ChicagoPex

SESCAL

Florex

NOJEX

This New Jersey Show was held in East Rutherford the weekend of Oct. 19-21.  USPCS members were front and center at this WSP show. All major awards were won by members.

Indypex

Indypex was held in Noblesville, Indiana outside Indianapolis on Oct. 5-7.  Leonard Hartman (see adjacent photo) won the Grand Award and a Large Gold Medal for “The Lithographed General Issue of the Confederate States of America” (also the USPCS Medal and the APS Pre-1900 Medal of Excellence). Mike Farrell won the Single Frame Grand and a Large Gold Medal for “The Beardless Lincoln Essays: Unadopted Revenue Stamp Designs by the National Bank Note Company”.

 

Othe members winning Large Gold Medals were Gary Hendren for “St. Louis Street Car Mail 1892-1915” (also the APC Award); and Gregory Scott Ward for “Use of U. S. Parcel Post Stamps 1913-1926” (also the Postal History Society Award and the Collectors Club of Chicago award).  

 

A Gold Medal was won by Ralph Nafziger for “Auxiliary Markings on U. S. First Day Covers” (also The Auxiliary Marking Club Award). 

 

A Large Vermeil Medal was awarded to Gary Hendren for his SF “Twisted Caps – Twisted Mail” (also the Auxiliary Marking Club SF Award, the AAPE Award for Creativity, and the Most Popular SF). 

Milcopex 

Filatelic Fiesta

AmeriCover

Balpex

Omaha 

Seapex

Bob Boyd won a Large Gold Medal and the Grand Award at NAPEX for “Mail From the U.S. To Germany Before the Universal Postal Union”.

Rocky Mountain Stamp Show

The Rocky Mountain Stamp Show was held in Denver on May 25-27.  It hosted the Brett Cup for the best 20th Century Exhibit of 2017 and the India Study Circle, so there were relatively few USPCS members exhibiting, but those who were there did well.  

Winning two Large Gold Medals were Tony Dewey with two exhibits – “The 3¢ Connecticut Tercentenary Issue of 1935 and its First Days” and “First U.N. Issue”; these were also entered as part of the Brett Cup Competition.  Tony Dewey also won a Large Gold Medal for his Single Frame Exhibit “International Education Bureau Labels for the Service of Intellectual Aid to Prisoners of War.”

A Gold Medal was awarded to Gregory Scott Ward for his “Use of U.S. Parcel Post Stamps 1913-1926, also entered in the Brett Cup competition. 

Ravi Vora won several medals at this show.  He won Large Vermeil Medals for “India ‘China Expeditionary Forces’ Philatelic and Postal History” and the Single Frame “Bhavnagar Court Fee Stamps: Essays, Trial Colors, Proofs and Specimen and Documentary Use”; a Vermeil Medal for his Single Frame “Confederate States of America: Department of State”; and a Large Silver Medal for “Pre-UPU Mail Via British India Post Office” (also a special AAPE award). 

Ropex

Ropex was held on May 18-19 in Canandaigua, NY.  Winning Large Gold Medals were Bill DiPaolo with his “The Prexie Coils” (also the Rochester Philatelic Society Larry R. Moriarty Memorial Award); Darrell R. Ertzberger with “Compliments of the Season: Christmas & New Year Greetings from U.S. Rural Carriers” (also the AAPE Creativity Award, and the Collectors Club of Chicago award); Robert P. Meegan with “United States Domestic Letter Rates, Act of 1792 through the Act of 1872” (also the Dusty Miller Award for the Best Postal History Exhibit by a RPS Member, and the APS Medal of Excellence, Pre 1900); and Gary Hendren for his Single Frame “St. Louis Pioneer Air Mail, October 4-8, 1911”.

Gold Medals were awarded to John Flannery III for “Andrew Jackson and the 2 cent Black Jacks” (also the Andy Hale Award for the Best Non-Postal History Exhibit by a RPA Member, and the USPCS Medal) and Fran Adams for “Toward United Nations”.  

Fran Adams also won a Large Silver Medal for ” The Mesozoic Times”.

Finally, while they are not USPCS members, their father, Matt Liebson, is.  In the Youth competition, Rebecca Liebson won a Gold Medal for “The 8.4c Americana Piano Coil” (also the Frank Tritto Memorail Youth Grand, and AAPE Youth Grand and 1st Place award); and Jacob Liebson won a Large Vermeil Medal for “The Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park and Its Three Naval Vessels” (also the AAPE 2nd Place, and Lighthouse Stamp Society awards). 

Napex

USPCS Members were very active and very successful at this show was held in McLean, Virginia on June 8-10.  Bob Boyd won a Large Gold Medal and the Grand Award for “Mail From the U.S. To Germany Before the Universal Postal Union”.  And Richard Taschenberg won a Large Gold Medal and the Single Frame Grand for “The Thirty Cent Nesbitt Envelopes of 1865” (also the United Postal Stationery Society Single Frame Award).  Great job, Bob and Richard!

Wining Large Gold medals were Juan Farah for “The World’s First Perforated Postage Stamp: Great Britain Penny Red Stars, 1850-64” (also the APS Medal of Excellence, pre-1900); Mark Schwartz for both “The New York Postmaster Provisionals” and the Single Frame “The ‘Special Arrangement’ Between Liverpool and the U.S. 1843-1848” (also the GPS award); Carol Bommarito for “Transatlantic Mail: U.S.- G.B. Rates 1849-1867”; and John Bowman for “2¢ “Liberty Head” US Revenue Tax Stamp, 1875-1883″ (also the Americna Revenue Association Gold Ribbon).

Gold Medals were awarded to members Ken Gilbart for “United States Ten Cent Issue of 1861”; Larry Nix for “America’s Membership Libraries 1731-1901” (also the ATA First Award); Randolph Smith for “Rally ‘Round the Flag” (also the NAPEX Stephen Luster Award); and Gannon Sugimura for “The Evolution of Hawaiian Circular Date Cancels to 1900” (also the US Cancellation Club Best Cancellations Award); 

A Large Vermeil Medal was won by John Bowman for “Alabama State Revenue Stamps” (also the ARA Gold Ribbon and the State Revenue Society Gold Award).  

Vermeil Medals were won by Cliff Alexander for “Private Companies that Competed with the Post Office, 1839-61”; Larry T. Nix for “The Library of Congress and Copyright, 1865-1930” (also the APC award); and Mick Zais for “U.S. to Europe Services and Rates of the Army Series, 1936-37” (also the AAPE Gold Award of Honor).   

Finally, Cliff Alexander also won a Large Silver Medal for “U.S. Anthrax Attacks Postal History” (also the APS Medal of Excellence, post-1980).

Colopex

At this show in Columbus, Ohio on June 15-16, Les Lanphear III won a Large Gold Medal and the Grand Award for “U.S. Departmentals, 1873 to 1884” (also the USSS Statue of Freedom Award and the USPS Medal); and Tony Dewey won a Large Gold Medal and the Reserve Grand award for “A Postal History of Hartford, Connecticut as US Post Office: 1792-1897”.  Great Job, Les and Tony!

Also wining Large Gold Medals were Dr. Edwin J. Andrews for “The 1924 Eagle in Wreath Issue: The First Gold Currency Stamps of Poland” (also the APS Medal of Excellence, 1900-1940); 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 Medal of Excellence, pre-1900); James R. Pullin for “American Sailing Packets on the North Atlantic 1818 to 1840”; and Tony Dewey for the Single Frame “The ‘D’ Rate-Change Stamps of 1985” (also the APS Medal of Excellence, post-1980 and the AP Award).

Finally, Matt Liebson’s son Jacob Liebson, won a Large Vermeil Medal in the Youth Class for “The Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park and Its Three Naval Vessels” (also the AAPE Youth Grand).  

Jim Allen wins Champion of Champions at StampShow Columbus, with his “The First United States 12¢ Stamp Series of 1851-1861”.  Also, winners at OkPex, Minnesota SS and Americover.

StampShow

This year’s big APS show was held in Columbus on August 9-12.  Jim Allen won the Champion of Champions (best exhibit of the year), with his “The First United States 12¢ Stamp Series of 1851-1861“.  And he did it in the most interesting fashion.  In the past, the APS President has had the honor of announcing the winner.  However, the new President, Bob Ziegler, could not be there because of a wedding on the West Coast.  So that honor, as well as a few others, were raffled off at a dinner earlier in the week.  Amazingly, Jim Allen won the honor of announcing the C of C winner.  So when he was on the stage and started with “The 2018 Champion of Champions winner is…..” and then announced “The First United States 12c….” it seemed like he didn’t immediately realize it was him.  A very memorable evening.

In addition to Jim, several other members competed in the C of C.  John Barwis with “Philadelphia – Great Britain Mails”; Robert S. Boyd with “Mail from the U.S. to Germany before the Universal Postal Union”; Tony Dewey with “First U.N. Issue, 1951”; Alfredo Frohlich with “Panama – The Evolution of Postal Systems in Panama (1777-1881)”; Cary Johnson with “Evolution of Territorial Michigan: 1805-1837”; Nick Kirke with “Outbound Foreign Mail Cancels of New York City; their progression 1845-1877”; Yamil Kouri with “The First Postal Issues of Spanish Antilles”; Lester Lanphear III with “U.S. Departmentals, 1873 to 1884”; Nick Lombardi with “The 1903 Two Cent Washington Shield Issue”; Stephen Rose with “The 2¢ Stamp of the U.S. 1869 Pictorial Issue”; Daniel Telep with “Vietnam’s Communist Insurgent Military Mails, 1959-1975”; Patricia Stilwell-Walker with “Baltimore Postal History: From Colonial Times until the UPU”; and Patrick Walters with “The United States Governmental Flights (1918-1927)”.

Many other members competed in the open competition.  At the top of the heap, in the philatelic competition, Charles Wooster won a Large Gold Medal and the Grand Award for “The Postage Due Issues of Peru 1874-1948” (also the APS Research Award). Two Reserve Grand Awards were given to Large Gold Medal Winners.  One to Ian Gibson-Smith for “The Hong Kong ‘China’ Overprints”.  The other to Daniel Knowles for “The Confederate States of America (CSA) Postal Initiative” (also the Postal History Society Award).  Not to be outdone, Larry Lyons won a Large Gold Medal and the Single Frame Grand for “Honour’s City Express”.  And Fran Adams won the NTSS Single Frame Grand and Gold medal for “Atlantic Meeting”.  

Also at the top of the heap, Hugh V. Feldman won a Large Gold Medal and the Literature Grand Award for “U.S. Contract Mail Routes by Railroad (1832-1875)”.

Large Gold Medals were also awarded to Carol Bommarito for “U.S. Mail To, From, and Through Great Britain 1840-1875” (also the APS Medal of Excellence, Pre-1900); Leonard H. Hartmann for “The De La Rue Stamps for the Confederate States of America” (also the GPS Special Prize, Philatelic Foundation Best Research and USPCS Medal); Carey E. Johnson for “The Rise and Fall of Streetcar RPO Mail Operations in the United States” (also the Casey Jones Pailroad Unit “The Norman E. Wright Sr, Award for Excellence in Railroad Philately”); Larry Lyons for “Make Them Illegal! The U.S. Independent Mails and Local Post Journey to Oblivion by Suppression”; James W. Milgram for “Federal Patriotic Stationery During the Civil War”; Randolph Smith for “Rally ‘Round the Flag” (also an NTSS Large Gold); Ross Towle for “Chile Postal Stationery: Essays, Proofs, Specimens, Samples” (also the UPSS Marcus White Award); Hal Vogel for “Pioneer Period Expeditions to Greenland” (An NTSS Large Gold);

Gold Medals were awarded to Juan Farah for “The “Special Design” Issues of Cuba 1899-1910″; Ralph H. Nafziger for “The 3 cent 1934 Perforated Wisconsin Tercentenary Issue”; Larry T. Nix for “America’s Membership Libraries 1731-1901” (Also an NTSS Gold); Roger Rhoads for “Chicago: House of Blues”; Dr. Edwin J. Andrews for “Jozef Pilsudski: Father of Poland’s Independence – the Second Republic” (NTSS Gold); and Tony Dewey for “The Bridges of Hartford, 1810 to Mid-1940s” (NTSS Gold).

Large Vermeil Medals were won by David A. Bowman with “The 1927 10c Rotary Press US Special Delivery Stamp”; and Millard H. Mack for the Single Frame “St. Clairsville, Ohio – Postal Markings of the Stampless Period”.  

OkPex

This show was sponsored by the Oklahoma Philatelic Society, and held in Midwest City, OK on June 29-30.

Dr. Edwin J. Andrews won a Large Gold Medal and the Grand Award for “The 1924 Eagle in Wreath Issue: The First Gold Currency Stamp”; and Gary Hendren won a Large Gold Medal and the Reserve Grand Award for “St. Louis Street Car Mail, 1892-1915”.  

Also winning Large Gold Medals were George Kramer for “The Central Overland Mail” (also the APS Medal of Excellence, Pre-1900, and the USPCS Medal); Gregory Scott Ward for “The Uses of U.S. Parcel Post Postage Due Stamps 1913-1926 (also the APS Research Medal and the USSS Statue of Freedom Medal); and Fran Adams for “The United Nations and Palestine 1947-1951.”

A Gold Medal was awarded to Fran Adams for the Single Frame “Dino Indicia” (also the ATA On-eFrame Award and the AAPE Creativity Award).  

Minnesota Stamp Show

Larry Nix won a Gold Medal and the Single Frame Grand for “Library Uses of Melvil Dewey’s Postal Card”.

A Gold Medal was awarded to Gregory Scott Ward for “Use of U.S. Parcel Post Stamps 1913-1926”; Large Vermeil Medals were won by Larry Nix for “The Library of Congress & Copyright 1895-1930.”; and John B. Flannery III for “Andrew Jackson and the 2¢ Black Jacks”.  

AmeriCover

This show was held in Atlanta on Aug. 3-5.  While it features FDC exhibits, several USPCS Members competed.

Ken Nilsestuen won a Large Gold Medal for “The Minnesota Territorial Stamp – 1949” (also the AFDCS Winfred M. Grandy Award – Best Cacheted FDCs). Winning Large Vermeil Medals were Peter LaPlaca “The 3 Cent Connecticut Tercentenary Issue of 1935” (also the APS Research Award); and Ralph Nafziger for “The 3 Cent Perforated Wisconsin Tercentenary Issue”.