Delcampe Restricts Russian, Belarussian Users

Aside

Delcampe, a buying/selling site similar to eBay, is suspending all Russian and Belarusian accounts. “Due to the conflict in Ukraine, which we deplore, we have decided to suspend all sales and purchases from Russia and Belarus,” said in an email on Monday, March 7, from the Belgian company. The actions taken include the “suspension of the account of users based in Russia and Belarus, specifically

  • cancellation of sales and purchases made by these users
  • commission fees on cancelled sales will not be accounted for
  • ratings will been turned into neutral feedback for all transactions affected by these measures”

The email ends with “We regret this situation. Our thoughts are with all those affected by the situation in Ukraine.”

PayPal has already restricted payments to and from Russian users. On February 25, eBay announced that sellers were having trouble shipping merchandise to Ukraine and Russia, and it would not penalize sellers for delivery problems, retroactive to February 21. It also expressed support for Ukraine in a message that begins “We stand with the people of Ukraine” and talks about donations the company and its employees are making to relief organizations. However, there is no mention of stopping transactions. [The eBay links may require a login.]

Comments only pertaining to the philatelic ramifications of the Ukraine situation, please.

  • Take our poll, “How Is the Ukrainian Crisis Affection Your Philately?” that is, how you are collecting, buying, selling and/or trading.

 

U.S. Scott Catalogue Update (March 2022)

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5660 (58¢) Love – blue gray background
a. Imperforate
5661 (58¢) Love – pink background
a. Imperforate
   b. Horiz. or vert. pair, #5660-5661
c. Imperforate horiz. or vert. pair, #5660a-5661a

5662 (58¢) Chinese New Year
a. Imperforate

5663 (58¢) Edmonia Lewis
a. Imperforate

5664 (5¢) Butterfly Garden Flowers coil stamp – Cosmos
5665 (5¢) Butterfly Garden Flowers coil stamp – Scabiosas
a. Pair, #5664-5665

150th Anniversary of the FA Cup (UK 2022)

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Royal Mail Celebrates 150th Anniversary of the FA Cup with Special Stamps
Issue Date: 8 March

  • A set of six stamps celebrate some of the themes which make the Emirates FA Cup such a prestigious competition
  • A further four stamps, presented in a miniature sheet, feature a selection of the competition’s artefacts from the National Football Museum, photographed specially for the stamp issue
  • Stamps in the set show:
  • Lifting the Cup – Arsenal players Charlie George and Frank McLintock parading the trophy in 1971
  • Wembley Stadium – Crowds on the pitch at the 1923 Final – the first to be held at the original stadium in Wembley
  • A Big Day Out – West Bromwich Albion supporters cheering their team in the 1968 Final
  • Classic Finals – Keith Houchen equalising for Coventry against Tottenham Hotspur in the 1987 Final
  • FA Cup Upsets – In 2017, Lincoln City beat Burnley 1-0 to become the first non-league side in 103 years to reach the Quarter Finals
  • Royal Patronage – King George VI and Queen Elizabeth presenting the trophy to Sunderland captain Raich Carter in 1937
  • Royal Mail collaborated closely with The FA on the stamp issue
  • Just 12 teams took part in the inaugural season of the FA Challenge Cup in 1871/72 compared to the 729 clubs taking part 150 years later in 2021/22
  • The stamps and a range of collectible products are available to pre order from today (1 March) at www.royalmail.com/facup150 and by phone on +44 (0)3457 641 641
  • The stamps go on general sale from 8 March

Royal Mail has announced the launch of a set of 10 stamps to mark the 150th anniversary of the Emirates FA Cup’s very first edition.

Royal Mail collaborated closely with the FA, choosing images that celebrate the heritage and tradition of the longest-running and most famous domestic football competition in the world.

The main set of six stamps celebrate some of the themes which make the competition so prestigious, and a mixture of colour and black and white photographs relive some of the most famous moments in its 150-year history.

Stamps in the main set show:

  • Lifting the Cup – Arsenal players Charlie George and Frank McLintock parading the trophy in 1971
  • Wembley Stadium – Crowds on the pitch at the 1923 Final – the first to be held at the original stadium in Wembley
  • A Big Day Out – West Bromwich Albion supporters cheering their team in the 1968 Final
  • Classic Finals – Keith Houchen equalising for Coventry against Tottenham Hotspur in the 1987 Final
  • FA Cup Upsets – Lincoln City beat Burnley 1-0 in 2017 to become the first non-league side in 103 years to reach the Quarter Finals
  • Royal Patronage – King George VI and Queen Elizabeth presenting the trophy to Sunderland captain Raich Carter in 1937

A further four stamps, presented in a miniature sheet, feature a selection of the competition’s artefacts from the National Football Museum, photographed specially for the stamp issue.For 150 years, few other sporting events have produced as much joy and heartbreak or as many moments of raw emotion. It is a competition in which amateurs and semi-professionals can play in the finest stadia in the land, and the world’s best players run out in grounds holding only a few thousand people.

Just 12 teams took part in the inaugural 1871/72 edition, and while they might not have much else in common with the 729 modern day sides taking part in 2021/22, they shared the same dream: glory.

The Emirates FA Cup has always been a unique competition. For many fans it is about memories and moments on a football pitch that they associate with a time in their lives. Like the game itself, aspects of it have changed over the course of those years. But when fans of all ages think about the competition, they think of names, places, matches, moments. One thing is guaranteed – the Emirates FA Cup will keep creating memories for generations to come.

Natasha Ayivor, Royal Mail, said: “The Emirates FA Cup has given the world some of the greatest displays of competition football and these stamps celebrate the magic of those moments. We feel there is no more fitting tribute to its 150th anniversary than this collection of Special Stamps.”

The FA’s Director of Pro Game Relations, Andy Ambler, said: “The Emirates FA Cup continues to capture the imaginations of both football fans and the wider public in its 150th anniversary season. Its historic moments from the non-league to the very elite create lasting memories, and we’re delighted that a selection of iconic moments are being celebrated by these Special Stamps.”

The individual stamps in the set:

1st Class – Lifting the Cup
90th FA Cup Final
8 May 1971

 

1st Class – Wembley Stadium
48th FA Cup Final
28 April 1923

 

£1.70 – A Big Day Out
87th FA Cup Final
18 May 1968

 

£1.70 – Classic Finals
106th FA Cup Final
16 May 1987

 

£2.55 – FA Cup Upsets
FA Cup Fifth Round
18 February 2017

 

£2.55 – Royal Patronage
62nd FA Cup Final
1 May 1937

The individual stamps in the miniature sheet:

Supporter’s Memorabilia
A ticket stub from the 1959 Final between Nottingham Forest and Luton Town, held at the original Wembley Stadium (then known as the Empire Stadium). Forest beat Luton 2-1

An Everton rosette which dates from 1966 and features an image of the trophy and a Preston North End rosette which was taken to the 1954 and 1964 Finals

Painted rattle: A hand-painted Colchester United rattle, previously an air-raid rattle, which was taken to a Fourth Round home match against Arsenal in January 1959. The game was drawn 2-2.

Winner’s Medal and Trophy
A replica of the first FA Cup trophy, known as the ‘little tin idol’, which was used from 1896-1910 after the original Cup was stolen. A new trophy (the design still used today) was introduced in 1911.

The FA Cup winners’ medal awarded to Bradford City captain Jimmy Speirs in 1911. Speirs scored the only goal in the replay against Newcastle United, which secured a win for the ‘Bantams’.

Official Match-day Items
Manchester City’s distinctive red-and-black striped away shirt. It dates from the 1969 Final, when the club beat Leicester City 1-0

Match ball: The leather football used in the 1903 Final. Bury beat Derby County 6-0, achieving a record winning margin in a Final that was equalled only in 2019 when Manchester City beat Watford 6-0

An ornate gold-wire and silk badge, as given to The FA stewards at the 1903 Final between Bury and Derby County

Cup Final Souvenirs
A souvenir gramophone record and sleeve from the 1932 Final, when Newcastle United beat Arsenal 2-1. Each side includes a ‘meet the team’ feature, with the centre label in each team’s colours

A Leeds United FA Cup winners’ pennant, which celebrates United’s 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the centenary Final of 1972

A souvenir porcelain replica of The FA Cup trophy, which was made to commemorate Cardiff City’s 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the 1927 Final

The stamps and a range of collectible products can be pre-ordered now at www.royalmail.com/facup150 and by phone on +44 (0)3457 641 641.

The stamps go on general sale from 8 March.

VSC Note: If you click on the link, Royal Mail will also offer you a wide range of collectibles, including a £2 gold coin FDC for just £1,125.00 (US$1488, €1361).

WE Fest Set for Rocky Mountain Stamp Show In May

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[press release] [click on the picture for a larger version]
WE Fest Set for Rocky Mountain Stamp Show

Registration is now open for the Women Exhibitors semi-annual WE Fest, a series of exhibiting workshops. This year’s four-day event will be held in conjunction with the Rocky Mountain Stamp Show 2022, in Aurora, CO, May 27-29, 2022. WE Fest VII features speakers who will provide educational, informative, and entertaining presentations on Thursday May 26.

Dawn Hamman will share her expertise in “Competitive Postcard Exhibiting,” Marjory Sente will present “Tips for researching covers on the internet,” Elizabeth Hisey will have an interactive activity in which those attending get to be a “Judge for a Day,” and Sherri Soraci Jennings will introduce participants to “Thematic/Topical Exhibiting.”

There will be opportunities for socializing and networking throughout the show, including a pizza party, WE hospitality room and a farewell breakfast.

Women Exhibitors and WE Fest VII are open to all. Both men and women exhibitors, and those interested in exhibiting, are invited to join and participate. More information and the registration form is available at American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors – WE – Women Exhibitors (aape.org). Early Registration is $75 if received by March 28, 2022, or $85 if received after. For further information contact womenexhibitors@gmail.com.

Gini Horn, 1951-2022

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Gini Horn, the longtime chief librarian of the American Philatelic Research Library and the American Philatelic Society, has passed away at the age of 70. You can find her obituaries at on the APS website and that of a local newspaper.

Her coworkers and successors talk about her uncanny ability to find anything in the library’s collections, no matter how obscure.

In her 25 years as chief librarian, she not only grew the collection and staff, and oversaw the move to the new facility in Bellefonte, she was also a jack-of-all trades, often pitching in where needed. In the photo below, taken in 2004, she climbed onto the roof of “Building 1” and took photos of one of the dedication ceremonies for the American Philatelic Center in Bellefonte.

According to the APS obituary, when she got the job in 1984, she told a family member, “It’s a stamp library, how big could it be?” Thanks to her, it got bigger.

I used to drive her crazy when I was on the APS board: She somehow was in charge of checking tickets for the banquets during AmeriStamp Expo and StampShow. I would never remember to bring them. “How will we know what entree to serve you?” “I don’t know. Pick one. Whatever you have too much of.” She wasn’t satisfied. I guess for professional librarians, everything has to be in its proper place and category.

I also remember one show where she was the designated APS staffer who was transporting the Inverted Jenny back from a show to headquarters. (In those days, a different staffer had the responsibility each time, and who it was was kept secret. Today, of course, a Brinks truck transports the stamp to the nearest military air base where Air Force Two is waiting.) I was walking through the airport with a group of APS staffers, including Gini, and every few steps, she would stop and check her pockets. Or stop and look around to see if anyone suspicious was following her.

— Lloyd A. de Vries

Writing On Newfoundland Award Winners Announced

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[press release]
CCC Announces 2021 Pratt Award Winners

CHICAGO, Feb. 21, 2022 – The Collectors Club of Chicago is pleased to announce the winners of the 2021 Pratt Award, which recognizes articles or other publications related to the philately of Newfoundland as judged by the Pratt Award Committee as being significant and of academic merit. It is awarded in the year following its publishing.

The 2021 recipients are the following (listed with their award-winning works):

    • Anthony B. Thompson, of Sweden, for “Newfoundland’s Moiré Patterned Bookend Paper 1937-1940” in the first quarter 2021 BNA Topics whole number 566.
    • John M. Walsh and Robin J. Moore (both residing in Canada) for two articles: “Newfoundland: Discoveries in the Design Sizes of the 1933 Gilbert; 1937 Long Coronation and 1938 Royal Family Issues” in the January 2021 issue of Maple Leaves whole number 359 and the follow up article: “Newfoundland: Discovery Design Sizes Found on the 5 Cent, 2 Cent Die ii, 4 Cent Rose Lake and 8 Cent Values of the 1932 Perkins Bacon & Co Issue. (Further Proof of Their Different Printing Press Uses and Capabilities)” in the July 2021 issue of Maple Leaves whole number 361.

The CCC Pratt Award is named for Robert H. Pratt, the eminent Newfoundland stamp and postal history collector, researcher, and author. Since 1997, the award has been bestowed upon the author(s) of the best-judged article(s) or book(s) published on Newfoundland philately.

The annual award is US$1,000, which is given to one or more winners. If there are multiple winners in a year, they share the prize. For 2021, a single researcher authored one winning article, and the other was co-authored.

[According to the club’s website, “Initiated in 1997, the CCC Pratt Award is named for Col. Robert H. Pratt, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the pre-eminent Newfoundland stamp and postal history collector, researcher, and author.”]

Further details about the award and past winners are available here.

Founded in 1928 and re-established in 1944, the Collectors Club of Chicago is a group of award-winning philatelists focused on increasing knowledge and education of stamp collecting and postal history. The club owns and operates a philatelic library and clubhouse in downtown Chicago and has hosted speakers from around the United States.

Experience Nature: Nieuwkoopse Plassen (Netherlands 2022)

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
Experience Nature – Nieuwkoopse Plassen

  • Issue: Experience Nature – Nieuwkoopse Plassen
  • Date of issue: 21 February 2022
  • Appearance: sheet of ten stamps in ten different designs
  • Item number: 420261
  • Design: Frank Janse, Gouda
  • Photography: Buiten-Beeld

On 21 February 2022, PostNL will publish the Experience Nature – Nieuwkoopse Plassen issue: a sheet of ten stamps in ten different designs. The denomination on these stamps is ‘1’, the denomination for items weighing up to 20g destined for the Netherlands. The stamp sheet about the Nieuwkoopse Plassen is part of the multi-annual Experience nature 2021-2023 series. In the series, four stamp sheets are issued every year, each comprising ten different stamps. The stamps feature images of plants and animals in unique Dutch nature reserves across the country. In 2022, it is the turn of the provinces of Zeeland, Zuid-Holland, Limburg and Gelderland.

[The PostNL site for stamp purchases is here.]

The 21 February 2022 issue focuses on the low peatlands of the Nieuwkoopse Plassen, situated in the centre of Zuid-Holland. The stamp sheet issued earlier this year (3 January 2022) was about Fort Ellewoutsdijk in Zeeland. Later this year, stamps will be issued featuring the chalk landscape of the Sint-Pietersberg in Zuid-Limburg (13 June 2022) and the Leuvenum Woods on the Veluwe in Gelderland (15 August 2022).

The Nieuwkoopse Plassen nature reserve covers an area of around 1400 hectares, most of which is owned by Vereniging Natuurmonumenten. The lakes were created by peat extraction, which started in the 16th century. In addition to the larger Zuideinderplas and Noordeinderplas, it also has a number of smaller lakes and watercourses with names such as Maarten Freekenwei, Weide van Vliet, Armengat, Bleigaten, Poeltje and Noordse Plassen. This expansive low peatland bog is home to numerous unusual plants and animals. For example, the area is home to significant populations of purple herons, fen orchids and Tundra voles. In addition to its lakes, ponds and watercourses, the area also has many reed beds, especially in the eastern part. This is also the location of Lusthof De Haeck; an old remnant of swamp forest with paths, bridges and views of the surrounding lakes. The Nieuwkoopse Plassen are still under development. The Ruygeborg – a new natural area between Nieuwkoop and Noorden – has been in development since 2012, for example. In combination with the Groene Jonker – a wetland area created near Zevenhoven in 2008 – it is now an ecological link with the Vinkeveense Plassen.

Sources: natuurmonumenten.nl, wikipedia.nl

John Pietersen has been a forest ranger at Vereniging Natuurmonumenten since 2009. He was born and raised in the village of Noorden, on the shores of the Nieuwkoopse Plassen. He describes the area for which he is responsible as a unique low peatland bog with lots of water. ‘Even when it looks green, there is a big chance there is water underneath. That’s what we call floating land. The Nieuwkoopse Plassen were created through peat cutting and extraction. You can still see this in the landscape. The water has settled in areas where peat used to be extracted. We call those petgaten. The peat was laid out to dry on artificial drying islands. These still stick out above the water. Actually, it is a man-made area, with a lot of rare nature. Like unique orchids, for example. Right in the centre of the area you’ll even find a swathe of bog heath, the largest in Western Europe. That’s where you can see the Erica in bloom, surrounded by water. It’s an amazing sight. The area is a favourite destination, especially for nature lovers. Not too busy, with a lovely balance between recreation and nature conservation. I know the lakes and wetlands like the back of my hand, I can even navigate through them effortlessly in the dark. I have lived by these wetlands all my life, but the area never ceases to amaze me. I’m a bog man through and through.’

The Experience nature – Nieuwkoopse Plassen stamps feature the following ten inhabitants of the nature reserve:

  • the black tern,
  • hairy dragonfly,
  • Southern Marsh orchid,
  • ragged robin or cuckoo flower,
  • spined loach,
  • marsh cinquefoil,
  • lesser bulrush,
  • water soldier,
  • white water lily, and
  • bittern.

Each has its own stamp. The stamp sheet also features many more images of flora and fauna from this area. These are featured as transparent images in a separate graphic layer: spoonbill (top right), white water lily (top centre), gadwall (top centre right), grebe (centre left) and bitterling (bottom left and right). These transparent images cross the perforations and connect the stamps with each other and the sheet edge.

Design
The Experience Nature – Nieuwkoopse Plassen stamp sheet was designed by graphic designer Frank Janse from Gouda. On the sheet, the ten plants and animals are depicted in their natural environment, each on their own stamp. In some cases, the image or background colour continues onto the adjacent stamp and onto the sheet edge. All photos are incorporated in a graphic layer of different-sized overlapping circles, which break through the boundaries of the perforations. The circle pattern returns as small droplets on the sheet edge and the tabs. There is another graphic layer on top of the circles featuring transparent images of animals and plants from this area. The monochrome images are almost abstract and link the stamps.

The entire Experience Nature series was designed by Janse. While the focus was on various animal and plant species in the period from 2018 to 2020, in 2021-2023 the focus will be on unique Dutch nature reserves and their flora and fauna.

Nieuwkoopse Plassen in Zuid-Holland is situated near the towns of Nieuwkoop, Noorden and De Meije. The peat river of the same name, the Meije, runs along the south-eastern border of the area.

The denomination on these stamps is ‘1’, the denomination for items weighing up to 20 g destined for delivery in the Netherlands.

Technical Specifications:
Stamp size: 40 x 30mm
Sheet size: 122 x 170mm
Paper: normal with phosphor print
Glue: self-adhesive
Printing technique: offset
Printing colours: cyan, magenta, yellow and black
Print run: 285,000 sheets
Appearance: sheet of 10 stamps in 10 different designs
Design: Frank Janse, Gouda
Photography: Buiten-Beeld
Printing company: Cartor Security Printers, Meaucé-La Loupe, France
Item number: 420261

Stamp Designer David Gentleman (UK 2022)

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[press release] [click on any of the pictures for larger versions]
The Stamp Designs of David Gentleman
Royal Mail Pays Tribute to the Man Who Changed British Stamp Design

  • David Gentleman’s designs have featured on more stamps than that of any other designer – 103 issued stamps
  • Royal Mail collaborated closely with David Gentleman to select six iconic stamps for the issue
  • Stamps that feature in the set are:
  • National Productivity Year -1962
  • British Ships -1969
  • British Trees – 1973
  • Social Reformers – 1976
  • 900th Anniversary of the Battle of Hastings – 1966
  • 25th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain – 1965
  • More than 50 years after his first designs, the impact of Gentleman’s work on Royal Mail’s Special Stamps programme can still be seen
  • This is the first time Royal Mail has dedicated an entire issue to a designer of its commemorative stamps
  • The stamps and a range of collectible products are available from today (18 February) at www.royalmail.com/davidgentleman and by phone on +44 (0)3457 641 641

Royal Mail has announced the launch of a set of six stamps that pay tribute to the designer credited with changing the face of British stamp design, David Gentleman

1962

[Wikipedia article here].

Royal Mail collaborated closely with Gentleman to choose a selection of some of his most iconic and influential images from the world of British stamps.

This is the first time Royal Mail has dedicated an entire issue to a designer of its commemorative stamps.

David Gentleman has designed 103 issued stamps for Royal Mail. He has also provided many more artworks for issues that did not come to fruition and is the most prolific and influential British stamp designer.

1965

David Gentleman said: “Stamps were fun to design, though squeezing a lot into a small space wasn’t easy. At first it was difficult to fit in The Queen’s head until I turned it into the simple profile which is still used today. Stamps I particularly enjoyed designing were for the Battle of Hastings 1066, and Social Reformers.”

David Gold, Royal Mail, said: “David Gentleman is one of the foremost artists involved in British stamp design. For over half a century, he has made an enduring contribution to British stamp design. His work continues to influence and inspire designers today.”

David Gentleman:
Prior to 1962, stamp design had been as largely symbolic or stylised, and issues had been

1966

few in number. David Gentleman’s first successful designs had been for the National Productivity Year in 1962, using symbolic arrows.

In January 1965 David Gentleman wrote to the new Postmaster General, Tony Benn, in response to a general invitation for ideas about stamps. Gentleman recommended much more interesting subject matter than had been featured previously: special themes for stamp issues rather than commemoratives for conferences or festivals.

With The Queen’s agreement, Gentleman was then commissioned to produce an album of

1976

experimental designs, which would prove to be a source of inspiration for at least 20 years.

The original themes were an exciting range of ideas, from regional landscapes, plants, trees, birds and animals to the Industrial Revolution, bridges, railway engineering and famous people. Gentleman also proposed a new size of stamp and introduced a small cameo of the Queen, based on her profile as depicted by Mary Gillick on coins from 1953.

After characteristic wood engravings for the Shakespeare Festival, his designs for stamps

1969

featuring Winston Churchill and a set on the Battle of Britain, both issued in 1965, were innovative and revolutionary. The Queen’s head was reduced to a minimum and the concept of se-tenent (joined together) designs was first introduced.

His subsequent stamp designs were equally inventive. For the 1966 World Cup stamps, Gentleman used real-life photographs as the basis for his design. For the 1969 stamps celebrating the first flight of the Anglo-French Concorde, he developed some of his ideas from what became known as the David Gentleman Album, and the design process was featured in the GPO film Picture to Post. British Ships in 1969 followed the Battle of Hastings in having some values much larger in size. Other iconic

1973

stamps featured Gentleman’s watercolour paintings of the oak and the horse chestnut, issued in 1973 and 1974.

In 1976 came the Social Reformers stamps. On these, a coal face, chimney stacks, prison cells and the operation of cotton mills were represented in such a way as to create a continuous pattern over a whole sheet of stamps each. These were all in a new size and shape, which later became standard. David Gentleman’s most recent issued stamp designs were for the Millennium Timekeeper miniature sheet, depicting the stylised hands of a clock and globe.

The stamps and a range of collectible products are available from today (18 February) at www.royalmail.com/davidgentleman and by phone on +44 (0)3457 641 641.

Medobory Nature Preserve (Ukraine 2022)

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Issue date: 25 February. This is a minisheet of five stamps; note that the middle “stamp” in the top row is not valid for postage.The price of 44 Ukrainian Hryvnia is approximately US$1.54 as of 18 February. Wikipedia has an article on the Medobory Nature Preserve. For those following the latest U.S.-Russia standoff news and curious, it is about 185 miles south of the Belarus border.There are two postmarks for first day covers of this issue. FDCs with the one on the left is 7.00 UAH (US 25¢); the other is 79.00 UAH ($2.77)!You can order these items on the website or, if you don’t speak Ukrainian, in English by clicking on the tiny British flag near the top of the page. (However, as of this posting, I don’t see these stamps for sale yet.)

ATA Names Martin Editor of Its Journal

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[press release]
ATA Names Miller Editor of Topical Time

The American Topical Association has selected Martin Kent Miller to serve as the association’s Content Manager and Editor for Topical Time.

In January, veteran editor Wayne Youngblood announced his retirement from Topical Time, after 12 years editing the journal. The announcement triggered a search for a new editor and a redefinition of the editor’s overall role. The Content Manager and Editor will serve as Topical Time editor, while also working to publish more digital content both through social media and the association’s web platforms.

Miller also edits The United States Specialist, the journal of the United States Stamp Society; First Days, the journal of the American First Day Cover Society; The Philatelic Exhibitor, the journal of the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors; and The Pennsylvania Postal Historian, the journal of the Pennsylvania Postal History Society. He was former Chief Content Officer of the American Philatelic Society, which included editing its American Philatelist and Philatelic Literature Review.

Martin is an active topical collector with focused collections covering emus, heraldry, printing & graphic communication, penguins, and the art and life of Albrecht Dürer. He is married to Jennifer Miller [right], ATA Executive Director, and has supported ATA projects, including the new website, co-editing the ATA handbook Topical Adventures – A Guide to Topical and Thematic Stamp Collecting, and designing the new ATA logo.

“Martin brings a broad range of talents and is committed to the goals of ATA. For several years he has been an integral part of ATA, and we are delighted he will take on this expanded role,” said ATA president Dawn Hamman.