1977 Butterfly FDC On 1969 Cover For Another Stamp

I don't know much about first day covers. I know errors on stamps usually add some value to the stamp. What about errors on FDCs? What the heck is this thing in the picture? I think the butterfly stamp (SC 1712) was affixed to the cover for a 1969 stamp (SC 1365). But whoever made this also typed up "Swallowtail Butterfly" on the cover. So it appears to be done intentionally. Does this mismatch make the FDC completely worthless? Or even better?

I cannot imagine this being worth anything.

What is the error?

Someone used an old cover and attached another stamp that was cancelled on its first day of issue. I do not see an error, only a philatelic creation.

Thanks guys! I suspected this mismatched thing had little or no value but thought I better ask some experts. Too bad...the butterfly stamp is very nice. I think I will soak it off the cover. My daughter likes butterfly stamps.

if you notice, this is a flower garden, which attract butterflies. Ecology buffs want people to have flower gardens to attract pollinators which butterflies are (as well as bees) to provide food & enhance pollination & strengthen pollinators habitat. It's a nice cover,which matches one of the benefits of attracting butterflies.

I might agree, and would certainly revise my original opinion, were this a "combo" cover with a January 16, 1969 "Plant...Beautiful Cities" 6c stamp tied to the First Day of Issue postmark for the Swallowtail Butterfly 13c stamp.

You're right! That perspective certainly does add some artistic value to the pairing. After getting over the shock, I did some Googling.

The first stamp -- Swallowtail Butterfly matched to the cachet with Azaleas and Tulips -- makes total sense. Swallowtails are attracted to Azaleas! Promising start...

The second stamp -- Dogface Butterfly matched to the cachet with Poppies & Lupines -- isn't great but reasonable. That butterfly has been shown in some artwork with poppies, and these species of butterfly and flowers are all prevalent in the west coast.

The 3rd & 4th stamps -- Orange-Tip Butterfly matched to Crabapples and Checkerspot Butterfly matched to Daffodils -- are completely unrelated.

So whoever made these FDCs originally in 1977 maybe did have some good intentions, but they're not very good matches save for the first stamp. Oh well...still learned something new. And I've also changed my mind. I think I'll keep these butterflies with their mismatched gardens for now :)

"I know errors on stamps usually add some value to the stamp. What about errors on FDCs?"
... 'errors' is too loosely thrown around in stamp collecting. 'Goofs' would be more suitable in question, esp. on anything besides a stamp proper, until and if a true known-established error is being discussed in contrast to a freakish or odd occurrence.

"But whoever made this also typed up "Swallowtail Butterfly" on the cover."
... this opinion is where an important clue was missed. Stare at that text 5 seconds more. (Typewritten? really?) Compare it to the upper-left corner text. Use a magnifier... and in the future, posters, please don't withhold valuable facts like 'this is one of a set of 4 covers...', though in this case much later, the other covers in the set are illustrated.

"So it appears to be done intentionally."
... yes, it appears this is correct. Gathering the later responses posted in total, I think we can conclude someone was trying to prepare their 'own' set of cachets for first day covers of a 1977 issue, tying in topic previously honored in U.S. stamp program of where these pollinators might visit. And maybe the intention was not executed as well as it could be.

For instance, they might not have been familiar with true "combo" FDCs to affix mint stamps of the 5c Beautification issue in such a way as to get canceled as well in 1977. Also, it would make more sense to tone down the likely unintended prominence of the first day date for the 1969 issue, perhaps the main factor that misleads now.

About having a cachet featuring the exact design of the stamp being issued, surely a "poor man's way" of getting around lacking artistic skills... so it's highly doubtful these 5c stamp images were put on covers prepared for the 1969 issue (though it can't be ruled out... and the practice has been done elsewhere in recent years when images became easier to acquire and edit). But the matching inking and font of the lower-right 1977 legends to the upper-left text makes it more likely someone made 1977 cachet designs using 5c stamp images.