The Society will hold its annual meeting at this WSP show in McLean, VA on June 7-9, 2019.  Details about the events we will sponsor will follow.

(Taken from the APS website)

The American Philatelic Society’s annual award season is upon us. The society’s highest awards for living collectors are the Luff Awards. This year’s recipients are John H. Barwis, Denise L. Stotts and Wayne L. Youngblood. The awards will be formally presented August 11 at the Celebration Banquet at StampShow / National Topical Stamp Show in Columbus, Ohio. Tickets can be reserved at stamps.org/stampshow. The awards are named for John N. Luff, who was president of the APS from 1907 to 1909.

 

John H. Barwis

Barwis has studied and researched 19th-century stamps and postal history of Victoria’s first postage stamps. He plated Victoria’s first issue 1-penny stamp of 1850, which had never been done in the 160 years since the stamp’s first printing. Using scientific equipment, his cutting-edge examination of the shades, papers and inks of the U.S. banknotes was landmark.

Regarding Philadelphia postal history, Barwis wrote and maintains a database of date ranges for postmarks used on Philadelphia foreign mails. He has compiled sailing tables for the monthly packets between Philadelphia and Liverpool from 1822 to 1875 by using newspaper archives in the United States and Great Britain.

Barwis has been a stamp collector for 59 years. His exhibits have won national and international gold medals, as well as grand awards in the United States and Great Britain. He is a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London and past president of the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society. He won the 2011 Champion of Champions competition.

Barwis retired in 2003 after 25 years with the Royal Dutch/Shell Group. His career comprised a range of technical and leadership positions, including stints as a chief geologist, exploration manager and manager of geological research, as well as technical director and member of the board of Shell U.K. While serving as an officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers he conducted research in sedimentology and hydrodynamics at the Hydraulics Laboratory of the U.S. Waterways Experiment Station. Prior to military service he managed an Arctic drifting station owned by the Office of Naval Research, spending more than 15 months on the North Polar ice pack. He has contributed more than 50 articles and government publications to the geological literature in coastal geomorphology and hydrodynamics, sedimentology, stratigraphy, as well as petroleum exploration and production. He holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in geology.

 

Denise L. Stotts

Denise L. Stotts, of Houston, Texas, is the recipient of the Luff Award for Exceptional Contributions to Philately. Stotts has been an active and tireless philatelic leader and volunteer at the national, state and local level for more than 25 years. 

A lifelong philatelist, she served as director-at-large for the American Philatelic Society from 2007 to 2011. She has also served on the APS Chapter Activities, Ethics and Election Review committees, the Young Philatelic Leaders Fellowship Advisory Board and as local committee chair for APS AmeriStamp Expo 1998.

Stotts has been on the Garfield Perry March Party show committee since 1988 and served as show chair for the Greater Houston Expo from 1994 through 2016. She is a founding member of the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors and Women Exhibitors and has been a director for the Texas Philatelic Association and Houston Philatelic Society. She has served as awards director for the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors, the United States Stamp Society and Women Exhibitors. She also was the assistant director of volunteers for the Washington 2006 World Philatelic Exhibition and helped managed the bin room for World Stamp Show-New York 2016.

Stotts also is a gold medal award-winning philatelic exhibitor. She has staffed booths for the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors, United States Stamp Society, Women Exhibitors and other organizations at numerous shows. She has even served organizations such as the Ohio Postal History Society, for which she was not even a member. Philately has benefitted tremendously from Denise’s leadership, guidance and service.

 

Wayne L. Youngblood

Wayne L. Youngblood of Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, is the recipient of the Luff Award for Outstanding Service to the APS. Youngblood is a lifelong stamp collector who began at age 8 and never stopped.

Youngblood has served three terms on the APS board as director-at-large and two terms as secretary. He has served as an expert for the American Philatelic Expertizing Service since 1990, providing opinions on about 2,500 items. He has been a columnist for The American Philatelist since October 2004. He has served as an APS Summer Seminar instructor all but one year since 1990.

Youngblood is the current editor for numerous philatelic journals including The American Stamp Dealer & Collector magazine, The Collectors Club Philatelist,  and  Duck Tracks. He is also the past editor of Posthorn and Across the Fence Post, 2005-2012. In addition to The American Philatelist he also is a columnist for Linn’s Stamp News and Philatelic Exporter. Youngblood has served as president of the Errors Freaks and Oddities Collectors Club and the Los Alamos Stamp Collectors Association, and served on the boards of the American First Day Cover Society and Arizona Philatelic Rangers. He has been a member of the St. Louis Stamp Expo Show Committee and is a Boy Scouts Stamp Collecting Merit Badge counselor.

Wayne began his professional involvement with the hobby as an editor at Linn’s Stamp News, became editor of Scott Stamp Monthly then as editor-publisher of Stamp Collector newspaper and, more recently, as vice president at Regency-Superior Auctions. Wayne currently divides his time between his family and freelance writing, editing, dealing and exhibit work. He is author of 10 books (including Stamps that Glow and All About Stamps) and has written thousands of columns and features over the years. He speaks extensively on the hobby to both philatelic and non-philatelic groups.

Rocky Mountain Stamp Show

The Rocky Mountain show was held on May 25-27 in Denver.  This is the home of the George Brett Cup, an annual competition to select the best 20th century exhibit.  So while there may not have been many classics exhibits there, there were a few USPCS members exhibiting.  

Tony Dewey won Large Gold Medals for three exhibits:  “The 3¢ Connecticut Tercentenary Issue of 1935 and its First Days”, “First U.N. Issue”, and the single frame “International Education Bureau Labels for the Service of Intellectual Aid to Prisoners of War”.

Winning a Gold Medal was Gregory Scott Ward with “Use of U.S. Parcel Post Stamps 1913-1926”.

Large Vermeil Medals were awarded to Ravi Vora for two exhibits, “India “China Expeditionary Forces” Philatelic and Postal History”, and the single frame “Bhavnagar Court Fee Stamps: Essays, Trial Colors, Proofs and Specimen and Documentary Uses”.  Ravi also won a Vermeil Medal for “Confederate States of America: Department of State” and a Large Silver Medal for “Pre-UPU Mail Via British India Post Office” (also a Path to Gold award).

ROPEX

ROPEX was held in Rochester, New York on May 18-19.  Members winning Large Gold Medals included Bill DiPaolo for “The Prexie Coils” (also the RPA Larry R. Moriarty Sr. Memorial Award); Darrell Ertzberger for “Compliments of the Season: Christmas & New Year Greetings from U.S. Rural Carriers” (also the Collectors Club of Chicago Exhibit of Merit, and the AAPE Creativity in Philatelic Exhibiting Award); Robert P. Meegan for “United States Domestic Letter Rates, Act of 1792 Through the Act of 1872” (Also the Dusty Miller Award – Best Postal History Exhibit by a RPA Member, and APS award of excellence for pre-1900 material); and Gary Hendren for his single frame “St. Louis Pioneer Air Mail, October 4-8, 1911”.

Fran Adams received a Gold Medal was for his single frame “Toward United Nations” and a Large Silver Medal for his single frame “The Mesozoic Times”.  

NAPEX

Napex was held in McLean, Virginia on June 8-10.  The top Multi-frame and single frame awards went to Society members.  Bob Boyd won the Multi-frame Grand award and a Large Gold Medal for “Mail from the U.S. to Germany before the Universal Postal Union” and Richard Taschenberg won the Single Frame Grand and a Large Gold medal for “The 30¢ Nesbitt Envelopes of 1865” (also the United Postal Stationery Society Single Frame Award).  

Other members winning Large Gold Medals included Juan Farah for “The World’s First Perforated Stamp: Great Britain Penny Red Stars, 1850-64” (Also the APS award of excellent, pre-1900 material); Mark Schwartz for two exhibits – “New York Postmaster Provisional” and the single frame “The ‘Special Arrangement’ between Liverpool and the U.S., 1843-48” (also the German Philatelic Society award); John Bowman for the single frame “2¢ ‘Liberty Head’ U.S. Revenue Tax Stamp, 1875-1883” (also an ARA Gold Ribbon); and Carol Bommarito for the single frame “Transatlantic Mail U.S. – GB Treaty Rates, 1849-67”.  

Gold Medals were given to Ian Gibson-Smith for “Postal Markings of the ‘China Overprints'” (also the APS award for Research); Ken Gilbart for “United States Ten Cent Issue of 1861”; Randolph Smith for “Rally ‘Round the Flag” (also the NAPEX Stephen Luster award); and Larry Nix for “America’s Membership Libraries, 1731-1901” (also the American Topical Association First Award and the APC award). 

A Large Vermeil Medal was given to John Bowman for “Alabama State Revenue Stamps” (also an ARA Gold ribbon and a State Revenue Society Gold award). 

Vermeil Medals were awarded to Larry Nix for “The Library of Congress and Copyright, 1865-1930” and 

Clifford Alexander for “Private Companies that Competed with the Post Office, 1839-61”.

A Large Silver Medal was awarded to Clifford Alexander for “U.S. Anthrax Attacks Postal History” (also the APS award of excellence, post-1980).  

COLOPEX

ColoPex was Held on June 15-16 in Columbus, Ohio.  USPCS Members took both the Multi-frame Grand and Reserve Grand.  Les Lanphear III won the Grand Award and a Large Gold medal for “U.S. Departmentals 1873-1884 (also the USSS Statue of Freedom Award and the USPCS Medal), and Tony Dewey won the Reserve Grand and a Large Gold medal for “A Postal History of Hartford, Connecticut as U.S. Post Office 1792-1897.”

Large Gold Medals were awarded to Ed Andrews for “The 1924 Eagle in Wreath Issue. The First Gold Currency Stamps of Poland” (also the APS award of excellence for 1900-1940 material);  Alfredo Frohlich for “SCADTA Airmail 1929-1931”; Robert Meegan for “United States Domestic Letter Rates, Act of 1792 through the Act of 1872” (also the APS award of excellence, pre-1900 material); James Pullin for “American Sailing Packets on the North Atlantic  1818 to 1840”; and Tony Dewey for “The ‘D” Rate-change Stamps 1985″ (also the APS award of excellence for post-1980 material and the APC award).  

A Large Vermeil medal was awarded to Mike Morrissey for “The Letterpress Printed Precancellations by Playing Card Manufacturers on First Issue Revenue Stamps” 

Plymouth Show

On April 21-22, the Plymouth Show was held at Plymouth/Westland, Michigan, just west of Detroit.  USPCS members did quite well at this two day show, with Cary Johnson winning the Multiframe Grand Award and a Large Gold medal for “Evolution of Territorial Michigan 1805-1837” (also the WSSC Award; the AAPE Plan & Heading Award; and the Peninsular State Philatelic Society Award), and Tony Dewey winning the Single Frame Grand and Large Gold medal for “The ‘H’ Rate-change Stamps of 1998” .  A special congratulations to both!

Other members winning Gold Medals included Tony Dewey for “The 1991 “F” Tulip Stamps and First Day Covers” (also the APS Post-1980 Award of Excellence); Ralph Nafziger for “The 3-cent Wisconsin Statehood Issue”; Fran Adams for “The International Institute of Agriculture’ (also the Postal History Society award); and Cary Johnson for “Michigan Marine Reporters and Post Offices” (also the APS Research award).

A Large Vermeil Medal was won by Fran Adams for “Dark Caves – Bright Visions” (also the ATA Single-frame award).

Westpex

The WestPex show was held on April 27-29 at the San Francisco Airport Marriott, just across a nature preserve from the runways (always amazing to see those huge Trans-Pacific planes take off).   The Single Frame Grand award and a Gold Medal was won by member and former USPCS President Patricia Stillwell Walker for “Ship Letter Rates of Ireland: Act of 1711 through Act of 1840.”

Large Gold Medals were won by Alfredo Frohlich for “The Last Classic Colombia Issue  1866-1869” (also the APS Award of Excellence – Pre-1900, and the Donald Dretzke Award for Best Used Stamps); and Patricia Stillwell Walker for “Baltimore Postal History from Colonial Times until June 30, 1851” (also the WE Grand Award – Best Exhibit by a WE Member; and the USPCS Medal).

Gold Medals were awarded to members Tony Wawrukiewicz for “Operation and Innovation in the Dead Letter Office from 1860-1985” (also the APS Research Award and the Auxiliary Markings Merit Award); Steven Walske for “Overland Mails of the Western Expansion: 1832 to 1869; and Colin and Pamela Fraser for “British Central Africa  1891-1907”; 

A Silver Medal was won by Lawrence Haber for “1909 – A Monthly Exploration into America’s Mails”.

Philatelic Show

The Philatelic Show was held on May 4-6 at Boxboro, about 30 miles west of Boston.  Members who won Large Gold Medals included Albert ‘Chip’ Briggs for “Domestic Rates and Usages of the United States Presidential Series” (also the Collectors Club of Chicago award); and Mark Schwartz for two exhibits: “Postal History of Salem, Mass Domestic Mail through Sept.1883, Foreign Mail Up to U.P.U.” (also the APSociety Medal of Excellence, Pre- 1900, the United States Cancellations Society Award, and the Postal History Society Award), and the Single Frame “The Introduction of the First Standardized Federal CDS”.

Members winning Gold Medals included Albert ‘Chip’ Briggs for “Three Cent Thomas Jefferson Stamp of 1938” (also the Errors, Freaks and Oddities award); Doug and Nancy Clark for “The U.S. Revalued Postal Stationery of 1971” (also the American First Day Cover Society Award, and the United States Postal Stationary Marcus White Award); Yamil Kouri for his single frame “Paid at Havana”; and Mark Schwartz for the single frame “Boston’s “PAID in Grid” Cancels on the U.S. Imperforate Issues of 1847-56″.  

A Large Vermeil Medal was won by Peter LaPlaca for “A First Day Exhibit of the 3 cent Connecticut Tercentenary Stamp of 1935” (also the AAPE Gold Award and the AAPE Novice Award).

PIPEX

Pipex was held May 11-13 in Portland, Oregon.  Large Gold Medals were awarded to Tony Wawrukiewicz for two exhibits: “Operation and Innovation in the Dead Letter Office from 1860 to 1985”, and “The ways U.S. Postage Due stamps were used, 1879 to 1986”; and Lester Lanphear III for “US Departmentals, 1873 to 1884” (also the USSS Statue of Freedom award). 

Members winning Gold Medals included Ralph Nafziger for “The 15-cent 1978 Viking Mars Issue”; and Fran Adams for two single frame exhibits: “The Leticia Incident”, and “Dino Indicia”.

A Large Vermeil Medal was won by Tony Wawrukiewicz for “U.S. Customs Duties Collection 1907-1970s”.  

A remarkable website created by member J. Bryan O’Doherty assists members in identifying the plate and plate position for the 3c 1851 imperforate issue.  This is the stamp that was the start of our Society,  StampPlating.com uses a computerized database to help plate each of the 2,600 positions of this stamp as well as significant background information on the history of plating this stamp.

StampPlating.com can be accessed via our menu under the Resources section. This will take you to a landing page describing the website in more detail.  You can go directly from this page to StampPlating.com, which should open up in a new tab.  At the top of each page on that website, you will see the USPCS logo. Clicking on that will take you back to the uspcs.org website.