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Boston 2026 Medal Details

The official Boston 2026 World Expo show medal has been unveiled, sponsored by The Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History, located in Weston, Massachusetts, found online at spellmanmuseum.org.

The three-inch square medal weighs 4.5 ounces and features the show’s logo on one side and a powerful image of Paul Revere on horseback on his famous midnight ride on the other.

Coordinating the artistry and production process was David Ball, Boston 2026 Awards Chair and Security Manager. After seeing the creatives produced for Latvia’s PhilLat26 international philatelic exhibition by Aija Pince, a British ex-patriot living in Riga, he convinced her to consider designing the Boston 2026 medal.

Several themes were considered by the pair to best represent Boston and its environs, while considering the show’s overall theme celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. In the end, it was decided that Paul Revere was most emblematic of that period with the story of his famous midnight ride known by Americans and non-Americans alike. Use of the show logo created by prolific U.S. stamp designer Richard Sheaff on the reverse was a “no-brainer” per Ball.

The Monterey Company, Inc. of Bend, Oregon, received the contract to produce them, the only firm contacted that could overcome the technical challenge of replicating perforations along the medal’s edges. The die-cast base metal was poured into molds, buffed, overlaid with precious metal and antiqued to allow the design to fully flourish. Several finishes are being produced, with a total of 1,300 in all.

As sponsor of the 12th U.S. international exhibition medal, the Spellman’s logo will grace the red presentation boxes lined in blue velvet. Brian Howard, its Executive Director, said, “We are proud to partner with the Boston 2026 World Expo, and are eagerly anticipating the show’s opening this May. I encourage all show visitors to include the Spellman on their list of stops during their time in town.” The Spellman has promoted stamp collecting and philatelic heritage at its home near Boston since 1963. The museum is open all year and welcomes collectors, families, and the general public for exhibits, programs, and special events.

Boston 2026 World Expo takes place May 23-30, 2026, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Full show details may be found at Boston2026.org and on Facebook, X and Instagram. Sign up to be added to the Boston 2026 email list and receive updates when available.

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Volunteer Chair Appointment

The Boston 2026 Executive Committee is pleased to announce the appointment of Jere Dutt as the exhibition’s Volunteer Chair.

A resident of Doylestown, Ohio, Jere is a well-respected exhibitor and national judge best known as a specialist in the philately of Dahomey/Bénin and greater French Colonies. He has shared his knowledge of these areas through numerous in-person and virtual presentations, as well as published works.

Jere is a current board member of the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors, an APS/APRL finance committee member, former corresponding secretary and now president of the France & Colonies Philatelic Society.

Reflecting on his new responsibilities and the work ahead, Chairman Dutt said, “Volunteers are the heartbeat of any stamp show, especially one on the scale of Boston 2026. The size of this event will be a challenge to ensure all goes smoothly and is a great experience for both volunteers and attendees alike. I know with the amazing team assembled it will be an Expo to remember! I am privileged to be a small part of the team and able to work with such excellent philatelists to bring Boston 2026 to life.”

Outside of the hobby he is a third-generation officer of Dutt Enterprises, specializing in personal and household products, an active Rotary member in his community, and a patron of both the Akron Art Museum and Akron Symphony Orchestra.

Boston 2026 World Expo takes place May 23-30, 2026, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Full show details may be found at Boston2026.org and on Facebook, X and Instagram. Sign up to be added to the Boston 2026 email list and receive updates when available.

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International Post Office Relations Chair Named

Armağan Özdinç has been selected to coordinate the various non-U.S. post office administrations participating in Boston 2026 World Expo, taking on the role of International Post Office Relations Chair.

Explaining the appointment, Boston 2026 Executive Director Mark Butterline commented, “As the list of participating postal administrations from around the world continues to grow, it was time that a dedicated manager handles their needs and recruit others to join them now that importation and tariff hurdles are cleared. Armağan, who has been helping us in our recruiting effort for some time, was the most appropriate person to be appointed for this role.”

Mr. Özdinç is perhaps best known in philatelic circles as a specialist in the study of engraved issues by the two foremost stamp designers of our time, the late Czesław Słania and Martin Mörck. Both have produced over 1,000 items for postal administrations around the world, especially those of Nordic countries. His interests go beyond stamps to include sketches, drawings and die proofs of the engraved stamps from those two master engravers. Over the years, he has authored several works and given presentations on the subject many times.

A Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London since 2024, he is very active in Scandinavian philately, serving as a Board of Directors member of the Scandinavian Collectors Club for the past four years, First Vice President and Contributing Editor of The Posthorn, its quarterly journal.

In his professional life, Armağan has close to 40 years’ experience in software development, medical device design controls, along with project and quality management, much of that time with Siemens Healthineers in Delaware, New York and Pennsylvania.

Boston 2026 World Expo takes place May 23-30, 2026, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Full show details may be found at Boston2026.org and on Facebook, X and Instagram. Sign up to be added to the Boston 2026 email list and receive updates when available.

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Additional Boston 2026 Hotel Space Available

Reservation demand for discounted Boston 2026 hotel accommodations has been so great that two hotels are already sold out and the rest have limited availability, necessitating additional options for show visitors.

A new hotel close to the waterfront and three blocks away from the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center has joined the ten properties offered earlier. Marriott’s Renaissance Boston Seaport District is a four-star hotel that has earned high ratings from guests. Reviews from just the past month say it all: “Great location on the harbor/Seaport – walk to all the best restaurants. The views from the room are great, staff provides excellent personalized service,” and “The service was excellent, and the family-friendly atmosphere made it a great place to stay. The rooms were clean and up-to-date, and the beds were incredibly comfortable.”

The regular standard room rate is discounted to $329 only when reserved through the special link found on the Hotel page on the Boston 2026 web site. All discounted hotel offerings are managed through Boston 2026’s partner, onPeak.

The Aloft Boston Seaport District, another Marriott property already offered to Boston 2026 visitors, has released an additional block of rooms, doubling its original room night contract. It is adjacent to the convention center and the discounted room rate remains at $270 per night.

Boston 2026 World Expo takes place May 23-30, 2026, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Full show details may be found at Boston2026.org and on Facebook, X and Instagram. Sign up to be added to the Boston 2026 email list and receive updates when available.

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Boston 2026 Sponsorships Available

Boston 2026 World Expo is offering a variety of promotional sponsorships to individuals, organizations and businesses. Many involve signage opportunities, small and large, throughout the show floor, including the various regional pavilions and the Minuteman Club.

Event sponsorships are also available. These include the Palmares Award Banquet and the Vernissage show preview, where sponsors will gain the greatest exposure to the most prominent philatelists from around the world. Beer, wine, coffee, iced tea and water sponsorships at various show locations are available as well.

Logo opportunities abound, whether on award medal boxes, dinner menus or the show catalog cover. All sponsorships will receive prominent recognition on the show website, in the show catalog and on our social media.

Mark Butterline, Boston 2026 Executive Director, is coordinating all sponsorships and welcomes inquiries at Mark.Butterline@Boston2026.org. The current sponsorship list can be found on the Sponsorship webpage on www.Boston2026.org. Do note that the organizers are also open to sponsorship ideas beyond the preliminary list.

Boston 2026 World Expo takes place May 23-30, 2026, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. Full show details may be found at Boston2026.org and on Facebook, X and Instagram. Sign up to be added to the Boston 2026 email list and receive updates when available.

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Importation Tariff Issues Resolved

Until this year, stamps and covers could be imported into the United States under Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTSUS) 9704 free of duty. However, several months ago, new country specific tariffs came into effect. This affected philatelic material, which in turn, resulted in the global philatelic community fearing that foreign participants at the upcoming Boston 2026 World Expo would experience unacceptably high costs.

After close consultation with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) over the past several weeks, the Boston 2026 Organizing Committee is pleased to announce that stamps and covers are, once again, tariff free for entry into the US. Specifically, the initial ruling letter that resulted in philatelic tariffs has now been ruled void ab initio (i.e., null from the beginning) and voided. A new ruling letter holding that philatelic material covered by HTSUS 9704 is again tariff free will be issued by the CBP in the next few weeks.

To ensure the free and smooth entry of philatelic material for the show, the show organizers have hired a customs brokerage firm, Vantage Point Services. They will provide foreign parties (i.e., dealers, auction houses, postal administrations and commissioners) importing philatelic material with the appropriate instructions and documentation for entry into the US. The customs broker offers support at multiple ports of entry, including Boston, New York, Miami, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Boston 2026 World Expo takes place May 23-30, 2026, at the BostonConvention & Exhibition Center. Full show details may be found at Boston2026.org and on Twitter and Facebook. Sign up to be added to the Boston 2026 email list and receive updates when available.

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Boston 2026: Update on U.S. Philatelic Tariffs

Boston 2026 has been working with various officials of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which includes U.S. Customs and Border Protection, regarding tariffs and the exhibition. Lower-level analysts specializing in collectibles up to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem have been consulted, along with Republican and Democratic members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.

The 1994 amendment to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) states that informational materials are free of all tariffs. Our case, being presented by Mick Zais (right), former U.S. Acting Secretary of Education during the first Trump administration, is that philately is primarily an educational undertaking. Since stamps, philatelic material and exhibits are the informational media instruments furthering that pursuit, no tariff should be levied.

As a supplemental strategy, we have employed a customs broker, Vantage Point, to assist with acquiring temporary importation bonds, permitting exhibits for display purposes and other philatelic material not being sold, to enter the country under a tariff-free status. This would allow Boston 2026 commissioners and exhibitors from abroad bringing in “displays,” along with auction houses not directly selling material at the show, to enter and depart without worry.

We continue our efforts in anticipation of a resolution as soon as possible and thank everyone involved for their patience and understanding. Further news will be released as soon as a final resolution is known.

Boston 2026 World Expo takes place May 23-30, 2026, at the BostonConvention & Exhibition Center. Full show details may be found at Boston2026.org and on Twitter and Facebook. Sign up to be added to the Boston 2026 email list and receive updates when available.