The Hugh M. Southgate Memorial Trophy, is awarded for the best Multi-Frame exhibit at the Society’s Annual Meeting show exhibition. Originally awarded to the best 19th Century exhibit, the award was changed in 2019 to honor the best U.S. exhibit regardless of time period, and replaced the Hopkinson Trophy for the best 20th-21st Century exhibit. The award is presented for an exhibit of postal stamps and/or postal history, or revenue stamps and/or stamped paper of the United States and U.S. administered areas.
The selection of the winning exhibit is made by the show jury. Only members of the Society are eligible to compete for the Southgate award. For the Southgate trophy to be earned there must be at least three eligible exhibitors at the show where it is offered and the award is to be given to the best exhibit, in the opinion of the judges. It is only given once a year at the annual meeting show exhibition, unless that show is an international show like World Stamp Show, NY2016. The award is for the exhibit and can be won more than once by an individual who is a USSS member.
The award, first offered in calendar year 1969, honors the memory of Hugh M. Southgate (1871-1940), first President of the Bureau Issues Association and one of its original founders. HMS, as he was affectionately known, was one of the most respected researchers and writers of his day and his leadership in philatelic circles brought great prestige to our Association.
A complete list of winners of the Hugh M. Southgate Memorial Trophy is published below.
Southgate Memorial Trophy Winners
| Year | Awardee | Exhibit | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Ralph Nafziger | The 3c Oregon Territory Issue | PIPEX |
| 2019 | Roger S. Brody | Jamestown 1907 | Westpex |
| 2017 | Mark Schwartz | The New York Postmaster Provisional | March Party |
| 2012 | Harold M. Sollenberger | Lifecycle of the U.S. 1890 and 1894 2¢ Issues | NAPEX |
| 2010 | Jim Kotanchik | 100 Years of United States Official Seals | PNSE |
| 2009 | Eliot A. Landau | The 6¢ Lincoln Large Banknote Issues | ST. LOUIS EXPO |
| 2008 | Marvin & Judith Platt | The Columbian Envelopes of 1893 | NOJEX |
| 2005 | Irvin Heimburger | "The U.S. "Pictorial" Issue of 1869" | INDYPEX |
| 2004 | Thomas C. Mazza | "Street Fighting - New York City Carrier and Local Mail 1840 - 1863" | NOJEX |
| 2003 | Robert D. Hohertz | Revenue Stamped Paper of the Spanish American War Tax Era | CHICAGOPEX |
| 2002 | Peter G. DuPuy | 30 and 90 Cent U.S. 1861 Issue | PNSE |
| 2000 | Irv Heimburger | BEP First Ten Years | NAPEX |
| 1995 | Peter G. DuPuy | "The 30 Cent and 90 Cent Denominations of the 1861 Issue" | PHILATELIC SHOW |
| 1994 | Marty Richardson | "D.O. Blood & Co., Philadelphia, 1845 - 1862" | March Party |
| 1993 | Eliot Landau | The Six-Cent Lincoln Large Banknotes 1870-1885 | ST. LOUIS EXPO |
| 1992 | Richard Drews | United States Issues of 1861-1868 | FLOREX |
| 1990 | William O. Schuman | The First 1000 Plate Numbers | NAPEX |
| 1987 | Cortlande Clarke | United States Postage Due | STAMPSHOW |
| 1984 | Henry M. Gobie | U.S. Registered Mail in the 1890s | STAMPOREE |
| 1983 | Lynne S. Warm-Griffiths | "U.S. First Bureau Issue Used in International Mails" | STAMPSHOW |
| 1981 | William M. Fitch | SEPAD | |
| 1976 | William O. Schuman | "The First Thousand Plate Nimbers" | INTERPHIL |
| 1975 | Henry M. Gobie | "The Running Speedy Boy" | FLOREX |
| 1973 | William M. Fitch | U.S. Private Propietary Stamps | NAPEX |
| 1972 | Louis Grunin | "United States Stamps 1847 - 1860" | NOPEX |
| 1969 | Morton Dean Joyce | Essays & Proofs of the Private Die Propietary Revenues | SEPAD |