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Society News Archive (2006) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dec 16, 2006 |
From the Executive Secretary If you haven't sent in your dues for 2007, 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. Wilcox Printing forgot to put a copy of each persons' address label on the dues renewal form. I would appreciate it if you could either fill in your name or your membership number on the front of the dues renewal form. If you want a copy of the 2007 bound volume of The Specialist, pay for it now along with your dues. It will be mailed to you in the Spring of 2008. Also remember to return your ballot for the Society officers and governors. 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 a job lay-off or any 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 2007. We don't want to lose any members because of unfortunate circumstances beyond their control. - Larry Ballantyne |
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Dec 16, 2006 |
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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Dec 16, 2006 |
Show Report: New York Mega Show October 5-8, 2006 By Nicholas Lombardi The Fall Mega Show was once again held in Madison Square Garden in the heart of Manhattan. The show floor was occupied by eighty dealers, postal administrations, and societies, including the United States Stamp Society. Our booth 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 the recruitment of four new members along with good publication sales figures. The Fall Mega Show, unlike the Spring Mega, is not a World Series of Philately show. However, the show did feature a number of the major award winning exhibits from Washington 2006. In addition, the show committee introduced what were called Digital Philatelic Studies. These consisted of scanned exhibits and research studies that had been loaded onto a number of laptop computers situated in a special area of the show floor and available for viewing by show goers. There was a wide range of material available for viewing and the idea drew a good deal of interest and comment. However, the majority of folks I spoke with would rather see "live" exhibits on the floor. Overall, the attendance seemed to be lower than at previous Mega Shows and a number of the dealers were a bit disappointed with sales. The feeling I got from speaking with collectors was that they were spending less at the show because (a) they were still recovering financially from Washington 2006 and/or (b) the Fall auction season was loaded with a great deal of desirable material. Hopefully, collector economics will improve by the time the Spring Mega rolls around. 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 Maryland, Washington, DC and Michigan. Those visiting the booth included:
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Dec 16, 2006 |
Rare Plate Blocks Needed for Illustrations in Durland We would like to put illustrations of the following rare plate numbers in the upcoming 2008 issue of the Durland Standard Plate Number Catalog. If you have plate blocks or panes of any of these that you are willing to share, please contact Wallace Cleland at 1710 University Ave, Madison, WI 53726 or by e-mail. He will arrange for you either to supply high contrast Xerox copies against a black background or to send the items to him for copying, or to email scans at actual size, 300 dpi. We thank you for your cooperation.
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Dec 16, 2006 |
Recent Winners of USSS Medals Here are the United States Stamp Society medal winners that have been reported from recent shows:
Show Awards Chairs, please note: USSS AWARDS PROGRAMThe 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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Dec 16, 2006 |
Encyclopedia Errata The following errata are noted for the Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting:
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Nov 19, 2006 |
Dues Mailing You will soon be receiving your 2007 membership dues notice and ballot for the election of Officers and Board members. We would appreciate your help in sending in your 2007 dues and ballots early before you become too busy with the holiday season. You can also order a bound volume of the 2007 United States Specialist for delivery in 2008. 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. Their continued generosity 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 as well as to the Hardship Fund 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.
- Larry Ballantyne |
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Nov 19, 2006 |
2007 Annual Meeting at TEXPEX Our next Annual Meeting will be held at TEXPEX in Dallas, Texas during the weekend of April 13 to 15, 2007. The venue for the show will be the DoubleTree Hotel Dallas located near the Galleria. Although this may seem like a long way off, it's not too early to start thinking of exhibiting at the show and to submit your entry application (PDF: Prospectus and Entry Form). In addition to the USSS, the show will be hosting the Texas Philatelic Association, the Texas Postal History Society and local chapters of the American First Day Cover Society, the Universal Ship Cancellation Society, and the American Air Mail Society. Such a gathering is sure to generate a great number of exhibit applications and you wouldn't want to be blocked out of exhibiting at our Annual Meeting show. Remember that this is a World Series of Philately show and we will be awarding both the Southgate Memorial Trophy and the Hopkinson Trophy for the best U.S. 19th and 20th century exhibits, respectively. The exhibit Prospectus and the Entry Form can both be found on the TEXPEX website, which we have linked to our website under "Meetings & Events." You can also obtain copies by writing to Dick Phelps, P.O. Box 867373, Plano, TX 75086-7373. Although the closing date isn't until March 23, 2007, I urge you to apply early so as to avoid disappointment. I'd also suggest that any member who would like to give a presentation during the course of the show please contact me so I can make the appropriate arrangements with the Show Committee. We usually give a number of interesting talks at our Annual Meeting and I'm hoping that this will continue at TEXPEX. In the coming months we will provide more information about the show and our participation as it becomes available.
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Nov 19, 2006 |
Nominating Committee Selects Slate for 2006 Election In accordance with Article V, Section 2, of the Society By-Laws, the Nominating Committee for the 2006 United States Stamp Society election, consisting of William Schuman (Chairman), Lynn Batdorf and Frank Braithwaite, has submitted a slate of nominees to serve as Officers and Governors. They will serve a three year term running from January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2009. In addition to the members running for Chairman, President, Vice President and Secretary, nine members have been nominated for the Board of Governors, two of whom will be running for the first time. The Treasurer, Editor, and Executive Secretary are not elected but rather are paid employees of the Society appointed by the Board. The election ballots will be included with the annual dues mailing in the Fall. The Executive Secretary will then tabulate the ballots and report the results to the membership. (more...) |
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Oct 17, 2006 |
Show Report: StampShow August 24-27, 2006 By Nicholas Lombardi From start to finish, this was a summer to remember. The United States Stamp Society began the summer with a major presence at Washington 2006. Those of us who were able to attend can all recall what a great show it was. My personal fear was that after such an event at the very beginning of summer, the rest of the season would bring on a philatelic drought. The weeks that followed, however, brought a steady stream of rave reviews for the Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting. Scott Stamp Monthly, The American Stamp Dealer, The American Philatelist and others all gave it a "two thumbs up." Thankfully, the Society was able to close out the summer as it had begun - on a high note. StampShow 2006 was a fitting end to a great season. We had a nice corner booth, which, although it was a little off the beaten path, provided a perfect place for our members to gather, talk, relax and plan for future events. In fact, as you can see from the list below, almost 90 members stopped by and signed in. (more...) |
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Oct 17, 2006 |
Recent Winners of USSS Medals Here are the United States Stamp Society medal winners that have been reported from recent shows:
Show Awards Chairs, please note: USSS AWARDS PROGRAMThe 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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Sep 17, 2006 |
USSS at the New York Fall Mega Show The Society will once again have a table at the semi-annual New York Mega Show next month. The four day show is being held at Madison Square Garden from Thursday, October 5th, through Sunday, October 8th. As usual, it would be greatly appreciated if members attending the show could volunteer some time to help staff our table. Any amount of time will help, even an hour. Please let me know if you can help or stop by the table at the show and we can arrange a convenient time for you to help out. We will have the full range of our publications available for sale, including our newly released Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting. Please make plans to attend the show and stop by the table to say hello.
- Nick Lombardi |
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Sep 17, 2006 |
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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Sep 17, 2006 |
William Waggoner Named 2006 Rowland Hill Award Recipient The Southeast Federation of Stamp Clubs, representing stamp clubs in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, and Florida, has announced that William H. Waggoner is the recipient of the 2006 Rowland Hill Award. The Rowland Hill Award is named after Sir Rowland Hill, creator of the first postage stamp, and is awarded annually to a philatelist in the Southeast that has made an outstanding lifetime contribution to stamp collecting. The Federation's citation states: For 2006, the Federation proudly honors Dr. William "Bill" Waggoner, of Athens, Georgia. Bill is one of the leading specialists in the area of U.S. revenues in the United States. He has exhibited parts of his collection all over the country, and has won many awards. At the Southeast's own Peach State Stamp Show, Bill has won the Grand (in 1992 for his exhibit "Old MacDonald had a Farm") and the One-Frame Grand (in 2003 for "The U.S. Consular Fee Stamp of 1900-1915). He has even won a single frame platinum. Bill has done a great deal of philatelic writing, contributing to The United States Specialist, The American Philatelist and the American Revenue Association's The American Revenuer. He also serves as the Chairman of the USSS Revenue Issues Committee. Bill has long been involved in organized stamp collecting and was one of the founders of the Peach State Stamp Show, later renamed the Southeastern Stamp Show. He served on the organizing committee for many years, including terms as bourse chairman and awards chairman. He and his wife Ruth were fixtures at the show's hospitality table for over a decade, and together they made many financial contributions to the show. Bill also served his own local community as an active member of the Athens Philatelic Society, where he still serves as treasurer. Congratulations to Bill Waggoner, for this well-deserved award. |
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Aug 19, 2006 |
Nominating Committee Approved for 2006 Election In accordance with Article V, Section 2, of the Society By-Laws, President Nicholas Lombardi recommended to the Board of Governors that the Nominating Committee for the 2006 United States Stamp Society election consist of members William Schuman (Chairman), Lynn Batdorf, and Frank Braithwaite. Bill is well known to everyone, having served as a Governor and also our President from 1980 to 1985. He was awarded the Century of Service Award in 2000. Lynn has taken over the Indexer responsibilities and was a major player in getting the Encyclopedia to print. Frank has been the driving force behind our new effort to expand the Exhibit Photocopy Service to include CD versions of exhibits. He also did yeoman's duty at our booth in Washington. The Board unanimously approved the recommendation and the Committee has begun the task of assembling a slate of candidates. Prior to August 15th, the Committee will present the complete slate to the President, who in turn, will notify the Executive Secretary so that ballots can be prepared for distribution to the membership. The names and background information of the nominees will be published in The United States Specialist prior to the mailing of the ballots, which will be included with the annual dues mailing in the Fall. The Executive Secretary will then tabulate the ballots and report the results to the membership. Those elected will serve a three-year term beginning January 1, 2007. The elective offices include the Chairman, President, Vice President, and Secretary, as well as the Board of Governors. The Treasurer, Editor, and Executive Secretary are not elected but rather are paid employees of the Society appointed by the Board. The Society is always looking for members who are willing to become active in the operations of the organization. If you have an interest in doing so, please write to the Nominating Committee at P.O. Box 722, Westfield, NJ 07091-0722 and let them know how you would like to contribute. |
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Aug 19, 2006 |
USSS At StampShow The Society will once again have a table at the annual StampShow event later this month. This year the show is being held at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, just outside Chicago, from August 24th through the 27th. Although this show is following close on the heels of Washington 2006, it has a different scope and atmosphere and promises to be a worthwhile philatelic trip. The Chicago area has always hosted wonderful shows and this should be no exception. The Society will hold its traditional Dutch Treat dinner on Friday night, August 25th, at 7:00 PM. We have already arranged for a room at an old favorite, The Old Warsaw Buffet, located at 4750 N. Harlem Ave., a short drive from the convention center. The cost will be $20 per person with a cash bar. There is a maximum capacity of 54 people, so anyone who would like to attend should stop by the show table as soon as possible on Thursday or Friday and sign up on the "Dutch Treat Dinner" sheet. We will assemble the troops at the Society table when the show closes on Friday and head out from there. As usual, it would be greatly appreciated if members attending the show could volunteer some time to help staff our table. Any amount of time will help, even an hour. Please let me know if you can help or stop by the table at the show and we can arrange a convenient time for you to help out. We will have the full range of our publications available for sale, including our newly released Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting. Please make plans to attend the show and stop by the table to say hello.
- Nick Lombardi |
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Aug 19, 2006 |
Washington 2006 Put it in the book! Washington 2006 is now part of our philatelic history and will surely be remembered as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, show the country has ever seen. I'm certain that anyone who was able to attend will attest to this. And the United States Stamp Society was a major participant. Our activities were centered around our super booth, which we shared with the Philatelic Foundation, the Collectors Club of New York, the Philatelic Classics Society and New York 2016. The size of the booth together with the chairs and couches made it the perfect place to meet friends, relax, and catch up on the latest Society news. I would like to thank all those members who helped man our portion of the booth throughout the entire run of the show, especially Larry Ballantyne, Joann and Kurt Lenz, Dave Sugar, Mike Lampson, Rod Juell, Steve Rod and Frank Braithwaite who anchored the effort. Sales of our publications were brisk and we attracted more than 40 new members along with a number of lost sheep who were reinstated. During the course of the show more than 200 members stopped by to say hello and sign in. (more...) |
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Aug 19, 2006 |
Defective Copies of The Specialist It has come to our attention that a few copies of the July issue were produced with no pages 301-4 and 321-4 but with duplicate pages 305-8 and 317-20. These were mailed to readers in and around Seattle, Washington. Please check your copy, especially if you live in or near ZIP-codes beginning 981. If you have received a copy of The Specialist that is defective or that has been severely damaged in the mail, you can get a replacement by contacting the USSS Executive Secretary at P.O. Box 6634, Katy, TX 77491-6634 or by email. |
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Aug 19, 2006 |
Washington 2006 Board of Governors Meeting The Annual Meeting of the United States Stamp Society Board of Governors was held at the International Philatelic Exhibition, Washington 2006 on Monday, May 29th. After the minutes of the July 9, 2005 meeting in Indianapolis were approved, Executive Secretary Larry Ballantyne reported on membership, dues and donations. Ballantyne presented an analysis of the past five years. While average membership has fallen from 1905 members in 2000 to 1723 this past year, the generous support of the membership was also noted. During that same period, Patron, Contributor and Sustaining member contributions rose from a total of 155 members to 211, representing 12.2% of our membership. Chairman Roger Brody reported on the past year's activities, highlighted by the dedication of the USSS room at the American Philatelic Center in Bellefonte, PA this past November. The attractive room on the second floor of the Education building displays plaques honoring winners of the Society's literature and exhibiting trophies. Recipients of the Century of Service award, recently renamed in honor of past Chairman Emeritus George W. Brett, are also honored. One of the most important features of the room is the Hall of Fame wall. Photographs of eleven individuals are prominently displayed in tribute to their induction into the USSS/BIA Hall of Fame. Chairman Brody also reported that five Society publication titles were accepted for sale at the National Postal Museum Book Store in Washington, DC. (more...) |
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Aug 19, 2006 |
Recent Winners of USSS Medals Here are the United States Stamp Society medal winners that have been reported from recent shows:
Show Awards Chairs, please note: USSS AWARDS PROGRAMThe 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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July 10, 2006 |
Washington 2006 Stamp Show The World Philatelic Exhibition, Washington 2006, was a huge success. The once-a-decade United States International stamp show was held May 27 through June 3 at the Convention Center in Washington, D.C. A complete report on the Society's activities at the Washington show will be prepared by President Nick Lombardi and me for the August issue of The Specialist. The USSS shared a large booth with three other societies that attracted considerable attention. Members from across the nation and overseas signed the membership roster and a record number of new members were signed up. The Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting was presented at a well attended opening day ceremony on the first day of the show. A report of the events surrounding the book will be detailed next month. The book was highly praised by collectors and dealers and sales were brisk. As you read this, the book should be available at Barnes & Noble books stores and at B&N and Amazon on the internet. The Society held its annual Board of Governors and General Membership meetings during the show. We also held a banquet dinner at the National Postal Museum. After an introductory tour of the Benjamin K. Miller collection, Alan Kane, the NPM Director addressed the attending members. The highlight of the evening was the awards presentation. Wallace Cleland received the George W. Brett Century of Service Award and Barbara Mueller was inducted into the Hall of Fame (see stories below). This has been a year of considerable accomplishment for the USSS. The United States Specialist is being produced in color and the support of our advertisers has been encouraging. This past fall we dedicated the United States Stamp Society room at the American Philatelic Center at Bellefonte, PA. The Society's finances are strong thanks to the generosity of the membership and sales of our publications. It is worth noting that six of our publications are available at the book store of the National Postal Museum. The USSS has partnered with the National Postal Museum in their efforts to bring the collections and artifacts of the museum online. The "Arago" project will be highlighted in future issues of The Specialist.
- Roger S. Brody |
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Jul 10, 2006 |
Barbara R. Mueller Inducted into the United States Stamp Society Hall of Fame
In addition to chairing several Society committees including the Postal History and Markings Committee and the Essays-Proof Committee, Mueller served as the Editor of The United States Specialist from 1972 through 1977. She has been a prolific contributor to that journal for over six decades. Barbara also has served as editor of two other important philatelic journals, The Essay-Proof Journal and Paper Money. (more...) |
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Jul 10, 2006 |
Wallace Cleland Recipient of The George W. Brett Century of Service Award
The citation read at the presentation ceremony stated: This award honors Wallace Cleland for his extraordinary dedication to United States Stamp Society. Since the earliest day of his membership in 1966, he has been a leader in the research and study of plate numbers and plate markings. For forty years Wallace has been one of the most prolific contributors to The United States Specialist on a wide variety of topics from plate numbers and markings, coil production, production of the Series of 1922 to the Washington Franklin Series Coil Waste Issue. He is notably recognized for original research on revenue stamps and revenue plate markings. Wallace Cleland served as Chairman of the Plate Number Check List Service for many years, and in 1989 he was elected to the Board of Governors. In 1992, Wallace was elected to the Chairmanship of the Board of Governors and in August of that year also served the Society as its twelfth President through the remainder of that year. He served with distinction as the Society's Board Chairman though 1997, continuing his contribution to plate number studies. Wallace Cleland is a two time recipient of the Society's highest award for research published in The United States Specialist, having garnered the Hopkinson Memorial Literature Award in 1986 and 2002. He was also co-editor of the 2005 edition of the Durland Standard Plate Number Catalog, one of the Society's most important contributions to philately. The Board of Governors recognizes member number 6470, Wallace Cleland, as the recipient of the United States Stamp Society's Century of Service Award. Cleland received an engraved 50 oz. silver bar that has symbolized the award since its inception in 1999. |
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Jul 10, 2006 |
USSS General Membership Meeting Minutes President Nick Lombardi called the meeting to order at 2 PM. He welcomed everyone present and thanked them for attending this meeting. He then asked all to introduce themselves by stating name, where from, and collecting interests. The minutes of the General Membership Meeting held in Indianapolis, July, 2005, were printed in the August, 2006 issue of The United States Specialist. Wallace Cleland made a motion to accept the minutes as printed. Second, Mike Perry; passed. Nick then gave a brief review of the activities of the Society for the past year. First he mentioned that the 2005 edition of the Durland Standard Plate Number Catalog was presented at the INDYPEX show in July, 2005. The Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting was introduced at this show on Saturday, May 27th. It has been selling well. At the end of show hours Sunday, the 28th, about 100 copies had been sold; this did not include preorders. (more...) |
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Jun 19, 2006 |
Now Available: Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting
Chapters in the Encyclopedia treat the following subjects: Each of the 62 chapters follows a similar format composed of the following elements: The Encyclopedia of United States Stamp and Stamp Collecting is a 730-page, hardbound, full-color book that, in the words of Gordon Morison, Assistant U.S. Postmaster General, retired, is "...a must for every collector's bookshelf." The Encyclopedia can be ordered from the USSS Executive Secretary. Make checks payable to USSS and order from: |
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Jun 19, 2006 |
Recent Winners of USSS Medals Here are the United States Stamp Society medal winners that have been reported from recent shows:
Show Awards Chairs, please note: USSS AWARDS PROGRAMThe 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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May 24, 2006 |
Dutch Treat Dinner at Washington 2006 We have arranged to have our traditional Dutch Treat dinner at Clyde's of Gallery Place. According to the people there, it's only a five minute walk from the convention center. It seems to be similar to the place we were at in Indianapolis last July. The prices seem reasonable and the food is said to be good. We also have our more formal affair on Tuesday at the National Postal Museum and spaces are still available. Stop by the USSS booth (#2543) to sign up for either or, hopefully, both of these functions. We do know how to eat well!
- Nick Lombardi |
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May 12, 2006 |
Final Call for USSS 2006 Annual Meeting The 2006 Annual Meeting of the USSS in Washington is fast approaching and should be like none other in recent memory. The United States Stamp Society meeting will be held in conjunction with Washington 2006, the international philatelic exhibition we have been anticipating for years. The Society will be a major participant in the show. We will be sharing a "Super Booth" with the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society, The Collectors Club of New York and The Philatelic Foundation. Booth #2543 will be the central point of contact for our members throughout the entire eight-day run of the show. Be sure to stop by to chat, meet old friends, get information, and purchase any one of our many publications, including the outstanding Encyclopedia of United States and Stamp Collecting, which will be released during a ceremony on the opening day of the show. We also plan to have a supply of CDs of award winning exhibits for sale as part of our expanded exhibit photocopy service. On Monday, May 29th, the Board Meeting for Governors, Officers, employees of the Society, and Committee Chairmen will be held prior to the opening of the show from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Our annual General Membership meeting is scheduled for 2:00 PM that afternoon. Several of our members have volunteered to give a total of eleven presentations on various days covering a wide range of topics. The exact date and time of each of these, along with a listing of our other activities such as the BEP tour, committee and study group meetings, and the National Postal Museum dinner can be found on our website under "Meetings & Events." They are also included in the master schedule of events posted on the official Washington 2006 website and will appear in the official show program as well. Speaking of the National Postal Museum dinner on Tuesday, May 30th, there are still seats available as I sit writing this on April 1st. This is sure to be a memorable event and well worth the cost of $65 per person. The main course selections are roast filet mignon, baked salmon filets and cheese tortellini. If you would like to attend, please send a reservation request along with a check or money order payable to the USSS to me at P.O. Box 1005, Mountainside, NJ 07092 as soon as possible. Reservations for the 100 available seats will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Once the 100 seat maximum is reached, a notice will be posted on the Events page. Please include your name, address, number of seats required, choice of entree and email address and phone number. At present, we do not have any plans for the informal Dutch treat dinner we usually have during our Annual Meeting. If someone from the Washington area would be willing to locate a suitable location for this, please contact me and we can work on the details. Should we be able to arrange this, we will post a notice on our website under "Meetings & Events." I am looking forward to seeing a large contingent of our members at this great show. A good time is sure to be had by all.
- Nick Lombardi |
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May 12, 2006 |
The Americana Series Study Group One of the many benefits of USSS membership is the opportunity to join one or more of the groups within the Society which focus on the study of a particular area of U.S. philately. A quick glance at the masthead page in any issue of The Specialist will reveal the wide range of choices available. Beginning with this issue, we can now add one more horse to our stable. I am pleased to announce the formation of the Americana Series Study Group, (ASSG) dedicated to the study of the definitive series known as the Americana Series of United States postage stamps, which were issued from 1975 to 1981. The focus of the group will be to study the printing, varieties, errors, First Day Covers, rates and usages of the series. The aim of the group will be to share information and findings and to encourage further study of the series. To this end, the ASSG will produce an electronic newsletter entitled The Iron Betty (after the design of the 50¢ stamp in the Americana Series), in which the group will encourage members to share their thoughts, opinions, and findings about the Americana Series. Additionally, the group will publish periodic progress and findings reports in The Specialist. Membership, of course, is free and is open to anyone who wishes to study the Americana Series stamps. The Chairman of the group will be Allen Bohart. He can be contacted either by mail at 751 Sandpiper Cmm., Livermore, CA 94551-2664 or via e-mail. I strongly urge anyone who already has an interest in this wonderful series or who is looking to begin a new area to collect to contact Allen. You'll find that there is much more to this series than just the famed CIA invert.
- Nick Lombardi |
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May 12, 2006 |
Recent Winners of USSS Medals Here are the United States Stamp Society medal winners that have been reported from recent shows:
Show Awards Chairs, please note: USSS AWARDS PROGRAMThe 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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May 12, 2006 |
Show Report: New York Mega Show March 16-19, 2006 The Spring Mega Show was once again held in Madison Square Garden in the heart of Manhattan. This is now the fifth consecutive time that this four-day show has been held in "The World's Most Famous Arena" and both the show attendees and dealers have expressed their pleasure with the arrangement. The central location with easy access via public transportation has proven to be the magnet for drawing large crowds. The show floor was occupied by 80 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 the recruitment of four new members along with good publication sales figures. (more...) |
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May 12, 2006 |
The Story Behind the Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting
We thought it would be helpful to "tell the story" behind the Encyclopedia and how it came to be over the past five years. There are so many people who have worked to make it possible, and so many anecdotes along the way. Shortly after Rod Juell, of Illinois, was appointed chairman of the United States Stamp Society's recruiting committee in 2000, he sought to develop tools to support the Society's recruiting efforts. He felt strongly that the USSS had to show potential new members tangible benefits for belonging the premiere Society for United States stamp collectors. The first one developed was a Glossary of Terms, which appeared in print and electronic form. This was Rod's effort to clarify the language of United States stamp collecting by putting all of the relevant terms and definitions in one place for easy access. After this was completed, Rod wanted something more - perhaps, he said, "a brochure that would introduce the hobby of U.S. collecting to new USSS members." This "more" turned out to be the Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting, the ultimate fruit of Rod's desire to have an easy to use, hands-on reference about U.S. collecting. (more...) |
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Apr 13, 2006 |
The United States Stamp Society at Washington 2006: BEP Historical Resource Center Tour In less than sixty days, the Society will be meeting at Washington 2006 for what is sure to be one of the most memorable philatelic weeks most of us will ever experience. Although time is running short, we are still trying to schedule additional events in which members may wish to participate. Recently, Rod Juell arranged for a private tour of the Historical Research Center at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. This tour will take place on Wednesday, May 31st, at 2 PM. Rod will be accepting reservations on a first come, first served basis. Since space is limited, I urge you to contact him as soon as possible if you would like to go along. Details are contained in Rod's article in the March issue. While making your schedules up, you may want to set aside some time to head over to the National Postal Museum. This would normally be a logical stop for any of us, but this week will be especially noteworthy. Timed to coincide with the opening of Washington 2006, the NPM will unveil the first part of the Benjamin K. Miller collection. The NPM description of the exhibit says it best:
This first part of the exhibit will run through October 1, 2007 to be followed by Part II running from November, 2007 through January, 2009. Why not stop in and see "the other 1¢ Z grill." Speaking of the National Postal Museum, don't forget to make reservations for our special dinner to be held there in the Atrium at 7:30 PM on Tuesday, May 30th. As this is being written, you are probably receiving the March Specialist and reading about the event. The main course selections are roasted filet mignon, baked salmon fillets, or cheese filled tortellini. Please indicate your choice when making your reservation. In addition to being a celebration of our 80th anniversary, the dinner will include the presentation of the "George W. Brett Century of Service Award" and the induction of a new member into the United States Stamp Society Hall of Fame. You won't want to miss this event.
- Nick Lombardi |
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Apr 13, 2006 |
Lombardi Wins 2005 Hopkinson Memorial Literature Award Nicholas Lombardi 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 2005. The award is given annually by the United States Stamp Society and consists of an engraved plaque and an honorarium. The award will be made at the Washington 2006 stamp show at the end of May. Lombardi is currently the President of the U.S. Stamp Society and Chairman of the Second Bureau Issues Committee. Lombardi's articles on "The U. S. Registry Label & Receipt of 1907" appeared in the July and November issues of The Specialist. These articles described the labels that were required by Universal Postal Union regulations for international registered mail and the form 1549A that was used as a registry receipt. The selection committee praised the original research involved in the presentation. The selection committee consists of the last three living winners of the award. The committee for the 2005 award consisted of chairman Wallace Cleland, the 2002 winner for a series of articles on plate numbers and plate markings, Roger S. Brody, the 2003 winner for "Raymond Ostrander Smith Pencil Drawings - Series 1902" and Melvin Getlan, the 2004 winner for "Follow-up On Early Usage of Dummy Test Stamps." 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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Apr 13, 2006 |
Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting Printing of the Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting, our new landmark publication, has been completed and the books are expected from the printer by late April. Now is the time to plan to attend the release ceremony, to be held at 2 PM on Saturday, May 27, in Room 145A of the Washington Convention Center, during WASHINGTON 2006. The keynote speaker will be Donald Sundman of Mystic Stamps. Contributors to the book will be recognized, and a book signing will be held. We encourage our members to place an order for the Encyclopedia now, by sending $25 (the member price) to the USSS Executive Secretary, P.O. Box 6634, Katy TX 77491-6634. By ordering now, a copy will be reserved for you that you may pick up anytime during WASHINGTON 2006. Orders not picked up at the show will be mailed as soon as possible after the close of the show. Benefactors may also pick up their copies during the show. |
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Apr 13, 2006 |
Recent Winners of USSS Medals Here are the United States Stamp Society medal winners that have been reported from recent shows:
Show Awards Chairs, please note: USSS AWARDS PROGRAMThe 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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Mar 9, 2006 (Updated Apr 17, 2006) |
The United States Stamp Society at Washington 2006: National Postal Museum Dinner As you read last month, the Officers, Board Members and Executive Committee have all been working hard to make this the best and most memorable annual meeting we've ever had. One of the highlights of the week will be a dinner at the National Postal Museum to celebrate our 80th Anniversary. This special dinner will be held in the Atrium of the National Postal Museum at 7:30 PM on Tuesday, May 30th. The main course selections are roasted filet mignon, baked salmon fillets, or cheese filled tortellini. Due to space constraints, we will only be able to have a maximum of 100 attendees. The cost of the dinner is $65 per person. If you would like to attend what is certain to be a memorable event, please send a reservation request together with a check or money order to me at P.O. Box 1005, Mountainside, NJ 07092 as soon as possible. Reservations for the 100 available seats will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Once the 100 seat maximum is reached, a notice will be posted on the Society website. Please include your name, address, number of seats required, choice of entree and email address/phone number. I'm certain this will be one of the hottest tickets in town, so I urge you to act quickly and avoid disappointment. One other thing to keep in mind is that the famous Benjamin K. Miller collection, which hasn't been seen since the '70s, will be on display at the museum. There will be more information about this display and other USSS activities next month. Please join with the Officers, Board Members, Executive Committee, and fellow members for what will surely to be a highlight of your Washington 2006 experience.
- Nick Lombardi |
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Mar 9, 2006 |
Tour of BEP Historical Resource Center Available During Washington 2006 The Historical Resource Center at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing contains a marvelous treasure of material related to stamps printed at the BEP. A limited number of USSS members attending WASHINGTON 2006 will have an opportunity to take a private tour of the Historical Resource Center on Wednesday, May 31 at 2PM. The maximum number of persons that can be accommodated is 30, and the slots are available to USSS members on a first-come-first-served basis. To reserve a spot send an e-mail to Rod Juell by e-mail placing the phrase "BEP tour" in the subject line. Alternately you may send a written request to Rod at P.O. Box 3508, Joliet, IL 60434. - Rod Juell |
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Mar 9, 2006 |
Exhibits on CD The Exhibition Photocopy Service that many USSS members have taken advantage of has expanded the service by offering select exhibits on CD-ROM. This is a dream come true for all of our computer-savvy members (and when I say "savvy," I mean anyone who can operate a mouse). All that is required is Acrobat Reader, which is available as a free download from Adobe. The CDs will feature full color PDFs that are indexed and thumbnailed for easy navigating. The first two CDs available are Roger Brody's "The Series 1902" and Alan Berkun's "Washington-Franklins, 1908-1922, Earliest Documented Usage." As you may know, a good portion of Roger's exhibit was sold at auction several years ago, and Alan's will be sold in an upcoming Shreves auction. What's my point? Well, were it not for these extraordinary collectors graciously scanning their exhibits for us, prior to selling them, the information contained in them would be lost for those who were not lucky enough to have viewed them at a major show. Our goal in providing these (and hopefully many more) exhibits on CD is many-fold: some will use these CDs to improve their own exhibits, some may start collecting a specialty or start exhibiting because of them, and some may just view them for the sheer joy of eyeing a wonderfully assembled collection. We urge all exhibitors that have earned a Vermeil or higher at a national show, to consider making their exhibits available to our members in this new format. The CDs will cost $15 post paid. All requests for CDs should go to Robert Toth at the address on the second page of The Specialist. They will also be available at major shows where USSS has a table. If you have an exhibit that you are interested in making available to the Society, please contact me by e-mail or at 631-265-4307 to make arrangements. - Frank Braithwaite |
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Feb 9, 2006 |
The United States Stamp Society at Washington 2006 This International Philatelic Exhibition will be here in just five short months. As you know, the Society will hold its 2006 Annual Meeting at the show and the Officers, Board Members, and Executive Committee have all been working hard to make this the best and most memorable Annual Meeting we've ever had. Several of our members have volunteered to give presentations covering a wide range of U.S.-related topics throughout the eight day run of the show. In addition, we have planned a number of special events including the Introduction Ceremony for The Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting, which will be held at 2:00 PM on the opening day of the show. The list of all USSS presentations and events appears on our website under "Meeting & Events." As you can see, details for some of the events have yet to be finalized, but we will publish them in The Specialist and post them to our site as soon as possible. I would also urge you to check the official Washington 2006 website at www.washington-2006.org for the complete listing of all show presentations and events, since there are many which will be of interest to us such as the official First Day Ceremony of the joint U.S.-Canadian issue commemorating the 400th anniversary of Samuel de Champlain's survey of America. We have also arranged to share a "Super Booth" with the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society, The Collectors Club of New York and The Philatelic Foundation. The location and size of this booth will ensure that we have a convenient and comfortable place to meet and relax during the show. We do need members to help staff our portion of the booth, so I would ask anyone who would like to help out to please contact me with their availability so we can begin to create a schedule. Any amount of time will be greatly appreciated. As is our tradition, we would like to have an informal Society Fellowship Dinner on the first or second night of the show. If a member from the greater Washington area would be willing to help coordinate this, it would be a big help. Each month, I will be giving you an update of what we have planned, so be sure to check each issue of The Specialist as soon as it arrives. We will also post updates on the website. I look forward to meeting you all at the show.
- Nick Lombardi |
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Feb 9, 2006 |
From The Executive Secretary Reminder postcards were sent out in January to those of you who have not paid your dues for 2006. If you do not respond promptly, this will be your last issue of The Specialist. The annual dues of $25.00 (foreign members extra for postage) 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 22, 2006 |
Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting
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Jan 7, 2006 |
From The Executive Secretary Dues for 2006 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 members. So if you have set aside your dues notice, please pull it out and mail it along with your dues today. - Larry Ballantyne |
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Jan 7, 2006 |
Dummy Stamps Study Group Web Page USSS Webmaster Mike Lampson has created a web page for the Dummy Stamps Study Group (DSSG), where you will find information about dummy and test stamps. The first DSSG newsletter was just released and is posted for viewing. The URL for this web site is http://www.usstamps.org/dssg.html. We welcome all to take a look at this interesting collecting area. For further information, please contact Terry R. Scott, Chairman-DSSG, by e-mail. |
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Jan 7, 2006 |
Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting Pre-publication orders are now being accepted for the Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting, at a special price for USSS members of $25. This long-awaited publication will be available beginning May 27, the opening day of Washington 2006. A release ceremony will be held at 2PM that day with a book signing event to follow. By placing your order now a copy of the Encyclopedia will be reserved for you, which you may pick up anytime during Washington 2006. For purchasers not attending the show, books will be mailed out in June. Send your order and payment to: P.O. Box 6634 Katy, TX 77491-6634 Those who contributed $100 or more toward the Encyclopedia publication fund may also pick up their reserved copies anytime during Washington 2006. |
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Jan 7, 2006 |
Recent Winners of USSS Medals Here are the United States Stamp Society medal winners that have been reported from recent shows:
Show Awards Chairs, please note: USSS AWARDS PROGRAMThe 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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Year 2005 Archives
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