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Society News Archive (2004) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dec 12, 2004 |
From the Executive Secretary The Holiday Season is fast approaching. If you haven't sent in your dues for 2005, please do so before you forget. You will receive a $3.00 discount off the $25.00 annual dues only if you pay by December 31st. If you want a copy of the 2005 bound volume of The Specialist, pay for it now along with your dues. It will be mailed to you in the Spring of 2006. Lastly, don't forget to send your free classified word ads directly to Leonard Piszkiewicz, the Editor of The Specialist. The Society has a Hardship Fund for those who are unable to pay their annual dues because of job lay-offs or other hardships. If you find yourself in one of these situations, let me know and I will arrange for your dues to be paid for 2005. We don't want to lose anyone because of the poor economy or because of other unfortunate situations. - Larry Ballantyne |
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Dec 12, 2004 |
2005 Annual Meeting - Indianapolis, Indiana INDYPEX - July 8-10, 2005 The United States Stamp Society is in the process of planning our Annual Meeting to be held in conjunction with INDYPEX, the annual stamp show sponsored by the Indiana Stamp Club. The venue will be The Indiana Convention Center, 100 S. Capital Avenue, Indianapolis, IN. The show will run from Friday July 8th through Sunday July 10th. At the present time, neither the exhibit prospectus nor the entry form are available for this World Series of Philately show. However, they may be by the time you read this. The main reason for writing this short message is to alert all members who wish to exhibit at the show to check the show web site regularly for these forms and to submit them as soon as possible. It sounds as though available frames will be at a premium, since in addition to our Society, the show will host the annual meetings of The British Caribbean Philatelic Study Group and The Society For Hungarian Philately, as well as the sponsoring club's traditional Indiana Showcase. When we met at CHICAGOPEX 2003, the BCPSG also held their annual meeting there and accounted for 64 of the exhibit frames. In addition, those who intend to enter single frame exhibits should be aware that the show committee has limited the total number of such exhibits to the first 12 entries. It, therefore, is strongly recommende! d that all potential exhibitors check www.indianastampclub.org for the necessary forms and to make a speedy application. Inasmuch as 2005 will mark our 75th anniversary, I encourage those members who are interested in making a one hour presentation on an interesting U.S. philatelic topic to entertain the thought of doing so at this annual meeting. If you would like to do so, please contact me and I will make the necessary arrangements with the show committee. Also contact me with any ideas you may have as to how to make this anniversary show a memorable one. As additional information becomes available about the show, accommodations,. etc., I will let you know.
- Nick Lombardi |
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Dec 12, 2004 |
2006 Annual Meeting at Washington 2006 This international philatelic exhibition will be here before we know it and since we will be holding our 2006 annual meeting there, we will have to start working with the various planning committees now. Therefore, if any member wishes to make a presentation at this once-a-decade gathering, please let me know so I can coordinate it with the folks who will be doing the scheduling.
- Nick Lombardi |
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Dec 12, 2004 |
Show Report: New York Fall Mega Show - October 14-17, 2004 By Nicholas Lombardi The New York Fall Mega Show returned to its usual location at the Javits Center on the west side of Manhattan. The show floor was occupied by more than one hundred dealers, postal administrations/agencies and societies, including the United States Stamp Society. Our booth, located along the north wall of the hall, was staffed for most of the four day show and served as both a meeting place for current members as well as a means of attracting new members. Unfortunately, the call for volunteers to help staff the booth apparently fell on deaf ears and with only three members who had signed up to help, we were only to keep the booth open for two hours on Sunday. Our society banner along with a display of our current books, reprints, and past copies of The Specialist did make an attractive showing and resulted in three new members. (more...) |
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Dec 12, 2004 |
Your Excess Postage Can Help Our Society A major expense for the United States Stamp Society is postage. Each year the official business of the USSS requires approximately $2,000 in postage. Discount postage usually sells for 75% of face value. Any member who wishes to make a contribution of discount postage will receive a tax deductible contribution for the full face value of the postage plus mailing costs (including insurance). Please mail discount postage to the Treasurer for distribution, or drop it off at any show where the USSS has a Society table. A receipt indicating the amount of your tax-deductible, charitable contribution will be sent for all contributions in excess of $5.
- David S. Sugar, Treasurer |
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Nov 21, 2004 |
Dues Mailing You will soon be receiving your 2005 membership dues notice. To determine if you owe dues for 2005, check the number in the upper right corner of the label on the dues notice. If it ends in 03-2005, you owe dues for 2005. Even if you don't owe dues for 2005, you will receive a dues notice mailing as it also contains the latest list of publications available for sale and the free classified advertising form. We would appreciate your help in sending in your 2005 dues early, before you become too busy with the holiday season. You can also order a bound volume of the 2005 United States Specialist for delivery in 2006. Please remember that The United States Specialist and USSS membership is on a calendar year basis. To avoid missing an issue of the journal, please renew before the end of the year and take a $3 discount from the yearly dues of $25. Many members give additional contributions for the work of the Society. The continued generosity of our members who make additional contributions allows our Society to provide monthly the in-depth research information you have come to expect in The United States Specialist as well as the popular Research Papers, Reprints and Books published for our members' use. We would like to recognize those members who contribute to the Sustaining, Contributing and Patron levels by listing them in our journal. If, however, you wish to contribute but remain anonymous, there is a place to so indicate on the dues notice. Your Society's operations require four to five weeks to process address changes and renewals. When members do not renew until February or March, continuation of The Specialist is not guaranteed. The restarting of the journal to a delinquent dues payer adds expense. Please let us know if you plan to drop your membership, too. Lastly, there is also a flyer with the dues notice concerning the publication fund for the Encyclopedia of United States Stamp Collecting to be published in 2006.
- Larry Ballantyne |
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Nov 21, 2004 |
Your Contribution Can Go Farther This year more members than ever are making contributions to the USSS. All contributions beyond the regular annual dues of $25 qualify under current IRS guidelines as a tax deductible charitable contribution. We acknowledge all contributions of $5 or more with a written receipt. It has come to our attention that your contribution may be eligible for a matching grant from your employer. Many companies have matching programs for contributions made by employees to eligible, recognized charitable organizations. If you have recently made a contribution to the USSS and your company has such a program, please consider applying for a matching grant.
- David S. Sugar |
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Nov 21, 2004 |
Roger S. Brody Wins 2003 Hopkinson Memorial Literature Award Roger S. Brody has been selected to receive the Walter W. Hopkinson Memorial Award for the best article or series of articles published in The United States Specialist during 2003. The award is given annually by the United States Stamp Society (formerly the Bureau Issues Association). The award consists of an engraved plaque and an honorarium. Brody's series of articles, "Raymond Ostrander Smith Pencil Drawings - Series 1902," explored the questionable genuineness of a set of 16 pencil drawings supposedly made by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing designer responsible for the U.S. definitive issues of 1902, the Second Bureau Issue. The series of articles appeared in the July, August and September issues of The United States Specialist. The selection committee noted the articles' scholarly, impartial, comprehensive treatment of the subject in an interesting presentation. Brody had previously won the 1999 Hopkinson Literature Award for a series of articles titled "Y1.9K - Handling the Mails at the Turn of the Century," which explored the postal history of the 1902 definitives. As a two-time winner, he joins the limited number of members who have received the award more than once. Brody currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Society. He previously served as Chairman of the Second Bureau Issues Committee. The selection committee consists of the last three winners of the award. The committee for the 2003 award consisted of Larry S. Weiss, 2000 winner for "Detecting Watermarks" and Wallace Cleland, the 2002 winner for a series of articles on plate numbers and plate markings. The 2001 winner, John S. Meek, for his series on Twentieth Century Marginal Markings, had passed away. The award has been given annually since 1954 in honor of Walter W. Hopkinson. It was established by his wife, Mrs. Constance B. Hopkinson, in view of Hopkinson's interest in philatelic scholarship and the dissemination of research and knowledge through the Society's publications. Hopkinson was a plate number specialist as well as a long-time member and vigorous supporter of the Bureau Issues Association, as the Society was then named. A list of all previous winners of the award may be found on the Society's website: www.usstamps.org. Click on "Feature Articles and Links" and then "Description of Awards given by the Society." |
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Nov 21, 2004 |
Recent Winners of USSS Medals Here are the United States Stamp Society medal winners that have been reported from recent shows:
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Nov 21, 2004 |
USSS Awards Program The USSS Gold Statue of Freedom Medal is sent automatically to all APS World Series of Philately shows. The USSS Silver President's Award medal is available upon request to all local and regional shows. For more information, or to request an award, please write to Denise Stotts, P.O. Box 690042, Houston, TX 77269-0042 or by e-mail. |
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Nov 18, 2004 |
New Marginal Markings Committee web site The Marginal Markings Committee is pleased to announce a Marginal Markings web site which may be accessed from Marginal Markings Committee page on the USSS web site. The site is intended to share knowledge of marginal markings on U.S. stamps and encourage the reporting of and research into marginal markings. Comments and questions are welcome! Committee membership is open to all interested members of the United States Stamp Society. The goal of the web site is to eventually address the full range of marginal markings on U.S. stamps. |
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Nov 5, 2004 |
New Washington 2006 Web Site Design Unveiled
Randy L. Neil of Neil Creative Media took on the challenge of giving the show's web presence a new look and making it easier to navigate. An initial prototype was presented to and approved by W2006 officers in August. Work on the final product began soon thereafter. It has been online since mid-October. (more...) |
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Oct 19, 2004 |
Recent Winners of USSS Medals Here are the United States Stamp Society medal winners that have been reported from recent shows:
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Oct 19, 2004 |
Show Report: APS StampShow August 12-15, 2004 By Joann Lenz The annual APS StampShow was held at the Sacramento Convention Center. StampShow is the nation's largest annual stamp event. There were 150 dealer booths, three first day ceremonies, several postal administrations, a cachet-makers' bourse, about 13,000 pages of exhibits, society meetings, and society booths, including one for the United States Stamp Society. The USSS booth was staffed the entire four days of the show; many members met at the booth and several new members signed on. Even a couple of former members stopped by to say "Hello." Society publications were on display and for sale; the most popular item was the new U.S. Booklets and Booklet Panes. All in all, it was a great success. (more...) |
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Sep 28, 2004 |
Join Us at the Fall Mega Show Once again, our Society will have a booth at the Fall Mega Show which is being held at the Javits Convention Center in New York City from October 14 through 17. If you plan on attending the show and have an hour or more you could spare to help staff our booth, it would be a great help. It's easy, it's fun, and you will meet old friends and make new ones. Best of all, you'll have a place to sit and relax as you plan how to purchase that great piece you just saw at a price you can afford. Please contact Nick Lombardi via e-mail or at P.O. Box 1005, Mountainside, NJ 07092 to arrange a convenient time to volunteer. It will be greatly appreciated.
- Nicholas Lombardi |
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Sep 28, 2004 |
Vending and Affixing Machine Perforations Committee Project The Vending and Affixing Machine Perforations Committee has begun a project to determine the Earliest Known (and Documented) Use (EKU) of each vending and affixing machine coil. Although fragmentary lists have been published in the past, an accurate listing of the EKUs of the more than one hundred varieties of vending and affixing machine coils that are known on cover has never been compiled. This project will be led by Melvin Gitlan and Steven Belasco. Anyone who has an item that they would like to be considered as a possible EKU should send a photocopy of the item and any expert certificate pertaining to the item to Steven Belasco, Chairman, Vending and Affixing Machine Perforations Committee, 287 Evandale Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583. The Committee's goal is to compile a preliminary listing EKUs for publication in The United States Specialist by early 2005.
- Steven Belasco |
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Sep 28, 2004 |
Encyclopedia Comments Wanted Please send your comments on chapters of the Encyclopedia of U.S. Stamp Collecting as they have appeared in The United States Specialist. Your corrections and suggestions will help us as we prepare to issue the Encyclopedia in hard-bound book form at Washington 2006. Please send your comments by e-mail. |
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Sep 4, 2004 |
New Chairman for Dummy Booklets Study Group As you have read in recent months, several of our members have stepped forward to assume the chairmanship duties for several of our committees and study groups. Kent Wilson (First Bureau Issue Study Group) and Doug D'Avino (Marginal Markings Committee) have filled the vacancies in those existing groups, while Eliot A. Landau has agreed to chair the newly created Registered Mail Study Group. It is now my pleasure to announce that Terry R. Scott of Napa, CA has volunteered to become the new chairman of the Dummy Booklets Study Group, a vacancy created by the passing last year of Earl K. McAfee. Terry brings a wealth of knowledge with him and is currently involved in a number of projects related to this area of U.S. philately. There has also been discussion about the possible expansion of the Group's focus to include material other than just the booklets. I'm certain you'll be hearing more from this group in the months ahead. If you have an interest in this particular area, or just want to learn more about it, I urge you to contact Terry at the address listed on the second page of this issue. It will not cost you a dime and you may just find a new field to pursue.
- Nick Lombardi |
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Sep 4, 2004 |
Want To Know More? If you are interested in a particular area of U.S. philately, take a look at the second page of The Specialist (also here - ML). There is probably a committee or study group that is right for you. Contact the committee chair for more information about joining. It's easy - just express your interest, and you're in the committee. And best of all, it's free! |
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Sep 4, 2004 |
Recent Winners of USSS Medals Here are the United States Stamp Society medal winners that have been reported by the sponsoring shows from March through June, 2004:
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Sep 4, 2004 |
USSS Awards Program The USSS Gold Statue of Freedom Medal is sent automatically to all APS World Series of Philately shows. The USSS Silver President's Award medal is available upon request to all local and regional shows. For more information, or to request an award, please write to Denise Stotts, P.O. Box 690042, Houston, TX 77269-0042 or by or via e-mail. |
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Jul 17, 2004 |
NOJEX '2004 Hosts Annual Meeting The United States Stamp Society held its annual meeting at NOJEX '04 in Secaucus, New Jersey over the Memorial Day weekend, May 29-31, 2004. The Federation of New Jersey Stamp Clubs once again hosted and put together an excellent event and venue for the Society. In addition to a dealer bourse and APS competitive exhibits, the show offered excellent seminars and a stamp auction. Forty-eight members signed in at the Society table. A list of attending members appends this report and indicates that we enjoyed representation across the continental USA with members from Maine to Texas and New Jersey to California. (more...) |
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Jul 17, 2004 |
USSS Annual Meeting Minutes, May 30, 2004 President Nick Lombardi called the meeting to order at 1 PM. He welcomed those present and then asked attendees to introduce themselves briefly - name and collecting interests.
Jeff Shapiro moved to waive the reading of the minutes of the
November 21, 2003 meeting in Arlington Heights, IL,
and to approve them as published in the January,
2004 issue of The U.S. Specialist. Second, Scott Pelcyger. Passed.
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Jul 17, 2004 |
Major Exhibit Awards Presented at NOJEX '04
The Hugh M. Southgate Trophy was awarded to Thomas C. Mazza, a New York City resident, who exhibited "Street Fighting - New York City Carrier and Local Mail 1840-1863." The exhibit was one of three that competed for the coveted award. The exhibit was also awarded a Gold medal and the show's Grand Award, making it eligible for competition in the Champion of Champions at STAMPSHOW.
The Statue of Freedom Award is made available to each APS World Series of Philately Exhibition. The award is presented to an outstanding U.S. exhibit of postage stamps, revenue stamps and/or stamped paper. The exhibit must win a minimum of a show Vermeil Medal. This year's winner at the Annual Meeting was Society President Nick Lombardi for his Gold Medal and Reserve Grand exhibit, "The 1903 Two Cent Washington Shield Issue." The Board of Governors congratulates Thomas C. Mazza, C. David Eeles and Nick Lombardi. Their outstanding exhibits are clearly worthy of the Society's most important exhibiting honors. |
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Jul 17, 2004 |
Brett and Mueller Receive the Smithsonian's Philatelic Achievement Awards The Smithsonian Institution's National Postal Museum awarded their Philatelic Achievement Award to George Brett and Barbara Mueller, long-time and prominently active members of the BIA/USSS. Thomas Alexander also received the award at the ceremony. The awards were presented May 22, 2004 at the Museum. George Brett presented his acceptance remarks via videotape (his award was accepted by Roger Brody) and Barbara Mueller attended in person. Their acceptance remarks follow. (more...) |
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Jun 12, 2004 |
New Publication - U.S. Booklets and Booklet Panes, Vol. I - Flat Plate Regular Issues
This volume culminates a 15-year effort begun by Don Littlefield, former chairman of the BIA Committee on Booklets and Booklet Panes, and completed by Sam Frank, a booklet enthusiast who took over the project after Littlefield died in 1995. The book provides in-depth information about each of the 22 issues, including design, specifications, postal history examples, plate number data, siderographer and plate finisher data, pane and plate varieties, minor and rare varieties, and many illustrations. It draws upon numerous BIA/USSS articles and publications, as well as the peer review, knowledge, research and items from the collections of many USSS members, who, without their help, this effort would not have been possible. A significant amount of previously unpublished information is included. Littlefield, who owned an international oilfield machinery leasing business, put together a great collection, amassed a treasure trove of research information, and created the early drafts of this book. He acquired the research files of Fred Neill and Dr. William Bush, both former chairs of the BIA Booklet Committee, and from them was able to report many new plate varieties. He also traveled to the Smithsonian Institution and to the BEP to gather relevant documents and artwork from their files. Littlefield also worked with Wallace Cleland to solve the mystery of the "missing positions" of the 30-subject AEF booklet panes, Scott #498e and #499e. Frank, a retired software engineer, updated Littlefield's drafts with his own knowledge and with information from newer sources, added many new illustrations, and edited, cross-checked and produced the final copy. The volume is printed on 8½" by 11" coated paper and is bound in a full-color card cover. At $21 per copy for USSS members and $26 per copy for the general public postpaid in the U.S., it is expected that this publication will become a standard reference work for both beginning and advanced collectors interested in U.S. flat plate booklet pane issues. Publication of the volume was underwritten by the generous gift of Phillip Beutel. Additional volumes are planned for the rotary press issues of 1926 to 1980 and for all the airmail booklet pane issues; their publication dates have not been announced. |
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Jun 12, 2004 |
John Meek's Marginal Markings To Be Auctioned
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Jun 12, 2004 |
USSS Awards Program The USSS Gold Statue of Freedom Medal is sent automatically to all APS World Series of Philately shows. The USSS Silver President's Award medal is available upon request to all local and regional shows. For more information, or to request an award, please write to Denise Stotts, P.O. Box 690042, Houston, TX 77269-0042 or by or via e-mail. |
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May 18, 2004 |
Final Call for USSS 2004 Annual Meeting The 2004 Annual Meeting of the USSS in New Jersey is fast approaching. The United States Stamp Society meeting will be held in conjunction with NOJEX, the annual stamp show sponsored by the North Jersey Federated Stamp Clubs. The USSS will gather during the Memorial Day weekend, from Saturday, May 29th through Monday, May 31st, at the Meadowlands Crowne Plaza Hotel, Two Harmon Plaza, Secaucus, New Jersey. The show will include an American Philatelic Society World Series of Philately exhibit competition, which will include more than 100 frames of United States and related material presented by USSS members. The bourse will be made up of 40 dealers from across the country offering a wide range of U.S. material. (more...) |
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May 18, 2004 |
Encyclopedia Update Good progress is being made on The Encyclopedia of United States Stamp Collecting, and we are looking forward to the successful completion of this effort with its publication in 2006. All writers for the Encyclopedia, potential writers and any other interested people are invited to gather at 2PM on Saturday, May 29, during our Annual Meeting, for an update and discussion of the project. Watch for room assignment. (more...) |
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May 19, 2004 |
Show Report: New York Winter Mega Show March 4-7, 2004 By Nicholas Lombardi After more than a decade, the New York Mega Show returned to Madison Square Garden in the heart of Manhattan. Not since 1992 has the four day show been held in "The World's Most Famous Arena." The show floor was occupied by more than one hundred dealers, postal administrations/agencies and societies, including the United States Stamp Society. Our booth, located near the front of the hall, was staffed throughout the four days of the show and served as both a meeting place for current members as well as a means of attracting new members. Our Society banner along with a display of our current books, reprints and past copies of The Specialist made an attractive showing and resulted in five new members. The show served as the venue for the First Days of three U.S. issues. On Thursday, the 37¢ and 60¢ Garden Bouquet stamps were issued, and on Friday, the latest addition to the American Design Series, the 4¢ Chippendale Chair stamp, was released. Both ceremonies were well attended and the USPS was kept busy selling the new stamps during the entire show. This World Series of Philately show featured a competition composed of 35 exhibits. The entries consisted of 21 multi-frame exhibits and 14 single framers. Eight exhibits were U.S. related and covered topics such as usages of the 1¢ Parcel Post stamp and the 30¢ Winged Globe Air Mail stamp of 1939. The Statue of Freedom Award was won by Gary Weiss for "Canal Zone First Series, 1904." The Grand Award went to Mark Banchik for "Mexican American War, 1846-1848." George Kramer received a Platinum Medal and won the Single Frame Grand Award with "The Transcontinental Pony Express." The Philatelic Foundation provided a special treat by presenting a six-frame exhibit titled "Fakes and Forgeries from its Reference Collection." As mentioned earlier, our booth was a popular place for members to get together and exchange information. Although most of those who stopped by were from the immediate area, we were pleased to meet members from as far away as Florida, Ohio and Rhode Island. A special thanks goes out to Jeff Shapiro and Joe Chervenyak for helping man our booth. Those visiting the booth included:
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May 19, 2004 |
Recent Winners of USSS Medals Here are the United States Stamp Society medal winners that have been reported by the sponsoring shows from January through March, 2004:
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May 19, 2004 |
USSS Committees and Study Groups There are many benefits to membership in the United States Stamp Society. The most obvious is the monthly journal you are reading right now. You receive twelve issues each year covering a wide range of topics related to U.S. stamps written by some of the best philatelic researchers in the country. There are also discounts on all of the Society's publications, two free classified ads in The United States Specialist each year, and a host of others. I consider the annual dues to be the best expenditure I make on my hobby each year. There is, however, one benefit that most members don't use to their advantage. If you glance back at the second page of this (May, 2004) issue, you'll see a listing of committees and study groups covering just about all aspects of U.S. philately. The topics include everything from specific issues, such as the Prexie and Liberty Series stamps, to others which are not issue related, such as Bureau Precancels and Luminescence. In fact, a new study group dedicated to the study of U.S. Registered Mail has just been formed and is off to a great start. There is no charge to become a member of any of these groups (the Prexie group does have a nominal charge for the newsletter). You don't have to be one of the most knowledgeable students of the specific area. It only requires a desire to learn more about a particular topic of interest and share your knowledge and ideas with others. The groups vary in size from some relatively small ones with a handful of members to the Presidential Issue Committee with more than 100 participants. However, whether small or large, each group offers its members the opportunity to learn more about a topic than can be gained by going it alone. Just one new piece of information learned could result in a philatelic find worth hundreds of dollars or more. So please, take advantage of your Society membership and contact the chairman of one or more of the groups which interest you and tell them you'd like to be placed on the rolls. The only thing you have to lose is the knowledge you have the potential of gaining. Unfortunately, three of our groups are currently without a chairperson due to the passing of Clarke Yarbrough, Earl McAfee, and most recently, John Meek. If any member would like to be considered for, or recommend someone for, the position of chairperson of the First Bureau Issue Committee, the Dummy Booklets Study Group, or the Marginal Markings Committee, please contact me at P.O. Box 1005, Mountainside, NJ 07092 or via email. Your contribution to the Society and philately will be greatly appreciated.
- Nick Lombardi |
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May 19, 2004 |
John S. Meek 1918-2004 Past-President of the Bureau Issues Association (United States Stamp Society) John Sawyers Meek passed away on January 15, 2004 at age 85. He was born August 12, 1918 in Madison, Wisconsin, the son of Walter J. Meek and Crescence Eberle Meek. He married Margaret McPherson on February 10, 1945. John was a member of our Society for several decades, served as President from 1981 to 1985 and was Chairman of the Marginal Markings Committee. John Meek was a retired Professor of Chemistry at Colorado University-Boulder. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin and received a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana, joining the Colorado faculty in 1945. Dr. Meek had broad interests and published articles in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Journal of Organic Chemistry and Journal of Chemical Education, as well as Organic Synthesis and Science. He was listed in Who's Who in America as an outstanding chemist. His hobbies were photography, ceramics and writing articles about stamp collecting, of which more than 100 have been published in The United States Specialist from 1970 through 2002. |
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Apr 11, 2004 |
George W. Brett and Barbara R. Mueller To Be Honored by the National Postal Museum Two of the United States Stamp Society's most prominent members will be honored by the National Postal Museum this Spring. George W. Brett of Spirit Lake, Iowa and Barbara R. Mueller of Jefferson, Wisconsin, along with Thomas J. Alexander of Kansas City, Missouri, will receive the Smithsonian Institution's Philatelic Achievement Award at a ceremonial banquet to be held at the National Postal Museum on May 22, 2004. All three stamp collectors, regarded as authorities on United States postage stamps, comprise the second group of recipients of the award, which the Washington Museum inaugurated in 2002. (more...) |
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Apr 11, 2004 |
William S. Dunn 1927-2004 Past-President of the Bureau Issues Association (United States Stamp Society) William Stewart Dunn passed away on February 22, 2004 at age 76. He was born March 17, 1927 in Falls City, Nebraska. Bill, as he was universally known, was a member of our Society for several decades and served as President from 1986 to 1992. Bill joined the U.S. Coast Guard after graduating high school and served in the Pacific in World War II on an LST. He attended Nebraska Wesleyan University, graduated with a degree in chemistry, and worked as a chemist with the Nebraska Department of Health. In 1952 he moved to Denver to become Chief Chemist with the Division of Industrial Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. In 1954 he joined the Colorado School of Mines Research Institute and later became Director of Analytical Laboratories. He became Chief Chemist for the Colorado Department of Health in 1960 and held that position for nearly 30 years. (more...) |
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Mar 19, 2004 |
2004 Annual Meeting - Secaucus, New Jersey NOJEX - May 29-31, 2004 The United States Stamp Society is in the process of planning our Annual Meeting to be held in conjunction with NOJEX, the annual stamp show sponsored by the North Jersey Federated Stamp Clubs. The venue will be The Meadowlands Crowne Plaza Hotel, Two Harmon Plaza, in Secaucus, New Jersey. The show will be held over the Memorial Day weekend running from Saturday, May 29 through Monday, May 31. (more...) |
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Mar 19, 2004 |
Election of Officers and Governors The October 2003 issue of The United States Specialist listed the Nominating Committee's proposed slate of candidates to serve the Society as Officers and Governors. The proposed slate, if elected, would then serve a three-year term beginning in January 2004. Ballots were included in last Fall's 2004 dues mailing. Results of the voting by the general membership of the Society were as follows:
There were two write-ins for Governor, each receiving one vote. Therefore, the Nominating Committee's slate of candidates listed above was elected and will serve a three-year term beginning January 1, 2004 and running through December 31, 2006.
- Larry Ballantyne |
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Mar 19, 2004 |
Recent Winners of the Statue of Freedom Medal The United States Stamp Society's Statue of Freedom Medal was presented to the best exhibit of U.S. material at several national level shows during the second half of 2003. The winners and the titles of their exhibits are as follows ... (more...) |
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Feb 7, 2004 |
Kirk Nichols Recognized for 16 Years of Service Kirk Nichols of North Platte, Nebraska has completed a long tour of duty as a top flight volunteer under the umbrella of both the Bureau Issues Association and the United States Stamp Society. The USSS is proud of Kirk's contribution of service to the organization and wishes to publicly thank him for his 16 years of volunteer activity. Nichols has served since 1988 as our Awards Chairman. In that capacity, he distributed the Society's two show awards, the BIA Statue of Freedom Award and the BIA President's Award to exhibitions. The duties included handling communications, obtaining medals from the suppliers and maintaining records. Kirk also prepared the Southgate and Hopkinson Awards presented at our annual meeting. Kirk filled the position held by Budd W. Dickey, who passed away in October, 1987. Dickey had served in that capacity for quite some time and was also the BIA Vice President when his death occurred. President William Dunn put out a call in the December Specialist for a volunteer to assume the Awards Chairman's duties and Kirk responded immediately. His appointment was announced in the February, 1988 Specialist. In that issue, Dunn stated "I was impressed by the earliness of Kirk's reply and his interest in the job." Dunn also complimented Nichols on his award-winning exhibit of Marginal Markings and Varieties. Kirk continues gathering material in support of his specialty and should now have more time to devote to that endeavor. The announcement of Kirk's appointment stated, "He has been the recipient of numerous BIA [/USSS] awards and expressed the desire to repay the organization for the benefits he has received by accepting this position." Kirk, the repayment has been accomplished many times over. Thank you very much! - Jay Stotts |
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Feb 7, 2004 |
From the Executive Secretary Reminder postcards were sent out in January to those of you who have not paid your dues for 2004. A final reminder is being mailed in early February. If you do not respond promptly, this will be your last issue of The Specialist. The annual dues of $25.00 buys you an excellent monthly journal on U.S. philately, discounts on Society books, two free ads per year in The Specialist and access to research papers, reprints, and copies of member exhibits. Please renew now before you forget. You will be doing a service both to yourself and to the Society. - Larry Ballantyne |
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Jan 24, 2004 |
Registered Mail Study Group Those of us who are involved in the collection and study of late 19th and early 20th century United States postal history are well aware of the special labels used by the U.S. Post Office Department to clearly distinguish and account for pieces of international registered mail during this period. The production and use of these labels resulted from the implementation of an 1882 Universal Postal Union resolution requiring that international registered mail matter bear a label or impression of a stamp with a capital letter R in Roman text. The USPOD opted for gummed labels which, for the most part, were produced through the joint efforts of the Government Printing Office (printing) and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (gumming, perforating, and distributing). The use of these labels by those post offices authorized to handle inbound and outbound foreign registered mail became effective on January 1, 1883 and stayed in effect, virtually unchanged, until January 24, 1911. (more...) |
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Jan 18, 2004 |
USSS 2003 Annual Meeting Our 2003 Annual Meeting was held on November 21st through 23rd at CHICAGOPEX in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Also holding annual meetings at CHICAGOPEX were the British Caribbean Philatelic Study Group and the United Postal Stationery Society. On Friday evening about 40 USSS members and guests gathered at a nearby Chinese restaurant for a Dutch treat dinner and stamp fellowship. The next day after lunch, our annual USSS Membership Meeting was held. This was followed by meetings of the Prexie Committee and the Washington-Franklin Committee. (more...) |
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Jan 18, 2004 |
The Encyclopedia of United States Stamp Collecting During the recent annual meeting of the USSS at CHICAGOPEX, significant decisions were made as we progress toward our goal of publishing The Encyclopedia of United States Stamp Collecting. Chapters will continue to appear monthly in The Specialist, with the work being published in book form at Washington 2006. The revised plan is to have chapters written by volunteers, with the final work edited by a single person to ensure uniformity of style and purpose. At the Annual Meeting a number of our members agreed to write chapters. Additional chapters need to be assigned to other writers. Help is needed now. (more...) |
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Jan 18, 2004 |
Barbara R. Mueller Recipient of the Century of Service Award
This award honors Barbara Mueller for her remarkable dedication to philately and the United States Stamp Society. She is the author of three books: Common Sense Philately, United States Postage Stamps and Postage Stamps and Christianity as well as numerous articles on a diversity of philatelic subjects from design and art to postal markings and the U.S. registry system. Barbara has chaired several Society committees including the Postal History and Markings Committee and the Essays-Proof Committee. Barbara also served as the Editor of The United States Specialist from 1972 through 1977 and has been a prolific contributor to that journal for over seven decades. In her "Three Score and Ten Years of the BIA - A Remembrance," a series of articles celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the BIA/USSS, she profoundly stated "we can appreciate what has been done and gain guidance for what still lies ahead." Barbara also has served as editor of the The Essay-Proof Journal and Paper Money. Barbara Mueller has been a valued contributor to the Society and is unquestionably one of the most important philatelic researchers and writers of the 20th Century. She was the recipient of the APS John N. Luff Award in 1956 and signed the APS Scroll of Distinguished Recipients of that award in 1973. Barbara is recognized in the APS Writers Unit 30 Hall of Fame. The Board of Governors recognizes member number 1790, Barbara R. Mueller, as the recipient of the United States Stamp Society's Century of Service Award. Century of Service Award Barbara R. Mueller November 22, 2003 The USSS - BIA Century Service Award honors a member for outstanding service to the Society. Eligibility requirements of the Award are as follows: (1) The recipient must be a member in good standing for at least 10 years. (2) Only one nominee can be selected in any one year by majority vote of the Board and the award need not be voted on or presented every year. (3) Nominations must be in writing to the Board at least 60 days prior to the Annual Meeting. |
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Jan 18, 2004 |
From the Executive Secretary Dues for 2004 are $25.00 when paid after December 31st. While most members have paid their dues, several members have not. Please renew ASAP as it costs the Society money to send out reminder notices. More importantly, we really don't want to lose you as a member. So if you have set aside your dues notice, please pull it out and mail it along with your dues today. Some members have asked about membership cards. We no longer issue membership cards. In case you need your membership number, it is on the address label of The United States Specialist in the upper left-hand corner with the letter B in front of it.
- Larry Ballantyne |
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Year 2003 Archives
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