English: This image is courtesy of Chris Caldwell.
Donald B. Gillies discovered 3 new mersenne primes in early 1963. When the primes were confirmed the UIUC Math dept (which has a postal branch) used this cancellation stamp on all mail from roughly 1964 - 1976, when Appel and Haken proved the four color theorem ("Four Colors Suffice") and a new stamp was created. Trivia question : how far away from Gillies did Appel live in Urbana Illinois ?? Answer : He lived 3 houses away.
Licensed by uploader as GFDL, but it appears to be ineligible for copyright
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Original upload log
The original description page was here. All following user names refer to en.wikipedia.
2005-06-27 05:00 SystemBuilder 287×94× (13894 bytes) Donald B. Gillies discovered 3 new mersenne primes in early 1963. When the primes were confirmed the UIUC Math dept (which has a postal branch) used this cancellation stamp on all mail from roughly 1964 - 1976, when Appel and Haken proved the 4-color the
File history
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{{Information |Description={{en|1=Math Department at UIUC created this postal meter cancellation stamp to celebrate a new Mersenne prime}} |Source=Internet |Author=Math Department at UIUC |Date=1963 |Permission= |other_versions= }}