Members of the American First Day Cover Society, the largest not-for-profit organization in the world specifically for FDC collectors, have elected six people to its Board of Directors. The 279 ballots cast this year was much larger than usual, more than double the number in 2019.

The four candidates receiving the most votes will serve four-year terms beginning January 1, 2021:

• Foster Miller 227
• Gary Denis 161
• Mark Thompson 140
• Kris McIntosh 130

Two candidates will complete the unexpired terms of Tom Peluso (two more years) and Doug Kelsey (one more year), and take office immediately:

• Tamsie Goyer 126 (through 2022)
• Michael Lake 117 (through 2021)

Three other candidates were not elected:

• • D.A. Lux 93
  • Ron Klimley 65
  • A.Francis Kohut 39

There was one write-in vote, for Eric Wile.

Miller, Denis and Thompson are incumbents and are respectively Membership Chair, Education Chair and Treasurer. McIntosh is a retired high school history teacher who splits her time in several Western states. Goyer lives in Oklahoma but flies to Southern California for meetings of the AFDCS chapter there. Lake lives in Connecticut and works for ESPN Sports; he joined the AFDCS as a junior. Board chairman Cynthia Scott and President Lloyd de Vries thanked Elections Committee chair Otto Thamasett and committee members Neal Parr and Jack Ginsburg, all members of the Robert C. Graebner Chapter of the AFDCS, for their work in counting the ballots in this year’s election, and the Nominating Committee chaired by Michael Litvak for recruiting the candidates.

Four seats on the AFDCS Board of Directors are elected each year for three-year terms, beginning Jan. 1. In addition to the 12 elected directors, the president, the editor of the official journal First Days, and the general counsel serve on the board ex officio, if not elected to the board in their own right.

The current board, plus directors who will be seated on Jan. 1, will now vote for the elected officers (president, executive vice president, first vice president, recording secretary, treasurer) and a chairman of the board, to serve one-year terms.

AFDCS directors are not compensated nor reimbursed for their travel expenses.

For more information on the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org or write to the AFDCS, PO Box 246, Colonial Beach, VA 22443-0246, or via e-mail at afdcs@afdcs.org.

The EFOCC was founded in 1986 in recognition of the fact that collecting printing varieties had become its own specialty, not just adding odd stamps to a normal collection. The international membership is made up of collectors who seek EFOs to make their country album more interesting, and collectors who enjoy studying production methods and the philatelic material that results when it doesn’t work properly.

EFOCC has a 28-page full-color quarterly, The EFO Collector, with feature articles, new discoveries, member information, free member ads, club activities, and an EFO auction in each issue. The EFOC and the broad and deep website, www.efocc.org, are managed by club Vice President Cemil Betanov, from New Hyde Park, NY.

Membership is $20 a year in the U.S. An application form is on the Society website.

The subjects are:

• Topical Collecting 101
• Integrating Errors, Freaks & Oddities into Your Collection
• The Most Beautiful Bridge in Paris
• Maps, Politics and Stamps: Some Examples from the Middle East
• Presidential Grab Bag: The Variety You Can Collect
• Nurse Philatelic Stories with a Sampling of Exhibit Elements
• Stamping in Sequim
• Innovations Seen in US Railroad Topical Stamps
• Indigenous Peoples of the World – on Stamps!
• Telling Stories with Postcards
• COVID-19-Related Philately
• From Me to You: The Philatelic History of Roberto Clemente on Stamps

You see the schedule and register for these events here.

[press release]
Hall of Fame established to recognize major contributors to AMG philately

The Allied Military Government Collectors’ Club (AMGCC) is proud to announce the initial class of inductees to the newly formed AMGCC Hall of Fame. These three individuals were instrumental in establishing post-World War II AMG philately as a challenging and respected area of collecting; creating resources that encouraged involvement in the field and further study. They are:

Joseph V. Bush (1917-2001) Joe Bush established his mail-order company specializing in AMG stamps and postal history in 1946. Virtually every philatelic publication carried his advertizing, and he is credited with popularizing the field. But he was not content to just sell stamps and covers. He was passionate about publicizing the history and the production information about them, and worked with researchers such as the other two inductees to produce monographs, catalogs, album pages, and to provide copies of documents that helped to understand the importance of AMG philately and facilitate collecting.

Harry W. Wilcke, M.D. (1925-2007) Dr. Wilcke was a researcher and prolific author on AMG philately; producing over 80 articles on a wide variety of AMG topics. Among his most important contributions was serving as an author, and primary editor of the Bush AMG Catalog-Handbook, and author of The AMG Story, a 150-page collector’s manual, published in 1994 by the U.S. Possessions Philatelic Society.

Harry S. Cass (1912-1957) Cass was the primary researcher documenting the production and use of AMG stamps. He was a co-editor and driving force behind the initial editions of the Bush AMG Catalog-Handbook, and the primary researcher for the Bush-Cass Catalog of AMG Revenue Stamps published in 1956.

It is truly said that we stand on the shoulders of those who established a firm foundation for the modern collecting and study of AMG philately. AMGCC is proud to begin with this group of contributors to recognize the people who devoted a life time of effort to promoting and explaining the stamps and covers we love.

The AMGCC was established in 2012 to promote and study the stamps and postal history of post WW-II allied occupation stamps used in Western Europe and Asia. It has a website, www.amgcollectors.org, and a full color quarterly journal, “A.M.G. Courier”. Collectors interested in membership may contact Secretary/Treasurer David Arking, 223 Williamsburg Rd, Lansing, MI 48917, or at arkmail@comcast.net

The American Philatelic Society, the largest stamp collecting organization in North America, has honored the folllowing people, with these awards in August 2020:

Nicholas G. Carter Award for National Service:

• Deane Briggs
• Jack Andre Denys
• Charles DiComo
• Larry Fillion
• Eric Jackson
• Bobby Liao

You can get more information about the winners and their accomplishments on the APS website.

For local service, the APS this year recognizes Tony Bruno.

The APS also named Timothy A. Hodge as Outstanding Young Adult Philatelist (Age 25-40). Their accomplishments also are detailed on the APS website.

The Luff Award is the APS’ highest award for service. Those honored this year are

• Yamil H. Kouri, Jr., for Exceptional Contributions to Philately;
• Kenneth Grant, for Outstanding Service to the APS; and
• James Peter Gough, for Distinguished Philatelic Research.

Luff recipients are almost always still living. The APS Hall of Fame honors those who have passed away. This year, that includes

• Sophie Buser (1907-1997);
• George Griffenhagen (1924-2019); and
• Ann Triggle (1935-2018)

You can learn why they deserve the honor here. Former APS executive director — but also a former member of the boards of the APS and American Topical Association, former Deputy Secretary of State and U.S. Ambassador — Robert E. Lamb received Ernest Kehr Award, which is bestowed annually helping to guarantee the future of the hobby.

Ken Lawrence received the U.S. Stamp Society-Barbara Mueller Award for best article in the APS journal, American Philatelist.

And dealers Stanley Richmond, Jack Nalbandian and Richard Champagne share this year’s John Walter Scott Dealer Award.

[press release]
Philatelic Foundation to Award Neinken Medal to John M. Hotchner

The Philatelic Foundation will award John M. Hotchner [left] its 2020 Neinken Medal for distinguished service to philately. Originally scheduled to be held at a ceremony and reception at The Collectors Club in New York on October 27, 2020, it instead will be held in October 2021 because of COVID-19 which has shuttered much of New York. A collector since the age of fivc, he has been a devoted leader, writer and active participant in the advancement of organized philately at the international, national and local levels.

Mr. Hotchner served on the Board of the American Philatelic Society for sixteen years including a term as its President, as a member of the National Postal Museum’s Council of Philatelists for twenty years, as well as a dozen years as a member of the Postmaster General’s Citizen’s Stamp Advisory Committee. A co-founder of the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors, he served as a Board member for 32 years including two terms as its President. Accredited as a national chief judge and international judge in both stamps and literature, Mr. Hotchner has served for many years on the APS’ Committee on Judging Accreditation including a term as its Chairman. In 2017, he was invited to sign the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists. On the local level, he has served as president of the Virginia Philatelic Federation. He was a founder of national specialty societies for Auxiliary Markings, AMG Philately, and for Mourning Stamps and Covers.

A prolific writer, Mr. Hotchner currently serves as a contributing editor of Linn’s Stamp News, responsible for its popular “U.S. Stamp Notes,” a weekly column, and as a monthly columnist for The American Stamp Dealer & Collector, and U.S. Stamp News as well as a quarterly columnist for a number of philatelic publications. As an exhibitor, his exhibits have garnered both national grand and reserve grand awards.

PF Chairman Robert G. Rose commented on the choice of Mr. Hotchner as the recipient of its Neinken Medal. “John has done it all, and always at the highest level of achievement, as a collector and exhibitor, as writer and judge, as a philatelic expert and, as a board member and president of philately’s leading organization. We were looking forward to presenting our Neinken Medal to John this fall, but the PF will make certain that he gets due in 2021!”

The medal is named in honor of the late Mortimer Neinken, a former chairman of the Philatelic Foundation, who was one of the most foremost students of United States classics philately.

The American Philatelic Society is reorganizing three major areas of its internal organization: Editorial, Membership and Expertizing. From left, Thomas R Loebig will head Membership, Ken Martin, Expertizing, and Gary Loew, Editorial.

Here’s the full text of the APS press release:

American Philatelic Society Announces Reorganization
New Services Create New Opportunities

The American Philatelic Society today announced a reorganization in three areas: Editorial, Membership, and Expertizing. The changes result from new and expanded services instituted during the COVID-19 pandemic to help members and collectors sheltered in place.

“Change has come quickly to the hobby. We’ve responded by offering new services and new traditions,” said APS Executive Director Scott English, “Content development has been critical to serving our fellow members and recruiting new ones. We have to realign to sustain and grow with the demand.”

Effective July 1, 2020, the following changes will occur:

Membership: Tom Loebig, Chief Content Officer, will become Director of Membership. Heidi Lauckhart-Rhoades, Content Marketing Specialist, will become Communities and Grassroots Specialist.

The office will manage Member Administration, Membership Marketing, Web Content, Social Media, Ambassadors Program, and Shows.

Expertizing: Ken Martin, Chief Membership Officer, will take over as Director of Expertizing.

The office manages the American Philatelic Expertizing Service, the Reference Collection, and the Estate Advisory Service.

Editorial: Gary Loew, Director of Expertizing, will serve as Editor-in-Chief, Susanna Mills, Content Manager, will become Associate Editor, and Chad Cowder, who joined the APS in April, will continue as Graphic Designer.

The office will produce The American Philatelist, the monthly journal of the APS, Philatelic Literature Review, the quarterly journal of the American Philatelic Research Library, and APS publications.

In response to questions from The Virtual Stamp Club, English says the reorganization has been in the works since February 2018, as part of a plan to reach more members and have more members, largely through better use of the website.

Other organizational groups within the APS staff include Administration, headed by Jeff Krantweiss (who succeeded Rick Banks in February, upon the latter’s retirement); Sales (Wendy Masorti, director); Education (Cathy Brachbil); and Information Services and Library (Scott Tiffney).

We asked whether Martin, who has long directed or at least supervised the production of APS shows (StampShow, AmeriStamp Expo and now or soon Great American Stamp Show), would still have input into show operations. Yes, replied English. ” More than half of the APS staff have a role in supporting the annual show,” he told The VSC. “Ken’s institutional knowledge will be critical while planning for Chicago 2021” and beyond.

American First Day Cover Society Treasurer Mark Thompson and his wife Linda are uninjured after the devastating tornadoes in central Tennessee March 3rd. However, a big tree fell on their house in East Nashville, crushing the two dormers. (Mark’s home office was up there.) The tree also ruptured the gas line, so power is cut in the neighborhood to any homes that might have still had it. East Nashville was one of the harder-hit areas of the city.

Some of his collection may have been damaged by the rain after the tornado opened the roof, but he believes his gold-medal exhibit, “Women of the Black Heritage Series,” is fine, “maybe a little dusty.”

That’s Mark above at the 2016 first-day ceremony in Nashville for Soda Fountain Favorites, and, as you can see, he was enjoying one of the stamp subjects.

[press release]
Eric Knapp Named to ATA Board

Eric Knapp of Anchorage, Alaska, has been named to fill an unexpired term on the American Topical Association board, through 2021.

Eric has been a stamp collector since he was nine years old. His grandmother, Blanch Snyder, was a stamp and coin collector. She had other grandchildren who were Scouts, and she knew about the Stamp Collecting and Coin Collecting merit badges. She got Eric started, he earned the merit badges and he has not stopped collecting.

Eric collects United States, the Baltic States and dabbles in Canada. He also collects Alaska Postal History, Scouts on Stamps and the occasional other thing that grabs his attention. He has exhibited at the local and national level. Most of his exhibiting has been related to the study of World War II in Alaska, but he is developing other exhibits.

He is a long-time member of the Anchorage Philatelic Society and has held several offices in the club. He is currently the secretary. He is secretary/treasurer of the Alaska Collectors’ Club and is also chairman of the board of the Northwest Federation of Stamp Clubs.

[press release]
The Queen opens new Royal Philatelic Society of London headquarters

On Tuesday, 26 November Her Majesty the Queen graciously visited 15 Abchurch Lane to open officially the new headquarters of The Royal Philatelic Society London. Her Majesty was greeted by The Lord Mayor, Alderman William Russell as Lord Lieutenant, who presented Mr Richard Stock FRPSL, President of the Society, to Her Majesty together with Peter Cockburn FRPSL and Mike Roberts, FRPSL, Vice-Presidents, and Patrick Maselis RDP FRPSL, the immediate Past President.

The Queen then met those closely involved with refurbishing the new premises and organizing the move that took place during the summer, notably Christopher King RDP FRPSL and Brian Trotter RDP FRPSL.

[At left, Her Majesty unveils the RPSL HQ’s plaque.]

It was fitting that The Queen’s visit took place during the Society’s 150th anniversary as Her Majesty had previously visited the Society on 14 April 1969 to mark its Centenary.

The Queen toured the new premises and Nicola Davies, the Head of Collections, showed Her Majesty some of the important artefacts held by the Society, including the letter from the future King George V to Lord Crawford regarding the use of the Royal prefix in the Society’s name.

In the Meeting Room on the first floor The Queen viewed a special display of material from the Society’s Philatelic Collections, and a selection of the Society’s extensive publications. Representatives from some of the eighty countries where members reside were presented to Her Majesty and she showed great interest in the work undertaken by the Expert Committee. Her Majesty heard how the Society is encouraging collecting among young people.

The Queen visited the Society’s Philatelic Library, amongst the finest in the world, where Her Majesty was presented with a copy of the recent publication A History of the Royal Philatelic Society London 1869-2019.

Throughout her visit The Queen met members of the staff, Officers of the Society and many of the volunteers who ensure its position as the premier philatelic society in the world.

The President thanked Her Majesty before she signed the Attendance Book and unveiled a plaque to mark the official opening of the new premises.