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The Philatelic Foundation will award John M. Hotchner its 2020 Neinken Medal for distinguished service to philately. Originally scheduled to be held at a ceremony and reception at The Collectors Club in New York on October 27, 2020, it instead will be held in October 2021 because of COVID-19 which has shuttered much of New York. A collector since the age of five, he has been a devoted leader, writer, and active participant in the advancement of organized philately at the international, national, and local levels.

John served on the B.I.A. Board of Governors and was a prolific contributor to The United States Specialist. In addition to his numerous articles on stamp perforation, he served as Chairman of the Errors, Freaks, and Oddities Committee for many years.

Hotchner served on the Board of the American Philatelic Society for sixteen years including a term as
its President, as a member of the National Postal Museum’s Council of Philatelists for twenty years, as well as a dozen years as a member of the Postmaster General’s Citizen’s Stamp Advisory Committee. A co-founder of the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors, he served as a Board member for 32 years including two terms as its President. Accredited as a national chief judge and international judge in both stamps and literature,

John has served for many years on the APS’ Committee on Judging Accreditation including a term as its Chairman. In 2017, he was invited to sign the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists. On the local level, he has served as president of the Virginia Philatelic Federation. He was a founder of national specialty societies for Auxiliary Markings, AMG Philately, and for Mourning Stamps and Covers.

Hotchner currently serves as a contributing editor of Linn ‘s Stamp News, responsible
for its popular “U.S. Stamp Notes,” a weekly column, and as a monthly columnist for The American Stamp Dealer & Collector, and US. Stamp News as well as a quarterly columnist for a number of philatelic publications. As an exhibitor, his exhibits have garnered both national grand and reserve grand awards.
PF Chairman Robert G. Rose commented on the choice of Mr. Hotchner as the recipient of its Neinken Medal. “John has done it all, and always at the highest level of achievement, as a collector and exhibitor, as writer
and judge, as a philatelic expert and, as a board member and president of philately’s leading organization.