FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 12, 2009... The United States Philatelic Classics Society will host Classics 2009 on October 30-November 1, at the American Philatelic Society's headquarters in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. With the cooperation of the American Philatelic Society, this landmark event will cover all aspects of classic U.S. collecting. For collectors and students of classic United States stamps and postal history few other events will be able to compare to Classics 2009's comprehensive schedule of meetings, seminars, exhibits and bourse activities.

A select group of specialty societies will be hosting meetings and seminars throughout the three days of Classics 2009 including the 1869 Issue group's once-a-decade meeting, the Postal History Society and the Carriers & Locals Society. The Postal History Symposium, a scholarly program co-sponsored by the American Philatelic Society and the Smithsonian National Postal Museum will be holding this year's symposium at the American Philatelic Society headquarters during Classics 2009.

A world-class bourse will take place throughout the three days of Classics 2009 with many of the top dealers of classic United States material in attendance.

If for no other reason, Classics 2009's special place on the annual philatelic calendar will be justified by the assemblage of so many important exhibits of classic United States material. In total, over 160 frames will be on display, including previous APS Champion of Champion winners: Richard Drews's U.S. Issues of 1861-68, (1997) Vernon Morris, Jr's Fighting the Fed in Philadelphia Carrier Local Posts and Independent Mails 1835 to 1867 (2006), Irvin Heimburger's The U.S. Pictorial Issue of 1869 and its Usage (2008) and this year's w inner Roland Cipolla II's How the Post Facilitated Distribution of the Printed Word 1775-1870. In addition some frames from George Kramer's current exhibit will be included - George has won the Champion of Champions a record 3 times! Classics 2009 currently expects to have over 20 frames of 1847 material including the 3 time international Large Gold medal winning exhibit from Harvey Mirsky The U.S. 1847 Issue: Did it Demonstrate that Stampless Mail could be Eliminated? , as well as other classic material from the Gordon Eubanks and Joseph Hackmey collections.

America's first stamp issue to include bi-color stamps, the 1869 Pictorial Issue will have a special place among the events and celebrations during Classics 2009. In addition to the traditional decennial gathering of the 1869 Issue group to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the 1869 issue, there will be over 40 frames of 1869 material from the collections of Irv Heimburger, Jeff Forster, Michael Laurence and Gordon Eubanks among others. Some of this material has never been shown in a World Series of Philately competition!

A large array of additional outstanding classic philatelic material will be on exhibit throughout the event including displays of Confederate Postmaster Provisional adhesives, Transatlantic postal history, New York Foreign Mail cancellations, Independent Mails and four frames of Classic United States material from the William H. Gross Collection.

To register or for information about area hotels and the USPCS society dinner is available on the society's website: www.uspcs.org/. Click the "U.S. Classics 2009" link at the top of the homepage.

All stamp collectors, postal historians and interested persons are welcome to attend the bourse, seminars and meetings of this remarkable event free of charge. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to mix and mingle with the most influential people in United States Philately at Classics 2009, October 30-November 1, 2009.

About the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society

The U.S. Philatelic Classics Society is the only organization that studies in depth the stamps and postal history of the United States from the Colonial era to 1900. Our members include both collectors and students. Many have written articles that have been published in our award winning quarterly magazine, The Chronicle of the U.S. Classic Postal Issues, and in other publications. Information about the USPCS, membership, its publications, and articles of interest to collectors and students of the classic period of U.S. philately, can found at the society's website at www.uspcs.org. Copies of back issues of the Chronicle and previously published books are also available from the society's bookstore, accessible from the society's website, or directly at http://www.uspcs.org/store.html.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Wade E. Saadi
President, USPCS
wade@pencom.com

or

Alexander Haimann
Publicist, USPCS
alex@mysticrarestamps.com