[press release]
Great American Stamp Show 2021: Let’s Go to Chicago!

The American Philatelic Society (APS) announced Thursday, March 25th, the kickoff for the Great American Stamp Show 2021. The show will take place at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois from August 12-15, 2021.

“We’ve waited patiently for some good news out of Illinois and Governor J.B. Pritzker delivered it last week,” said Scott English, Executive Director of the American Philatelic Society, “Illinois is moving very quickly toward easing restrictions and likely safely removing them by August.

Under the Illinois Recovery Plan, the state relaxed the Phase 4 restrictions for indoor dining and other events. When 70 percent of all Illinoisians aged 65 and older are vaccinated, Illinois enters the “Bridge Phase,” further lifting restrictions and allowing the Stephens Convention Center to open. Based on current projections, Illinois will enter the Bridge Phase within weeks. Once 50 percent of all residents aged 16 and older receive at least the first dose of the vaccine, the state will enter Phase 5.

“Every week, more Americans are receiving vaccinations and taking the proper precautions to stay safe. If we continue moving in this direction, the Great American Stamp Show will be the perfect way to bring the hobby together,” added English.

The APS has established metrics as a benchmark to moving ahead with the show. By May 15, 2021, we need commitments from 75 dealers, 25 societies, and at least 500 exhibit frames reserved. These benchmarks will provide a strong show for dealers and attendees without substantial financial risk to the APS.

“This will be the biggest show held in the past two years. We need everyone in the hobby to come together,” added English, “We need our dealers, societies, and exhibitors to rally and show the world the pandemic has made the hobby stronger. We can’t wait to see you in Chicago!”

Reservation forms, hotel information, and other show details will be regularly updated on the APS website at stamps.org/GASS.

[press release]
CHICAGOPEX 2020 Opens Literature Exhibiting Application Submissions

Chicago Philatelic Society (CPS) is planning to present its annual philatelic exhibition, CHICAGOPEX, Nov. 20, 21 and 22, 2020, at the Westin Chicago Northwest, 400 Park Blvd., Itasca, Ill. 60413. [That’s last year’s sign and last year’s dates in the photo on the right.]

Prospective exhibitors are invited to submit applications for the show’s literature competition to Literature Exhibiting Chairman Ken Trettin beginning this month. The prospectus and application have been posted to Chicagopex.org and may be found on the left-hand side under Documents.

2020 marks the 54th anniversary of this show’s philatelic literature competition, with books and other materials expected to be on display.

[Chicagopex will accept] nearly all forms of philatelic literature. These include books, journals (excluding local club newsletters), catalogs, columns and individual major articles. They may be printed or digital depending on how they are made available for public consumption. Digital entries accepted include websites, blogs and message boards that either stand alone or are an adjunct to one of the print categories.

Note: The literature competition judging takes place remotely ahead of the in-person show. Should the show be cancelled, the literature competition will proceed regardless. To provide feedback, the literature judges will send written evaluations to all exhibitors after the show dates.

Separately, the show is also co-hosting AmeriStamp Expo with the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors. This event includes the Single Frame Champion of Champions competition, which highlights the top single frame exhibits from World Series of Philately shows around the United States held during the prior year. AmeriStamp Expo also features the annual AAPE Single Frame Team competition.

In addition, six specialty societies plan to convene at CHICAGOPEX: American Society of Polar Philatelists, Military Postal History Society, Mobile Post Office Society, United Postal Stationery Society and Women Exhibitors.

The show bourse is expected to host about 75 dealers from the United States and Europe. The U.S. Postal Service and the U.N. Postal Administration also plan to attend.

Admission and parking are free. Show hours are: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Attendees are asked to contact the hotel (phone: 630-773-4000) to make reservations and to mention CHICAGOPEX for the special room rate.

About Chicago Philatelic Society (CPS):
Organized Oct. 8, 1886 as a continuation of the Chicago Stamp Collectors Union, which was organized in Dec. 1884. CPS is chapter no. 1 of the American Philatelic Society and one of two organizations with the longest uninterrupted service to philately in the United States.

Follow CPS on social media:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/chicagopex
Twitter: twitter.com/Chicagopex

The Great American Stamp Show, scheduled for August 20-23 in Hartford, Connecticut, has been canceled. It would have been the largest stamp show of the year in the United States, and was sponsored by the American Philatelic Society, American Topical Association and the American First Day Cover Society.

Based on current information from the State of Connecticut, the show would either be canceled due to its size or require aggressive mitigation as an indoor activity.There was even a possibility that visitors from out-of-state would be required to go into quarantine for two weeks before participating in any events in Connecticut!

Virtual events will take the place of some or most of the events.

APS executive director and Scott English and the APS staff deserve special thanks for making this tough decision possible. Contracts for major stamp shows are signed years in advance, and contain cancellation penalties. Vendors for decorating, printing, food functions and more are lined up well in advance of a show. All of this had to be taken into account.

Speaking for myself and not the AFDCS or any other organization, I’m glad the show as canceled. It was becoming apparent from my discussions with other collectors that the show would have been poorly attended and those who did come would be tense: Not having fun at all. Many events that make attending a stamp show worth the extra time and effort would have been eliminated. Instead of being the showcase for Philately’s potential in the 21st century, Great American Stamp Show would have seemed more like a wake. —Lloyd de Vries

The full announcement:

Today, the American Philatelic Society, American Topical Association, and American First Day Cover Society announced the cancellation of the Great American Stamp Show. The show scheduled for August 20-23 in Hartford, Connecticut, is the largest annual stamp show in the United States.

Based on current information from the State of Connecticut, the show would either be canceled due to its size or require aggressive mitigation as an indoor activity.

Recognizing the health and safety of members, dealers, and guests as the highest priority, the APS Board of Directors approved cancellation and designated Hartford, CT as the host city for the 2024 Great American Stamp Show.

“Thank you to the dealers and members committed to supporting our show. The strength of our hobby is the people in it and that’s not worth risking,” said APS Executive Director Scott English. “Though the pandemic is changing our community, it will never weaken it.”

Since 1886, the American Philatelic Society’s annual convention has only been canceled once, in 1943 at the height of World War II.

“Some things are more important than philately, such as our community’s health and safety,” said AFDCS president Lloyd A. de Vries.

The APS, ATA, and AFDCS recognize that dealers, societies and clubs, and many individuals have already made plans and reservations in Hartford for August. Guests who have made hotel room reservations within the reserved block in the Marriott and Hilton hotels will receive automatic cancellation notifications by email or may reach out to the hotels personally. Dealer and society booth deposits and exhibitor entry fees may be applied to the Chicago 2021 show or will be refunded on request. We also encourage members to make donations to the APS, ATA, or AFDCS in lieu of refunds. Any questions may be directed to Ken Martin or Morgan Stinson.

“Although we will miss seeing our stamp collecting friends, we know this is the best thing to do. There will be shows again in the future,” said ATA president Dawn Hamman.

The APS staff is exploring a virtual show alternative for the planned show dates in August 2020, including a possible virtual dealer bourse. The ATA and AFDCS support this plan and will work closely with the APS on planning and execution.

English added, “I am proud of the APS team for how we’ve responded to this crisis. We will rise to this challenge and be stronger for it.”

The APS will provide updates on the progress of the virtual Great American Stamp Show as the planning continues.

Final Nail in the Coffin for Stamp Shows?
by Lloyd A. de Vries

Is the coronavirus epidemic the final nail in the coffin for stamp shows? The short answer is no.

However, it may well be sounding the death knell for many shows. They were on life support before the large drops and outright prohibitions and restrictions on public gatherings and travel. Coronavirus, in effect, pulled the plug on them.

First, nearly all shows rely on dealers taking tables or booths. If dealers can’t travel, if dealers don’t want to sit in an enclosed area all day with people they don’t know passing through, and if dealers aren’t sure large numbers of people will attend a show, the show cannot afford to go on.

Second, many shows are staged by clubs, and rely on member volunteers for everything from taking tickets by the door to setting up frames and moving tables. These shows were already hurting for personnel, for myriad reasons that previously have been discussed here and elsewhere. Now the epidemic threat may further reduce the number of volunteers.

Third, some shows won’t be able to afford the costs of canceling this spring’s events. Most venues have cancellation penalties that may or may not be waived by the threat of disease or government restrictions to prevent contagion.

I just took a look at one of the contracts for a fairly recent past Americover, the annual show of the American First Day Cover Society until this year, when Americover becomes part of Great American Stamp Show (formerly the American Philatelic Society’s APS StampShow). Since the show was already held and the language was similar to that in other hotel/show contracts we had, I think I can quote from it.

That contract stipulated there would be no penalties for cancellation “upon the occurrence of any circumstance beyond the control of either party – such as acts of God, war, government regulations, disaster, strikes…, civil disorder, or curtailment of transportation facilities.” But does that include a state or national health emergency? Are those “acts of God?” Could a show sponsor afford the lawyers to argue the case against the venue’s lawyers?

Money spent in advance of a show on advertising, printing programs, signage and so on can’t be recouped, no matter what. How deep are the sponsor’s pockets?

Fourth, venues may not be as willing to book a stamp show as in the past, as they seek to make up for this spring’s downturn. A hotel can book four or more weddings — all with open bars and catering — in the period taken up by a stamp show. The prospect of the show being held every year and guaranteeing some income without the expense of attracting brides and their mothers may not seem as attractive after this year’s cancellations and retrenchments.

We saw hotels in particular less interested in offering discounts or even hosting shows after the Financial Meltdown in 2008. I think we’ll see more now, because the “leisure” industry is particularly hard hit by this epidemic.

My feeling is that strong shows will survive, but the weak ones won’t. We’ve seen that trend for the past several years. Now, in my opinion, it will accelerate. The APS once had an even three dozen World Series of Philately shows. Now there are 28. Next year…?

The views expressed here are solely those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of any organization other than The Virtual Stamp Club.

Two days after sending out an announcement that the show was still on, the American Stamp Dealers Association reversed course on Friday, March 13th and sent this out: This was the earlier announcement:Other shows that have canceled are Springpex in Virginia, Westfield in New Jersey and Norwalk in Connecticut. The American Philatelic Society is keep a list on its website of canceled shows, here.

[American Philatelic Society (“APS”) press release]
In September, you sent in your suggestions. You voted between five name options. And you agreed in overwhelming numbers: the new name of the largest stamp collecting event of the year is

GREAT AMERICAN STAMP SHOW

Thank you to nearly 3,000 people who cast a vote – your passion for our annual show has never been more obvious, and we look forward to channeling this energy into Great American Stamp Show 2020, which will be in Hartford, CT this August.

From APS Executive Director Scott English: “A new era brings a new name. We’re looking forward to bringing together the American Philatelic Society, American Topical Association, and American First Day Cover Society under the Great American Stamp Show umbrella. Thank you to all the creative minds who contributed to name suggestions and those people who voted in the poll. Over the last two years, we’ve worked and succeeded at making this annual show one of the best reasons to be a collector. Start making plans to join us in Hartford in August 2020 to see the next evolution in this live event!”

American First Day Cover Society president Lloyd A. de Vries told us: “We know the addition of our Americover to what was already a very good stamp collecting show will make this event ‘great’.”

The final tally for votes is as follows:

• Great American Stamp Show, 1402
• StampShow, 747
• StampFest, 441
• StampCon, 263
• Stampapalooza, 78

Stay tuned for news about Great American Stamp Show, information about exhibits and the dealer bourse, plans for seminars and show meetings, and details on exciting new events. Great American Stamp Show 2020 will bring together our great stamp collecting community like never before, and we’re excited to share our plans for the show with you.

President of the American Topical Association, Dawn Hamman, says “This wonderful collaboration of three great organizations now has a wonderful new name. Hartford, here we come!”