This award was first presented on February 14, 1982, at SARAPEX in Sarasota, Florida, to Henry M. Gobie for his exhibit “U.S. Parcel Post-A Postal History, 1913-1925.” At that time the award consisted of a certificate with the name of the winner and the exhibition along with an intaglio green print of the “Statue of Freedom” atop the Capital Building. In 1984, the gold medal which we are familiar with today (Figure 1) was created by Earle Plyler and was presented along with the certificate. Over the years, the certificate was eliminated and the award became known as the Statue of Freedom Medal.
Today, the Statue of Freedom Medal is presented to the best exhibit of U.S. material from 1847 to the present at a particular WSP show, although it is not always awarded if, in the Jury’s opinion, there is not an exhibit deserving of it. The chosen exhibit must receive at least a Vermeil medal although the recipient need not be a USSS member. This is certainly no easy task given today’s high level of competitive exhibiting.
The President’s Medal, similar in design and dimension to the Statue of Freedom medal is silver in color. It is presented to the best exhibit of U.S. material exhibited at non-WSP regional and local stamp shows.
The Society’s Officers and Board of Governors wish to extend their congratulations to the following exhibitors who have won the Statue of Freedom Medal during the exhibiting season just completed (July, 2001 through June, 2002) and to thank them for helping to promote the Society’s goal of “Know Your Country’s Stamps.”