USSS Annual Convention - Chicagopex 2003












	Glossary of Terms

By Roger S. Brody
P.O. Box 722
Westfield, NJ 07091-0722

The United States Stamp Society's most important award for 19th Century exhibiting was won by Robert D. Hohertz of Webster Groves, Missouri, at the annual meeting exhibition at CHICAGOPEX 2003. Hohertz exhibited "Revenue Stamped Paper of the Spanish American War Tax Era." He received the sterling silver tray at the awards ceremony of the CHICAGOPEX 2003 banquet. Hohertz, twelfth winner of the Southgate Trophy, joins an elite list of winners, the first of whom was Morton Dean Joyce, who won with his exhibit of United States Booklet Panes at SEPAD in 1969.

The Southgate Memorial Trophy, first announced in the November, 1968 issue of The United States Specialist, was offered to match the BIA-Hopkinson Trophy that is awarded to exhibits of 20th Century U.S. material.

Robert D. Hohertz, winner of The Southgate Memorial Trophy, 2003

The award is in honor of the memory of Hugh M. Southgate (1871-1940), first President of the Bureau Issues Association, one of its original founders and member of the USSS/BIA Hall of Fame. HMS, as he was known, was one of the most respected researchers and writers of his day, and his leadership in philatelic circles brought great prestige to our Association. The award is offered only at a national show hosting the annual meeting of the United States Stamp Society. Only members of the USSS are eligible to compete for the Southgate Trophy and they may win it only once. For the Southgate Trophy to be earned there must be at least three eligible exhibitors of 19th century U.S. material at the annual meeting exhibition and the award is given to the best exhibit, in the opinion of the show judges, of those eligible.

The Board of Governors, on behalf of the membership, extends congratulations to Robert D. Hohertz.

Robert A. Schlesinger of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, won the Walter W. Hopkinson Trophy for the best 20th Century United States exhibit at CHICAGOPEX 2003. Schlesinger's exhibit is a rate study titled "The 1938 Presidential Issue - A Rate Study." A panel of APS accredited judges headed by Dr. Roger G. Schnell made the selection from among many eligible exhibits at the Society's Annual Meeting show.

The Hopkinson and Southgate Trophies are the most important exhibiting honors awarded by the United States Stamp Society. The Walter W. Hopkinson Trophy was established by Mrs. Constance B. Hopkinson for the best exhibit of 20th Century United States material, named in memory of her late husband who died in May, 1953. Hopkinson enjoyed a long and distinguished career in philatelic circles, particularly the Bureau Issues Association. Hopkinson became a member (#87) of the BIA predecessor organization, the Philatelic Plate Number Association, in 1928. A plate number specialist during his entire quarter-century of membership, he was most active in advancing knowledge and providing data for the benefit of the membership.

The Walter W. Hopkinson Trophy, customarily a sterling silver tray, was to replace the "President's Award" begun a year earlier by then-BIA President Sol Glass. In 1953 President Glass created the President's Award to recognize outstanding exhibits presented by BIA members at national or regional shows like SEPAD (Philadelphia) or IFPEX (Kankakee). The President's Award was presented at eight exhibitions in 1953.

The new Hopkinson Trophy represented a higher recognition of exhibited 20th Century material. Ernest A. Schonrock won the first Hopkinson Trophy for his "U.S. 20th Century Commemoratives" at SESCAL in 1954.

The Hopkinson Trophy is not given routinely. If the judges do not consider that any eligible exhibits are of sufficient caliber to warrant it, the award is not made. It is only given once a year at the Annual Meeting show exhibition unless that show is an international show like Washington 2006. An individual can win the award only once, so it is considered of greater value, intrinsically, than most grand awards.

Robert A. Schlesinger, winner of the Walter W. Hopkinson Trophy 2003

The Board of Governors, on behalf of the membership, extends congratulations to Robert A. Schlesinger and all those members who presented exhibits at CHICAGOPEX 2003.

Peter G. DuPuy of Keene, New Hampshire, was awarded the USSS Statue of Freedom Medal for his exhibit "30¢ and 90¢ Denominations of the U.S. 1861 Issue." The attractive gold medal was awarded to DuPuy for the best exhibit of United States stamps.

The Statue of Freedom Award, first presented at SARAPEX on February 14, 1982, is given for the best United States exhibit in shows of more than 2000 exhibition pages. The initial recipient was Henry M. Gobie for his exhibit "U. S. Parcel Post - A Postal History, 1913-1925."

The Statue of Freedom Award medal was produced by Earle Plyler, president of American Graphics in Edmond, Oklahoma, a firm that produced a number of medals for philatelic organizations. The gold medals depict the USSS/BIA logo with the head of the Statue of Freedom as its center and the slogan "Know Your Country's Stamps." The Statue of Freedom stands atop the dome of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. and is depicted on the $5 denomination of the 1922 Fourth Bureau Issue.

Peter G. DuPuy's wonderful 1861 Issue exhibit previously garnered the Southgate Memorial Trophy at the Philadelphia National Stamp Exhibition in 2002.

The Board of Governors, on behalf of the membership extends congratulations to Peter G. DuPuy.

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Exhibit Awards Presented at CHICAGOPEX 2003

Hugh M. Southgate Memorial Trophy Awarded to Robert D. Hohertz

Robert A. Schlesinger wins Walter W. Hopkinson Trophy for 2003

Peter G. DuPuy wins Statue of Freedom Award