{"id":5816,"date":"2017-06-16T01:45:08","date_gmt":"2017-06-16T05:45:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/?p=5816"},"modified":"2018-03-14T04:06:34","modified_gmt":"2018-03-14T08:06:34","slug":"aps-exec-on-the-state-of-the-hobby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/virtualstampclub.com\/lloydblog\/?p=5816","title":{"rendered":"APS Exec On The State of The Hobby"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"At a \u201ctown hall\u201d meeting at the NAPEX show in suburban Washington, D.C., June 9, 2017, American Philatelic Society executive director Scott English talked about the diminishing membership, not only in the APS, but in stamp collecting organizations in general.<\/p>\n

APS membership in 1988, when English graduated high school, was almost 56,000. Today, when his youngest child is graduating high school, it’s about 29,000. Membership is down about 900 for the year. “It scares me,” he admits.<\/p>\n

English said he did “opposition research” before he took the job as executive director 22 months ago. He described that as \u201cI know more about you than you do, and it isn\u2019t all good.\u201d<\/p>\n

In this case, he found that the APS was disconnected and standing still. It’s still a problem, he said. “Our problem with the hobby is we love tradition.”<\/p>\n

However, English \u2014 who was not a stamp collector before he took the job \u2014 disputes assertions that stamp collecting is dying, and decreasing organizational membership proves it.<\/p>\n

“Stamp collecting isn’t collapsing, organized philately is,\u201d he declared.<\/p>\n

\"\"English told the collectors at the NAPEX session the APS may get involved in the Regency-Superior bankruptcy case. That was a large philatelic auction house and retail stamp seller with headquarters in Saint Louis. A major creditor has seized the assets of the firm, and those who consigned stamps and covers to Regency-Superior for sale may not be paid.<\/p>\n

He said that while the organization itself was a consignor to R-S auctions and stands to lose money, the APS also wants to stand up for its members and other consignors. English says it is not fair that material that they own should be seized by this creditor, a bank. He has directed the APS attorney to look into the matter.<\/p>\n

He also said that APS may get involved in seeking changes to bankruptcy law to protect future philatelic consignors. English said that in his past career in politics, he was at times involved in writing bankruptcy legislation.<\/p>\n

English also disputed the assertion by the owner of Regency-Superior that the business failed because stamp collecting is dying. You can hear or read his comments in a Virtual Stamp Club<\/strong> radio feature<\/a> (podcast).<\/p>\n

On other subjects:<\/p>\n