquities, curiosities and collectible wares. Dispatched from Pennsylvania, United States, with tracking.
Gosla Antiques & Collectibles