These first day covers were issued for the Fédération des organisations sociales des Postes telégrammes et télécommunications des Alpes-Maritimes. The issuer is not indicated but the cachets match the design of the Philatélie Péchitch FDCs issued for the same stamp. The cachets are drawn after the designs on the stamps and have text as follows: at the top: "MONACO"; and at the bottom: "VII^e CENTENAIRE DE LA NAISSANCE / DE DANTE ALIGHIERI" (7th centenary of the birth of Dante Alighieri). Beside the cachets is "PREMIER JOUR / D'ÉMISSION / FIRST DAY COVER".]]> First Day Cover - Monaco - 1966 - Philatélie Péchitch]]> The issuer of these first day covers is not indicated but they bear a logo featuring a rooster. The covers are numbered 139 and 140. The cachet for no. 139 is by an unidentified artist and depicts a scene from the beginning of the Inferno in which Dante is blocked by three beasts. He is shown holding a shepherd's crook and wearing a lyre on his back (symbolizing his role as a poet). The cachet for no. 140 is based on Gustave Doré's illustration for Paradiso 26:7–9, "The Heaven of the Fixed Stars," showing Dante and Beatrice before Saint John. Except for their numbering in the upper left corner, both of the cachets have the same text as follows: at the top: "PREMIER JOUR D'EMISSION / F.D.C." (first day of issue); and at the bottom: "DANTE ALIGHIERI / 700^e Anniversaire" (700th anniversary).]]> e Centenaire" (7th centenary).]]> Philatélie Péchitch. The cachets are drawn after the designs on the stamps and have text as follows: at the top: "MONACO"; and at the bottom: "VII^e CENTENAIRE DE LA NAISSANCE / DE DANTE ALIGHIERI" (7th centenary of the birth of Dante Alighieri). Beside the cachets is "PREMIER JOUR / D'ÉMISSION / FIRST DAY COVER". In the lower right corner of each envelope is: "Philatélie PECHITCH / Palais de la Scala / Monte-Carlo".

The cachets match the design of the first day covers issued for the Fédération des organisations sociales des Postes telégrammes et télécommunications des Alpes-Maritimes.]]> First Day Cover - Monaco - 1966 - Fédération des organisations sociales des Postes telégrammes et télécommunications des Alpes-Maritimes]]> The issuer of these first day covers is not indicated but the cachets are all of similar design and the phrases on each FDC are the same and set in the same fonts.

One cachet is signed "R. GÉNDT" in the lower right corner and depicts a montage of the following Gustave Doré illustrations:  "The Eagle" from Purgatorio 9:29–30; "Charon and the River Acheron" from Inferno 3:82–84; and portrait of Dante. The portrait is reversed from the original. At the top of the montage is "1265".

The other two cachets are the same but printed with different predominant colors, one orange, the other purple. They show Doré's portrait of Dante with "1265", "1965", and "DANTE". 

All of the cachets have the same text as follows: at the top: "MONACO"; and at the bottom: "7^e Centenaire de la Naissance de Dante" (7th centenary of the birth of Dante). Beside the cachets is "PREMIER JOUR / D'ÉMISSION / FIRST DAY COVER".]]> These three first day covers were issued by the Monaco Office des Émissions de Timbres-Poste to accompany the three postage stamps issued to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of a branch of the Società Dante Alighieri in the principality. The cachets feature a globe showing Europe and northern Africa with the location of Monaco indicated in red. Above the globe is "PRINCIPAUTÉ DE MONACO OFFICE DES ÉMISSIONS DE TIMBRES-POSTE" and the coat of arms of Monaco. Below is "2009 PREMIER JOUR D'ÉMISSION - FIRST DAY COVER".]]> The cachets on these first day covers issued by Rodia feature "The Eagle," Gustave Doré's illustration for Purgatorio 9:29–30 also found on the 130-lire San Marino Dante postage stamp of 1965. The text below the illustrations is as follows: "Dante Alighieri / REPUBBLICA DI SAN MARINO / F.D.C. RODIA".]]> Delcampe.net]]> Inferno 3:82–84, "Charon and the River Acheron," with the artist's portrait of Dante printed over part of the illustration. Below the illustration is the coat of arms of San Marino and text as follows: "VII centenario / della nascita / di Dante Alighieri" (7th centenary of the birth of Dante Alighieri). FDC no. 109 is printed in red with a blue portrait overprint and FDC no. 110 is printed in green with an orange portrait overprint.]]>
The cachet for no. 49 shows a montage of the four illustrations by Gustave Doré used on the San Marino Dante stamps of 1965. The illustrations are as follows: portrait of Dante; "Charon and the River Acheron" from Inferno 3:82–84; "The Eagle" from Purgatorio 9:29–30; and "The Heaven of the Fixed Stars" from Paradiso 26:7–9. At the top of the cachet is "1265" and "1965" and at the bottom is "VII CENT. / DELLA NASCITA" (7th centenary of the birth). In the lower right corner of the cachet is the coat of arms of San Marino. This cachet is known to have been printed in a red version and a violet version.

The cachet for no. V. 46/a features Luca Signorelli's painting of Dante in the cathedral of Orvieto, Italy. Below the image is text as follows: "VII CENTENARIO NASCITA DANTE ALIGHIERI" (7th centenary [of the] birth [of] Dante Alighieri).]]> "Charon and the River Acheron" from Inferno 3:82–84. Above each cachet is the coat of arms of San Marino and "REP. SAN MARINO".]]>
The cachet on 90-1/SM features a portrait of Charon from Gustave Doré's illustration "Charon and the River Acheron" from Inferno 3:82–84 with text as follows: at the top: "PRIMO GIORNO DI EMISSIONE" (first day of issue); and at the bottom: "DANTE / VII CENTEN." (7th centenary).

The cachet on 90-2/SM features Doré's portrait of Dante with text as follows: vertically, on the left: "DANTE"; at the top: "VII CENTENARIO DELLA NASCITA" (7th centenary of the birth); and at the bottom: "FIRST DAY COVER".]]> These first day covers have the same cachet created by Renato Volpini featuring a portrait of Dante within a frame. Below the portrait is a banner with the following text from Purgatorio 1:71: "LIBERTÀ VA / CERCANDO / CH'E SÌ CARA ...." (He is searching for liberty, which is so dear). On one FDC, there is text below the cachet as follows: "REPUBBLICA DI SAN MARINO / SERIE DANTE" (Republic of San Marino Dante series). On the other, in the same location, is "VII CENTENARIO DELLA NASCITA DI DANTE ALIGHIERI / SAN MARINO - 20 NOVEMBRE 1965" (7th centenary of the birth of Dante Alighieri).]]> This first day cover was designed by C. Stephen Anderson. The cachet features a woodcut-style portrait of Dante above a brief biography of the poet. The text of the biography is as follows:

Born in Florence, Italy, in 1265, Dante Aligheri was perhaps the outstanding poet of the middle ages. He is often called the father of Italian literature. His best-known works are "New Life" and the "Divine Comedy". A lesser known but important work, "On Monarchy," advocated the separation of church and state. The last nineteen years of his life were spent wandering in exile. He died in Ravenna, Italy, in 1321.

Here Dante's surname is spelled "Aligheri," an accepted alternative for "Alighieri." The cachet is known in a black, green, and red versions.]]>
Dante Alighieri, Italian poet, born in Florence, May 21, 1265. The world regards him as one of the greatest poets of all time. His most famous work was The Divine Comedy, relating his dream journey into the world of souls, through hell, purgatory, and heaven.]]> This first day cover was probably issued by Centennial. The poet's name is misspelled "Danti".]]>
Chickering's cachet features a reversed detail from Eugène Delacroix's first major painting, Dante et Virgile aux enfers (known in English as The Barque of Dante or Dante and Virgil in Hell). Above this detail is a depiction of the storm of lustful sinners from Inferno 5. Text from the top of the cachet down reads: "Dante Alighieri / Poet · Philosopher / of the Middle / Ages"; "Dante and / Virgil in / Hell"; "Born in / Florence 1265"; and "First Day of Issue" beside which are the names Jackson and Chickering. This cachet also is found on the Overseas Mailer first day cover.]]> First Day Cover - United States - 1965 - Overseas Mailer]]> First Days: Journal of the American First Day Cover Society 55, no. 5 (July 15, 2010): 10–20.]]>