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Smithsonian sunburst Smithsonian National Postal Museum
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Coconut

Object Details

Description
This is a coconut mailed from Raymond J. Boudet, stationed in Hawaii in 1944, to his wife, Marie Boudet, in Springfield, Massachusetts. The addresses are carved into the shell. The postage, two US Scott 820 and one US Scott 812, is affixed to a cardboard tag and totals 37 cents. The postage is adhered to a piece of cardboard and is attached to the coconut with a metal wire poked through the end of the coconut. The stamps were cancelled by the US Navy, the Navy Censor, and the U. S. Department of Agriculture.
The light brown nut is adorned with a carving of a heart pierced by an arrow and labeled "Ray" and "Marie;" a decal of a hula dancing woman playing a ukulele; and "Seabees Hawaiian Islands 43-44" is also carved on the back. Above the address is affixed a decal featuring a bee with tools surrounded by anchors and marked "Seabees," representing the naval construction battalions. Raymond Boudet was a member of the 99th Naval Construction Battalion, Company A.
Data Source
National Postal Museum
Date
1944
Object number
1996.2028.1
Type
Covers & Associated Letters
Medium
coconut, paper (cardboard), metal, paper, ink
Dimensions
Height x Width x Depth (Coconut): 6 1/8 x 9 1/2 x 8 1/2 in. (15.56 x 24.1 x 21.59 cm) Height x Width x Depth (Tag): 3 1/4 x 4 3/4 x 1/4 in. (8.26 x 12.07 x 0.64 cm)
Place
Hawaii
See more items in
National Postal Museum Collection
Topic
World War II (1939-1945)
Covers & Letters
Record ID
npm_1996.2028.1
Usage
CC0
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/hm86ae7eb97-d073-4389-91a3-888c276ad55d

Related Object Groups

  • Explore America: Hawai'i
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HomeSmithsonian National Postal Museum

Visit »

Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Admission is always free!

2 Massachusetts Ave., N.E.
Washington, DC 20002

The museum's main entrance is located on the corner of First Street and Massachusetts Avenue NE. Other entrances have variable hours.

street map of Postal museum

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Owney, the Railway Mail Service Mascot

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