This postal cover was created to celebrate the first oil entering the pipeline on it’s journey from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez. The cover was designed by Byron Birdsall, one of Alaska’s most popular and prolific artists.
[BFH]
1989 Exxon Valdez
The top edge of this solid brass belt buckle says, “M.V. Exxon Valdez” on top with the oil tanker shown in the middle with the words “Prince William Sound, AK” in the middle and, “March 24, 1989 Black Friday” on the bottom. [Note: M.V. is for Motor Vessel.]
On the back, it says “Rainbow Metals / Sandcast Solid Bronze / Hand Finished / Seattle WA”, and the back is engraved with the number 737.
The belt buckle is a reminder of the supertanker Exxon Valdez, owned and operated by the Exxon Corporation. The supertanker had left the Alyeska Terminal and was heading south deliver it’s oil to Long Beach, CA when it ran aground on Bligh Reef and spilled 260,000 barrels of crude oil. The Alyeska pipeline and terminal facilities ar a consortium wholly owned by Exxon and six other oil companies, and thus became deeply involved in cleaning up after the spill.
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