by Lloyd A. de Vries, The Virtual Stamp Club
These notes are not meant to be comprehensive; for more detailed reporting, see Foster Miller’s live blogging from the meeting in The Stamp Collecting Forum. (This link takes you directly to those messages). Unless otherwise attributed, all views and observations are those of the author.
Some highlights — Shows:
StampShow 2022 will be held in Sacramento, Calif. Previously set are 2019 Omaha, 2020 Hartford, Conn., and 2021 in the Chicago area.
The American Topical Association, which is holding its National Topical Stamp Show in conjunction with APS StampShow this weekend in Columbus, Ohio, has asked to do the same next year, in Omaha. I believe the National Model Railroaders Association also will be meeting in conjunction with StampShow next year in Omaha. APS executive director Scott English said at this meeting that the Union Pacific Railroad is a sponsor of StampShow 2019.
2019 is the 150th anniversary of the “driving of the Golden Spike,” the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, or the ability to take a train from one side of the U.S. to the other. The Central Pacific Railroad headed east from Sacramento; the Union Pacific headed west from Omaha, and UP still exists as a company today.
English is going to Omaha next month to explore other community involvement for the show.
AmeriStamp Expo in Birmingham in February lost $45,000, even more than the most-pessimistic predictions. English hopes StampShow 2018 will make up most of that, but it won’t make up all of it.
English calls this weekend’s joint APS/ATA show “historic.”
“I believe there is no wrong way to get into stamp collecting,” he said.
Finances:
Treasurer Bruce Marsden reports the APS is financially strong. However, it has $4.1 million in “designated funds,” and he recommends the Board take a look at how that money is allocated. For instance, the “insurance fund” (for circuit sales, I believe) has about 10 times as much in it as is ever used.
The APS and American Philatelic Research Library, which owns the American Philatelic Center (“Match Factory”), have an operating agreement dating back to 2005. However, Marsden says most of it has never been followed: There is no lease, no rents collected, no certainty of which organization promotes rentals to outside groups. The operating agreement also predates the completion of the Library facilities. He recommends re-examining this agreement, too.
English does not recommend a dues increase. The APS raised dues by $10 twice in a five-year period, 2003 ($25 to $35) and then again in 2008 ($35 to the present $45). The latter had a strong effect on membership.
The average cost per member is about $40. Dues account for only about 21% of APS revenue. Eliminating the never-financially-successful AmeriStamp Expo winter show will save about $2 per member! No dues pay for American Philatelist, the journal: It is supported by its advertising revenue.
The APS has reduced its debtload by almost $2 million in the three years since English became executive director.
Library:
Chief librarian Scott Tiffney, subject of our current audio feature, says reference request and usage of the APRL is up. Donations of materials to the Library are also up, but he is trying to be more selective so as to speed the inclusion of new materials into the Library. (He talked about this in our interview.) About 37% of the donated materials are added to the Library’s holdings.You can search online for duplicate materials that are for sale.
85% of all issues of American Philatelist, the journal of the APS, are now available online through the Library, and Tiffney expects that to be 100% by late September.
There are also more philatelic exhibits online.
Website:
English said he does not apologize for calling the current APS website, stamps.org, “garbage” in an article that appeared in Linn’s Stamp News. (You can read it here.) He says it was good once, given the state of the art then and what the APS could afford, but it no longer is adequate.
Martin Miller, editor of American Philatelist, is the project manager on revamping the website. You will see changes shortly.
Sales Taxes:
Society attorney Kathleen Yurchak is keeping an eye on South Dakota v. Wayfair, a recent Supreme Court ruling that said states have the right to collect sales taxes from Internet merchants, even if they do not have a physical presence in those states. (Read more in Forbes as well as other publications.) English says there are 5,000 taxing jurisdictions in the U.S.
From my own experience, customers in White Plains, NY, pay city, county and state sales taxes, while those in nearby towns may only pay county and state.
Membership Survey:
All APS members for which the society has e-mail addresses were invited to take the survey, which was written by a professional firm. About 15% did, which is much higher than the usual response to online surveys of 3-4%.
54% of those responding collecting only stamps.
40% collecting stamps and covers.
The other 6% were dealers, advertisers and institutions.
The strongest responses were from the Southeast and Midwest.
77% read every issue.
More than 81% consider it a source of continuing philatelic education for them.
Less than 27% share it. Miller wants to change that: “The recruitment value of ‘AP’ is incalculable.”
Not surprisingly, the interest in online features increases as the age of the member (or, at least, the members’ length of time in the APS) decreases. Some members only do eBay and Facebook online.
85% of AP’s readers read the ads.
60% say they have discovered new dealers through reading American Philatelist.
63% are more likely to support an advertiser over a non-advertiser, that is, whom to patronize or give their business.
The survey respondents overall gave high marks to American Philatelist 3 the highest scores the analysis group had ever seen for an organization!
Miscellany:
There is an eBay seminar at StampShow at 3 p.m. on Friday; I believe someone from eBay HQ will present it. Based on the eBay seminars in the late 1990s at StampShow, this one may be mobbed!
Five dealers are participating in an eBay auction that will close during StampShow. It is a joint project of the APS and American Stamp Dealers Association. We hope to have a report on it after it closes.
Both English and APS president Bob Zeigler are left-handed.
This show marks English’ 3rd anniversary as executive director.
English called the “Stamp Soiree,” a high-donation reception this year being held in the Ohio State Capitol, the “Ziggy Experience.” At that, Zeigler put his head in his hands.
Zeigler will not be attending StampShow this year; his son is getting married this weekend in Seattle.
5285 (50¢) 
h. (50¢) Field of Wheat, Montana
s. (50¢) Canaveral National Seashore, Florida
The ten-stamp set, four of which are presented in a miniature sheet, will include a selection of the original drawings and paintings of the indigenous peoples, landscapes of the Pacific and flora and fauna, some of which had never been seen before by Europeans, and which amazed the scientific establishment at the time.
During the expedition, Cook and his men initiated the first European contact with Eastern Australia, mapped New Zealand and observed the transit of Venus across the Sun.
voyage produced Pacific maps based on accurate information rather than conjecture.
Sir Joseph Banks Bt by Sir Joshua Reynolds, Phaethon rubricauda (red-tailed tropicbird) by Sydney Parkinson and Passiflora aurantia (red passion flower) outline drawing by Sydney Parkinson finished by Fred Polydore Nodder
Charles Green and Lieutenant James Cook alongside a photograph of a sextant
Amos Media is proud to offer Rail Transportation, an exciting new item in our popular Scott National Album topical series. This album celebrates the dynamic, rich history of rail transportation, which has been an important part of global life for more than two centuries — moving goods, mail and people around the world. On its pages you will find rail themed stamps from North America, Central America and South America.
This August for Stamp Collecting Month, Australia Post is calling on Australians to go on a Reef Safari with the release of five beautiful stamps showcasing some of the diverse and threatened species found on the Great Barrier Reef.
“In the International Year of the Reef, we’re encouraging children to learn more about the environment and biodiversity of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef through the special Reef Safari stamp issue. The five stamps highlight the beauty and diversity of species living in the largest coral reef system in the world – the Grey Reef Shark, Green Sea Turtle, Nautilus, Olive Sea Snake and Emperor Angelfish,” said Ms Cohen.
“As one of the world’s seven natural wonders and one of our most popular tourist locations, the Great Barrier Reef is home to billions of organisms, corals, and marine life. Sadly, climate change has placed the reef under pressure like never before, and we hope these stamps can highlight the things we can do to make a difference.”
“Urgent protection is needed to save the reef, or Australia and the world risk losing a global treasure that provides enormous economic, social, and environmental benefits to hundreds of millions of people. Time and time again, we are seeing devastating impacts on coral reefs when sea temperatures warm even for short periods. If average global temperatures increase by 1.5 degrees above the pre-industrial period – a point just decades away – many scientists think that most coral reefs will become unviable. We must put the brakes on climate change for the sake of coral reefs,” he said.
The stamps and associated products will be available from 1 August in participating Post Offices, via mail order on 1800 331 794, and online at auspost.com.au/stamps while stocks last.
The Hague, 20 July 2018 The guilder was succeeded by the euro on 1 January 2002, following 700 years of loyal service. On 23 July, PostNL is issuing 10 stamps featuring 10 special guilder coins and guilder notes.
PostNL has issued five new stamps featuring Meneer de Uil (Mister Owl) from De Fabeltjeskrant (The Daily Fable). The stamp sheetlet represents the first in a series of stamps comprising a total of 25 characters from the old children’s programme that was so popular.
Updated August 1st:
The Digital Color Postmark measures 2.58″x1.41″ 
The B&W pictorial postmark measures 2.03″x1.43″
Updated October 10th:
The Digital Color postmark measures 2.92″x1.29″
The B&W pictorial measures 2.98″x1.37″
