Category Archives: Stamp Shows

Tickets Now Available for London 2022

Posted on by

[press release]
Tickets are now available for the opening day of London 2022, the international stamp exhibition taking place on 19 to 26 February at the Business Design Centre in Islington in London.

Admission on the first day will cost £10: or all other days it will be free. Tickets for the opening day can be purchased now. Simply visit www.london2022.co/london-2022-first-day-entry-tickets – payment can be made using PayPal or credit card. Tickets will be emailed: they can either be printed or presented on a mobile phone at the door on entry. Each ticket will have a unique reference number to prevent re-use.

The tickets will also be available for purchase on entry. The first day tickets have been kindly sponsored by Andrew Lajer.

Some, of course, are eligible for free entry every day including Patrons and Sponsors, exhibitors, booth holders, Jury and Commissioners and volunteers.

The exhibition will be open each day from 10am to 6pm (closing at 4pm on Saturday, 26 February).

Visit www.london2022.co for the up-to-date listing of booth holders, competitive exhibits and society meetings.

UN Expo 21 Postponed to 2022

Posted on by

From the APS website:

“Due to COVID concerns, the UNEXPO has been postponed. The event will be moved to 2022, exact dates yet to come.”

“Scott English and the APS show committee in consultation with me as UNEXPO21 Chairman,” Greg Galetti said in response to a question in the American First Day Cover Society’s Facebook group.

UN Expo 2021 was to be the first in a series of specific-area shows each October at the American Philatelic Center (American Philatelic Society/American Philatelic Research Library) headquarters. Aerophilately 2022 (American Air Mail Society) is scheduled for next year, and there are reports of later October shows at the APC for ESPER (Ebony Society for Philatelic Experiences and Reflections) (black history) and the AFDCS.

It is one of at least five stamp shows scheduled for October that have been canceled, including World Series of Philately shows SESCAL (California) and NOJEX (New Jersey.

Chicagopex Stamp Show Is Back

Posted on by

[press release]
Chicagopex Stamp Show Is Back!

CHICAGO, Sept. 26, 2021 – Chicagopex takes place Nov. 19-21, 2021, at the Westin Chicago Northwest, 400 Park Boulevard, Itasca, IL, 60143. The show runs 10am-6pm on Friday and Saturday. It runs 10am-4pm on Sunday. Admission and parking are free.

The show marks the 135th anniversary of the Chicago Philatelic Society and will feature almost 300 frames of exhibits, which may be viewed by the public. Many of them are from exhibitors from the convening societies: Germany Philatelic Society, the Lithuania Philatelic Society, Polonus Polish Philatelic Society, and the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors. AAPE is hosting its single frame team competition, while GPS is back in Chicago with many of its study groups offering talks and meetings too.

Chicagopex is also hosting its 55th annual literature competition, featuring entries in a variety of formats including print and digital.

The convening societies are offering special presentations and meetings open to the public. See the full Chicagopex schedule for details. On Friday night, there are dinners for the convening societies’ members and guests, and on Saturday, show-goers are invited to attend the show banquet. Both events require reservations in advance.

Speakers include:

  • APS Executive Director Scott English at 11am Friday hosting a town hall for the American Philatelic Society.
  • James Mazepa at noon Saturday speaking on “Postal Systems in Liberated Poland – 1944-1945.”
  • Jim Hill at 2pm Saturday speaking on “Around the World on the Graf Zeppelin.”

There will be multiple opportunities to get books signed (with books available for purchase) in the hotel lobby:

  • Each day 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. – “Walt Disney’s First Superstar: Mickey Mouse,” Vols. 1 and 2, by author Edward Bergen
  • Friday and Sunday 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. – “U.S. Zeppelin and Airship Mail Flights” by Cheryl Ganz and “Carol Gordon: Cachetmaker” by Susan B. Jones.
  • Saturday 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. – “The History of Airmail in Poland” by Jerzy W. Kupiec-Weglinski

Other groups with meetings and/or speakers include: the American Topical Association, the British North America Philatelic Society, Chicago Philatelic Society (CPS), the Collectors Club of Chicago, the Collectors Club [of New York], Germany Philatelic Society Chapter #5, and Illinois Postal History Society.

The show committee expects about 70 dealer booths, booths for USPS and UNPA, a youth booth and a book sale by the Collectors Club of Chicago.

All meetings and speeches are free and open to the public. When booking a room, ask for the Chicagopex special rate. The hotel phone number is 630-773-4000. For more information visit www.chicagopex.org.

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
Twitter

Great American Stamp Show 2021 Lives Up To Name

Posted on by

Great American Stamp Show 2021 in Rosemont, Ill., near Chicago, August 11-15, was a very good show, especially considering the circumstances. With the threat of the continuing or even worsening coronavirus pandemic, many collectors decided to stay home.

Still, the American Philatelic Society, the organizer, had 2,500 registrations for GASS. That is several hundred more than APS StampShow 2019 in Omaha. APS StampShow was the predecessor to GASS. The APS would have expected 3,500 to 4,500 for a show in the Chicago area.

The photo shows some of those lined up to enter the show as soon as it opened on Thursday. About half of those attending the show wore masks. Many wore masks sometimes but not all the time. [You can click on the photo for a larger version.]

However, there are no reports of any of those who attended the show contracting the coronavirus as a result of going to Great American Stamp Show.

Whether the show would be held was uncertain until mid-May. Specific planning and arrangements normally begin at least a year in advance, with the show location booked as much as five years ahead. (2024 is already set for Hartford, Conn., for example, and the APS is looking at locations for 2025.)

The 2020 edition was canceled completely, with a “virtual” show instead.

Great American Stamp Show is co-hosted by the APS, the American Topical Association (which was also a partner in APS StampShows 2018 and 2019), and the American First Day Cover Society. All three organizations participated in the 2020 Virtual Stamp Show, but this was the AFDCS’ first time folding its Americover show and convention into the overall national show.

The photo shows about half the AFDCS booth on the second day of the show, Friday, which is usually the quietest day of any four-day show.

“This was our first time as co-host of the big U.S. national show, and it exceeded our expectations,” said AFDCS president Lloyd de Vries. “We picked up more new members than at any recent show, either the GASS predecessor APS StampShow or our own Americover show. First day cover exhibits also earned seven large golds at GASS!”

As part of their agreements with the APS to co-host the show, both the ATA’s National Topical Stamp Show and Americover had their own exhibit competitions. The ATA booth, like the APS and AFDCS booths at the front of the hall, is shown below.

However, “dealer participation for the show was well below what we could expect for a Chicago-area show,” APS executive director Scott English told The Virtual Stamp Club.

Having three stamp societies as co-hosts presented some challenges, such as scheduling the membership meeting for each at different times. Americover had been a three-day show, with the same basic schedule for years: the banquet on Friday night and general membership meetings in two parts, on Saturday and Sunday mornings. At GASS 2021, the AFDCS President’s Banquet was on Thursday night and a single membership meeting Friday morning. A few members missed them.

Also missing was the AFDCS’ usual pre-show tour of local attractions. Between the short lead-time and COVID-19 restrictions, it couldn’t be scheduled.

The show’s organizers vow to work out all the glitches before the next Great American Stamp Show in Sacramento, Calif., August 25-28, 2022. There should also be some new features.

“Our most critical goal for Sacramento is creating virtual access to those who cannot attend the show in person,” said English (left). The APS hopes to have some events live-streamed, and some of the exhibits displayed online. “Our Content Team will be piloting technology at the upcoming UNEXPO in Bellefonte to make sure we can execute the virtual experiences on a large scale.”

When first scheduled several years ago, the 2021 show was supposed to run at the same time as the American Numismatic Association’s “Money Show.” The latter was also held in the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, and did overlap GASS in part. The philatelic organizers learned that “coin shows and stamp shows can operate in the same venue with excellent results,” said English. “Dealers shared that many ANA members visited their booths and even made purchases. I am hoping we can work with the ANA to hold a similar event in 2025. Stay tuned.”

NOJEX/ASDA 2021 Show Canceled

Posted on by

The following announcement is from NOJEX and the American Stamp Dealers Association:

As a result of the continuing spread of the COVID-Delta variant, and its impact on indoor events in the NJ-NY Metro Area, it will not be feasible to hold our Show which had been scheduled at the Hilton Meadowlands Hotel in East Rutherford, NJ on October 15-17, 2021. The hotel has informed us that all such events in its ballrooms have been cancelled through the end of this year by other organizations.

We regret that it was necessary to cancel the show, and offer our sincere apologies to the collectors, societies, judges, dealers and exhibitors who were looking forward to participating. We all hope for better times when we return October 14-16, 2022.

London 2022 Show Has Hotel Deals

Posted on by

[press release]
Visiting London 2022

Special arrangements have been made for those visiting London 2022, the international stamp exhibition that will take place on 19 to 26 February next year at the Business Design Centre in Islington in London (nearest Underground Station: Angel).

Visit london2022.co and click on ‘Visits/Hotels’ to find details of the special arrangements that have been made with HotelSmart to secure the best deals at convenient hotels.

By simply clicking for more information, you will be provided with details of selected hotels, plus the opportunity to make further enquiries. HotelSmart can also be found at hotelsmart.co.uk or contacted by telephone on +44(0)1202 533363.

Those who used HotelSmart to make a booking for London 2020 should have had their original booking cancelled, and a fresh booking will need to be made. Please check with HotelSmart for more information.

All the latest news about London 2022 can be found at london2022.co

Boston 2026: Less Than 5 Years To Go

Posted on by

[press release]
Under Five Years and Counting

Planning continues for America’s next international philatelic exhibition, Boston 2026 World Expo, taking place May 23-30 at the Boston Convention and Exposition Center.

The show’s corporate officers and organizing committee members have been active in several areas this past year:

  • An initial show layout was prepared and included in an RFP (request for proposal) sent to prospective decorator firms now under consideration.
  • Prospective dealers are encouraged to contact Bourse Chair Mark Reasoner (Mark.Reasoner@Boston2026.org) to be added to an informational email list for news when available.
  • Discussions are underway with mints to produce show medals.
  • An outline for the Boston 2026 membership drive is being reviewed with specifics to be announced in the upcoming months.
  • A newly revised web site is expected to go live by mid-August.

And activity in the Boston environs:

  • The Boston Convention and Exposition Center reopened for events as of May 29 when pandemic restrictions in Massachusetts and Boston were lifted.
  • A contract has been signed with the housing company onPeak to negotiate show rates with hotels in the Seaport/convention center area, as well as manage attendees’ hotel reservations.

Join Boston 2026 World Expo representatives for an hour-long open meeting at the Great American Stamp Show in Chicago on Thursday, August 12 at 2 PM (room to be announced) with a presentation on progress to date followed by a question and answer session. The gathering will feature an unveiling ceremony for the first in a series of limited-edition show promotional labels [shown on left] created by stamp designer Chris Calle.

Find out additional information online at www.boston2026.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

AFDCS Update on GASS Show (June 2021 Update)

Posted on by

The following is an update on the Americover/Great American Stamp Show (GASS) to be held August 12-15, 2021 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. Please check the AFDCS (afdcs.org/show) and APS (stamps.org/great-american-stamp-show) websites on a regular basis as new information is being added on almost a daily basis.

Show hotels: the first two show hotels, the DoubleTree and Embassy Suites, are sold out. An additional block of rooms has been added at the Hilton Rosemont Chicago O’Hare hotel. See stamps.org/great-american-stamp-show/travel for details. All show hotels are connected to the convention by a sky bridge.

Registration and Volunteers: all show attendees must register. Pre-registration is strongly recommended to avoid lines when the show opens. Pre-register at https://stamps.org/great-american-stamp-show/preregistration. Register to volunteer at the show at https://stamps.org/great-american-stamp-show/volunteer; it takes a lot of volunteers to run a show.

Safety: GASS will follow State of Illinois and Stephens Convention Center rules at the time of the show. If masks are required, they will be provided by the convention center. The bourse area will feature wider aisles and six-foot gaps between dealer booths.

Wednesday tour: due to uncertainty over what venues may be open in August, we will not have a pre-show tour this year. For those arriving early, the Rosemont C.T.A. subway station is a five-minute walk from the show hotels and provides service to the Chicago area attractions.

Hospitality Suite: we will have our usual hospitality suite Wednesday night through Saturday night. Location has not yet been finalized. We will again have our hospitality suite silent auction. Thanks to a number of generous donors, we already have the 128 lots of material. Due to time constraints, we will not hold a Live Fundraising Auction this year.

AFDCS Board of Directors meeting: the Board of Directors will meet at 8PM Wednesday August 11 at the Embassy Suites. This meeting is open to the public.

AFDCS Show Booth: as one of the host societies, the AFDCS will have a 10×42 foot booth immediate inside the show entrance. We will have AFDCS covers and publications for sale, including a new catalog of Carol Gordon first day covers written by Sue Jones.

Dealer bourse: 76 dealers and 4 postal administrations have signed up for the dealer bourse. This includes booths offering $1.00 covers. Booths are still available. Details at stamps.org/great-american-stamp-show/dealer-booths.

Societies: in addition to the AFDCS, ATA and APS as show hosts, there are 30 society booths representing 40 societies. Over 50 societies will sponsor seminar and meetings at the show.

First day ceremonies: four first day ceremonies are scheduled for Thursday August 12. At 11AM, the USPS will issue eight stamps showing Backyard Games (the AFDCS will have a Dave Bennett designed cachet for the issue). At 1PM, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Denmark will issue souvenir sheets honoring famed engraver Czeslaw Slania. The souvenir sheets are engraved by Martin Morck, probably the best engraver today. Morck will be at the show to sign autographs. At 2PM, the Boston 2026 international stamp show will unveil a Cinderella honoring the show (with a cachet designed by Chris Calle). Finally, at 3PM, the United Nations Postal Administration will issue a $1.80 stamp honoring Mother Teresa; the stamp is also designed by Morck.

Exhibits: the Americover competition has 25 exhibits totaling 168 frames. The National Topical Stamp Show (NTSS) competition has 32 exhibits totaling 139 frames. The StampShow competition has 92 exhibits totaling 554 frames. Exhibits will also include the World Series of Philately and Most Popular Champion of Champions competitions. The Royal Philatelic Society of London will show 50 frames in the Court of Honor. Finally, there are 80 entries in the literature competition. Most award winners will be announced at a reception at 4PM Saturday August 14.

Seminars and Meetings: the AFDCS will host seminars on the Carol Gordon FDC catalog, FDC Show and Tell, Isle of Man FDCs, An FDC Exhibitors Wish List: Cachet Images that Tell the Story, 2021 First Day Ceremony Update and ACPS Catalog Update, and Collecting FDCs Topically. Meetings include the American Ceremony Program Society (ACPS) annual meeting and auction, Colorano collectors, 7-1-71 Affair chapter meeting and the annual cachet contest discussion. A schedule will be available on the AFDCS and APS websites shortly.

AFDCS President’s Banquet and Cachet Contest Results: the AFDCS President’s Banquet is scheduled for 7PM Thursday August 12. The winners of the 2020 AFDCS Cachet Contest will be announced during the banquet. Details are still being finalized; check the AFDCS website for updated information.

Co-host food events: The ATA President’s Reception will be Friday August 13 at a local restaurant. Tickets will be available on the ATA website shortly. The GASS Celebration Banquet is Saturday August 14 at 7PM at the Embassy Suites. The Americover, NTSS, and StampShow Grand, Reserve Grand, and Single Frame Grand awards will be announced at this event along with the World Series of Philately, Single Frame Champion of Champions and literature Grand/Reserve Grand awards winners. AFDCS, APS and ATA lifetime achievement award winners will be recognized. Tickets are $70.00 each and are currently available at classic.stamps.org/SS-Function-Tickets.

AFDCS Business and Membership Meeting: the AFDCS business and membership meeting will be held on Friday August 13 at 9AM. Depending on available connectivity, this meeting and other AFDCS events may be available via Zoom.

Cachetmaker Bourse: the cachetmaker bourse will be held on Saturday August 14 from 10AM to 4PM on the show floor adjacent to the USPS sales area. At present, ten cachetmakers have signed up with additional tables available. Signup information can be found at stamps.org/great-american-stamp-show/cachetmakers.

Post-Convention Dinner: we will have our usual Sunday night dinner at a local restaurant. Details have not yet been finalized.

Foster Miller
Americover Show Chair
showinfo@afdcs.org

 

Below is a FDC collector-centric floorplan for the show, subject to change. Click for a larger view:

Great American Stamp Show: “Let’s Do This”

Posted on by

Let’s Do This!
Great American Stamp Show: Chicago 2021
Statement from Scott D. English, American Philatelic Society Executive Director

In March, we announced that we were moving into the next planning phase for the Great American Stamp Show. To make the show financially viable for both dealers and the American Philatelic Society, we needed to meet specific benchmarks. I am pleased to announce we’ve completed those benchmarks, and the Great American Stamp Show will happen.

We called on our philatelic community to make plans to attend, and the response has been overwhelming! Good news and bad news: Our hotel blocks are filled for both the Embassy Suites and the DoubleTree hotel. If you haven’t booked your room yet, we will get additional rooms for those planning to attend.

To the collectors, exhibitors, societies, and dealers who made commitments to attend the show: You made this possible. On behalf of the American Philatelic Society, American Topical Society, and the American First Day Cover Society, thank you for rising to the occasion!

I would like to thank the APS Board of Directors for their faith in our fantastic team here at the APS. There have been so many developments over the past three months, and they’ve proven agile and responsive. Thank you to our partners at the American Topical Association and the American First Day Cover Society for their trust and support throughout this process. We promise to deliver a show to remember. Thanks to our partners at American Stamp Dealers Association, especially our old friend and colleague, Dana Guyer, for rallying the dealers.

Most importantly, I want to thank Wendy Masorti and Sarah Myers, our Shows team, for their tireless work in planning the show, responding at all hours to questions and concerns, and getting us across the goal line. It’s hard to believe this, the first show for both of them! Thanks to Ken Martin, our experienced hand at stamp shows, for his guidance and support to our rookie team.

To the dealers who have not committed to the show, look at the overwhelming response so far. We’re all planning to come to Chicago to support our dealer community after the challenging year. You will not want to miss this show!

The COVID pandemic has challenged all of us in the hobby, and we have emerged stronger from it. The response over the past two months is more proof of that. We’re not out of the woods just yet, so be vigilant, be safe, and be in Chicago in August for the Great American Stamp Show!

Show Details:

Dates: August 12-15, 2021

Location: Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont, Illinois

Hosts: American Philatelic Society, American Topical Association, and American First Day Cover Society

Sponsor: United States Postal Service

For More Information click here

Upcoming International Exhibitions (as of April 2021)

Posted on by

from the Association of British Philatelic Societies, additions by The Virtual Stamp Club:

Forthcoming international exhibitions
Latest information and deadlines

Note: The American Philatelic Society has a list of U.S. commissioners for international shows here. The APS list differs slightly from this list. The Coronavirus pandemic continues to affect international exhibitions with some being postponed but other proceeding and adapting to current circumstances. The following update gives the latest position and shows which international exhibitions are currently accepting entries from the United Kingdom. Several have an imminent entry deadline so if you would like to enter any please contact the UK commissioner shown at the bottom of each as soon as possible. All exhibits must have already achieved at least a vermeil medal (75 marks or above) at a national show to qualify.

SAVPEX 2021 is the South African virtual one-frame exhibition from 22-25 July 2021. The deadline for entries is 16 May 2021. Entries should reach the Secretary of SAVPEX 2021, Joof van der Merwe, at jnc1@vodamail.co.za by that date. The competition is heavily subsidised so the frame fee is only US$35. Further information and forms can be found on their website at https://stampssa.africa. There is no UK commissioner; entries go directly through their website.

U.S. Commissioner and Judge: Mr. Tim Wait, t.wait@comcast.net 815-670-5869, PO Box 242, Belvidere, IL 61008

PHILANIPPON 2021. Japan World Stamp Championship Exhibition 2021. Held at Pacifico Yokohama Hall B/C, Yokohama, Japan from 25 – 30 August 2021.A full international exhibition under FIP patronage and FIAP auspices. Website www.japan2021.jp Entries are now closed with 16 UK entries accepted. There may be travel restrictions on overseas visitors as there are with the Olympics beforehand, so if you are considering attending please check the latest situation before booking.

For further details please contact the UK Commissioner Simon Richards at simon@sidebell.co.uk

U.S. Commissioner: Dr. Mark Banchik, mebanchik@gmail.com, 347-267-7601, 10531 4s Commons Drove #166, San Diego, CA 92127

IPEX 2021 International Philatelic Exhibition, Cape Town, South Africa. Was to have been held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 9 – 13 November 2021. This exhibition has now been postponed for a second time but revised dates have not been announced yet.

For details contact the UK commissioner, Jon Aitchison at britishlocals@aol.com. Tel 01279 870488

U.S. Commissioner: U.S. Commissioner: Mr. Sandeep Jaiswal, sj722@aol.com, 401-688-9473, PO Box 8689, Cranston, RI 02920

NOTOS 2021 European Philatelic Exhibition, Athens, Greece. Held at Zappeion (venue change) from 19 – 22 November 2021. Website hps.gr/notos2021 A full European international with FEPA patronage and FIP recognition. Two- and three-frame exhibits will be accepted as well as the usual one, five or eight. All FEPA and FIP classes are accepted at 30 euros per frame and 30 euros per literature entry plus a UK handling and transport charge of £25 per frame. UK deadline for entries is 31 May 2021.

For entries contact the UK commissioner, Jon Aitchison at britishlocals@aol.com. Tel 01279 980488

LONDON 2022, England February 19-26. See the separate VSC article.

HUNFILEX 2022 Specialised World Stamp Championship Exhibition. Budapest, Hungary. Held at Bálna (The Whale), Budapest, Hungary from 31 March to 3 April 2022.The exhibition has FIP patronage and FEPA recognition. Website www.hunfilex2022.com Available classes are World Championship Class, Traditional Philately, Postal History, Revenues, Thematic, Open Class, One Frame and Literature. Frame fees 70 euros or 75 euros for literature and 100 euros for one frame exhibits. UK handling and transport charge is £25 per frame. The entry deadline is 23 June 2021.

For entries contact the UK commissioner Bill Hedley at ewlhedley@gmail.com. Tel 01892 531516.

U.S. Commissioner: Dr. Akthem Al-Manaseer, akthem@pacbell.net, 408-569-4056, 3821 Twin Falls Court, San Jose, CA 95121

HELVETIA 2022 Specialised World Exhibition, Lugano, Switzerland. Held at the Padiglione Conza Convention Centre, Lugano, Switzerland from 18 to 22 May 2022.The exhibition has FIP patronage and FEPA recognition. Website www.helvetica2022.ch Available classes are World Stamp Championship Class, Traditional Philately, Postal History, Postal Stationery, Aerophilately, Thematic, One-Frame and Literature. Frame fees are CHF 80 per frame or CHF 100 for one-frame entries and Literature Class. UK handling and transport charge is £25 per frame. UK deadline for entries is 23 September 2021.

For entries please contact the UK commissioner Chris King at chris.king@postalhistory.net. Telephone 0208 346 1366.

U.S. Commissioner: Michael Peter, mpetertwins@gmail.com, PO Box 50256, St. Louis, MO 63105

CAPEX 2022 International One-Frame Stamp Championship Exhibition, Toronto, Canada. Held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from 9-12 June 2022. Hosted by the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada under the Patronage of FIAP with FIP recognition. Website www.capex22.org. All One-Frame sub-classes plus literature. The frame fee for One-Frame exhibits is US$125 and literature is US$80, plus the UK handling charge of £30. Youth entries are free. Deadline for entries is 30 November 2021. Contact the UK commissioner Frank Walton at Frank@FrankWalton.com

Latest CAPEX 2022 press release.

LIBEREC 2022, European Stamp Exhibition and Polar Salon, Czech Republic. To be held at the Wellness Hotel Babylon, Liberec, Czech Republic from 13-16 October 2022, with FEPA patronage and FIP recognition. Website liberec2022.eu. Available classes are Grand Prix, Traditional, Postal History, Thematic, Open Philately, Picture Postcards, Youth, Literature and One-Frame. Two and three frame exhibits are accepted as well as the usual one, five and eight. Frame fees are 40 euros per frame for 5 or 8 frame exhibits, 45 euros for 3 frame, 50 euros for 2 frame and 55 euros for one frame and literature, with Youth exhibits being free. The UK handling charge of £25 per frame also applies. The deadline for entries is 31 January 2022. Please contact the UK commissioner Steve Harrison at sharrison500@btinternet.com or phone him on 0121 313 0671.

IBRA2023 World Stamp Exhibition, Essen, Germany. Held at the Messe Essen from 25 – 28 May 2023 (Date change). Website www.ibra2023.deA full international exhibition under FIP patronage with FEPA recognition. All FIP classes are accepted at 80 euros per frame, 110 euros for single frame exhibits and 50 euros for literature, plus a UK handling and transport charge of £25 per frame. UK deadline for entries is September 2022.For entries please contact the UK commissioner Frank Walton at Frank@FrankWalton.com

UK handling charges have now been standardised on all international exhibitions at £25 per frame for shows in Europe or £30 for events anywhere else in the world, whether single or multiple frame exhibits, and £25 per literature entry. This is to cover the cost of getting exhibits to and from exhibitions, FIP capitation fees and other costs relating to processing the exhibits. Overall this runs at a loss. Exhibits that are carried to and returned from an exhibition by the exhibitor are charged at half price. There is no UK handling charge for Youth exhibits. If you are interested in becoming a United Kingdom international exhibition commissioner please contact Jon Aitchison at britishlocals@aol.com.