[press release]
National Postal Museum Selects Daniel Piazza as New Chief Curator of Philately

The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum announces the selection of Daniel A. Piazza to the position of chief curator of philately and chair of the philately department.

As chief curator of philately, his responsibilities will include curating a permanent collection of approximately 6 million stamps and related artifacts; object selection and script writing/review for permanent and temporary exhibitions; representing the museum through presentations and attendance at professional conferences; collections-based research and writing; and seeking and acquiring items of outstanding significance for display and research purposes.

“We enjoy a great reputation for having exceptional curators at the helm of our philately department, and Daniel continues that tradition,” said Allen Kane, director of the museum.

Piazza joined the museum staff in 2007 as the inaugural Winton M. Blount chair in research. He became assistant curator of philately in 2008 and curator in 2011.

The museum’s William H. Gross Stamp Gallery features work curated by Piazza, including 6 linear videos, “Treasures of the World” exhibition, (45 world-class philatelic rarities from 24 countries) and “On Land and Sea” exhibition (methods for moving mail on land and sea, including significant groupings of 14th–18th-century letters and RMS Titanic postal artifacts).

Piazza also co-curated with Cheryl R. Ganz “Fire & Ice: Hindenburg and Titanic,” (March 22, 2012–Jan. 6, 2014) and “Delivering Hope: FDR & Stamps of the Great Depression,” (Sept. 9, 2009–June 6, 2010)

Piazza is currently curating “Freedom Just Around the Corner: Black America from Civil War to Civil Rights,” a chronicle of the African American experience, as told from the perspective of stamps and mail. The temporary exhibition open Feb. 12, 2015–Feb. 12, 2016, will include letters carried by enslaved Americans, mail to and from famous leaders of the civil rights movement and a significant selection of original artwork for the USPS Black Heritage stamp series from the Postmaster General’s Collection.

Piazza is also the author of a regular column, “National Postal Museum Treasures,” in Linn’s Stamp News and is president and chairman of NAPEX, one of the country’s largest annual stamp shows.

The National Postal Museum is devoted to presenting the colorful and engaging history of the nation’s mail service and showcasing one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of stamps and philatelic material in the world. It is located at 2 Massachusetts Avenue N.E., Washington, D.C., across from Union Station. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). For more information about the Smithsonian, call (202) 633-1000 or visit the museum website at www.postalmuseum.si.edu.

The board of directors of the American First Day Cover Society has voted to publish its award-winning journal First Days six times a year, rather than eight, and with more pages in each issue. The vote was unanimous.

Beginning in 2015, each issue will now have 80 pages, rather than a mix of 64- and 80-page issues, yielding an increase in content, and will be published on a more regular basis, easier for members and advertisers to anticipate.

“The change shows our continued commitment to the printed journal, and we hope reducing the number of issues will lead to stability in our publishing schedule and reduce expenses in the process,” said Todd Ronnei, chairman of the board.

The American First Day Cover Society is the world’s largest not-for-profit organization dedicated to the collecting of FDCs. Each issue of First Days is published in full color and includes articles, columns, Society business, a non-commercial Cover Exchange, and the best collection of FDC advertisements anywhere.

For more information on the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org or write to the AFDCS, P.O. Box 16277 Tucson, Arizona 85732-6277, or e-mail afdcs@afdcs.org.

[press release]
AFDCS OFFERS NEW EDITION OF CURRENT CACHETMAKERS DIRECTORY – FREE!

A new edition of the American First Day Cover Society’s Directory of Current Cachetmakers is now available as a free download on the society’s website, www.afdcs.org On-demand printed copies are $5.00 plus $2.00 postage and handling and may be ordered in the Marketplace section of the AFDCS website, or from AFDCS Sales, Post Office Box 44, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701-0044.

This is the eleventh edition of the popular directory. The AFDCS hopes to produce new editions several times a year. The directory is now compiled by Ron Allen of Kentucky.

It lists cachetmakers both by their trade names and their real names (with a cross-reference), their regular mail addresses, websites, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers. The listings also indicate how often a cachet line is produced, what its first FDC was, and for what countries and what topics cacheted FDCs are made.

It includes both AFDCS members and cachetmakers who are not, and there is no charge for a listing. A form to request a listing is included in this edition, as well as information on how to reach Allen. The form can also be completed online at www.afdcs.org/cmform.php.

“We want to list every first day cover servicer currently producing cacheted FDCs, regardless of whether they are members of the AFDCS or not,” said society president Lloyd A. de Vries. “Of course, we think all cachetmakers should be members, and that membership offers them many benefits.”

The American First Day Cover Society is the world’s largest not-for-profit organization dedicated to the collecting of FDCs. Each issue of First Days is published in full color and includes articles, columns, Society business, a non-commercial Cover Exchange, and the best collection of FDC advertisements anywhere, at affordable rates.

For more information on the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org or write to the AFDCS, P.O. Box 16277 Tucson, Arizona 85732-6277, or e-mail afdcs@afdcs.org.

[press release]
AMERICOVER 2014 CELEBRATES ARTCRAFT CACHETS’ 75TH ANNIVERSARY

Americover 2014, the annual first day cover show and convention, celebrates the best of stamp and cover collecting in the New York/New Jersey area, and marks an important anniversary at the same time.

Americover 2014, sponsored by the American First Day Cover Society, will be held August 15-17 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Somerset Hotel & Conference Center, 200 Atrium Driver, Somerset, NJ 08873. A special Americover 2014 room rate of $97 – the 23rd year in a row with an Americover hotel rate of less than $100!

The theme of Americover 2014 is the 75th anniversary of ArtCraft Cachets, the oldest line still producing first day cover envelopes today.

Thursday’s pre-show tour begins with a tour of the Washington Press, home of ArtCraft, as well as White Ace albums. The Americover visitors will also meet current ArtCraft artist Susan Jorritsma.

The Americover 2014 bus will then take the visitors to New York City, for a quick tour of the Financial District, Nassau Street (once the greatest collection of stamp businesses in the world), and the Collectors Club of New York. The tour then goes to the famed Katz’s Deli, where lunch may be purchased, before heading to the World Trade Center site and then Champion Stamp Company, the only street-level stamp store left in New York.

Sunday evening, after the show closes, Americover visitors will go out to dinner at the Stage House Tavern, with rustic American fare and hearty portions. This event is limited to just 30 people, so register early!

During the show, the annual President’s Banquet will be held Friday evening, featuring the Taste of Tuscany Buffet with three entrees: tortellini carbonara, chicken marsala or fillet of sole with a spicy tomato sauce. (Special dietary needs can be accommodated if specified before June 30.) Following the meal, the results of the annual AFDCS Earl Planty Cachet Contest will be announced, as will the winners of the polls for cachetmakers of the 20th century, (fourth) quarter century, and decade (2000-2009).

Unlike other World Series of Philately shows, Americover’s exhibit awards are not presented at its banquet (which is held Friday night), but at the AFDCS Business Meeting Saturday morning.

Saturday evening’s “food event” will be held late – about 9 p.m., after the Cachetmakers Night Owl Bourse. The fare at the post-bourse party includes pizza, crudité platters (vegetables) and more.

Americover 2014 events may be purchased individually or as part of a discounted package. There is also a discount for purchasing event tickets before the end of June. There is an order form in the April 2014 issue of First Days and on the AFDCS website, www.afdcs.org/register .

Besides these events, Americover 2014 will also have two bourses (commercial dealers and cachetmakers), WSP competitive exhibits meetings, a youth table, a hospitality suite, live and silent auctions, seminars, and possibly a U.S. first day ceremony. A forum by a postal official involved with first day covers is also on the schedule.

For more information on Americover 2014 and the AFDCS, contact the AFDCS at P.O. Box 16277, Tucson, Ariz. 85732-6277, email showinfo@afdcs.org or visit www.afdcs.org.

[press release]

The American Topical Association has announced the launching of the biggest benefit to stamp collectors in its 65-year history. A five-year undertaking has resulted in doubling the number of its topical checklists to nearly 1200. The lists are being produced from a regularly updated database.

Already the world’s leading supplier of topical stamp checklists, the ATA is making the lists available to members from a new database containing almost 400,000 stamps and 578,502 topical listings.

Creating, merging and updating the listings have been the tasks of committed volunteer Karen Cartier, with technical assistance from her son, Michael. The project included adding topical listings from almost every page of the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, as well as all new issues.

“ATA checklists began when members sent in their lists for other members to use. Hundreds did,” said ATA president Jack André Denys. “Now that Karen Cartier has included every Scott-listed topical stamp in the database, our checklist service has made a huge leap forward. We are indebted to her for her time and perseverance in this colossal task.”

ATA checklists, available in a spreadsheet format or printed, include the country, date of issue, Scott number, denomination, and a description of what is depicted on the stamp. They are invaluable to topical collectors in researching and acquiring stamps. In some cases, meter stamps, postmarks, postal stationery and other items are included. Lists will be regularly updated, and members have the option to receive annual updates.

With nearly 1200 topics to choose from, collectors have a much greater choice for collecting major topics such as railroads and butterflies, to minor topics like hedgehogs and hurricanes. Hundreds of new lists not previously available through ATA, such as World War I and various lists relating to World War II, are being introduced.

Complete listings of the ~1200 checklists, according to Topic and also Alphabetical, are posted on the ATA website. A bonus listing of ~200 People shown on stamps is also included there.

Checklists are available to ATA members at a nominal price. Cost is a penny per item on the checklist—with Mini-lists for 50¢ and Maxi-lists over 5,000 items for $50. Membership information is available at www.americantopicalassn.org or by calling the ATA office at 618-985-5100.

“It’s important to note that these checklists will never be ‘finished,’” said executive director Vera Felts, “as we will be constantly updating them, and making them more complete and accurate than ever before. As always, the help of ATA members is important in keeping the database information current and correct.”