At OKPEX during the weekend of June 17, several top prizes and medals were won by USPCS members. Patrick Walters won the Grand Award with his “United States Government Flights (1918-1927). He also won the American Air Mail Society Medal. Dale Forster won the Reserve Grand Award with “Australian Colonies – USA Mail”, as well as the Postal History Society Medal and the APS Pre-1900 Award of Excellence.
Winning a gold medal at OKPEX was Alfredo Frohlich for his “Republic of Colombia, International Mail, 1886-1899”. Winning Vermeil medals were Joe Crosby for “Charles M. Russell – The Cowboy Artist” (Joe also won the Robert T. Pollard Memorial Award for the best Exhibit by a Member of the Oklahoma Stamp Club); Ralph Lott for “Washington-Franklin Series Postal History – Rates and Usages” (and The United States Stamp Society Freedom Medal); and Ralph Lott again for his SFE “Kansas Territorial Mail” (and the AAPE Award of Honor pin). Silver medals were awarded to Jim Cate for “American Machine Cancellations – Type A-14/A38 Domestic U.S. Military Facilities WWI 1917-1919”; and Joe Crosby for “Postmaster Please…”. And a bronze medal went to Charles Epting for his SFE “Roosevelt’s Tree Army: Postal History of the Civilian Conservation Corps., 1933-1942”. Charles also won the AAPE Novice award.
MINNESOTA STAMP EXPO
The Minnesota Stamp Expo was held in Crystal, Minnesota the weekend of July 15. No U.S.P.C.S. Medal was awarded. However, several members won medals and other awards. Winning Gold medals were Jim Pullin for “Pioneer Steamers on the North Atlantic 1838 to 1840” (Jim also won the APS award for pre-1900 material); Larry Nix for “America’s Library: The Library of Congress (Larry also won the ATA’s First award); Ed Andrews for “The 1924 Eagle in Wreath Issue: The First Gold Currency Stamps of Poland”; Alfredo Frohlich for his single frame “SCADTA Airmail Stamps for SCADTA Airmail Service in Ecuador” (Alfredo also won the APC award for Excellence in Text); and Dan Ryterband for his single frame “The American Civil War: Through the Lines Prisoner Mail.” Winning a Vermeil medal was Mike Ellingson for “The Pneumatic Machine Cancels of the United States”;
BALPEX
Balpex was held over the Labor Day weekend. Several Society members did very well. Larry Lyons won a gold medal and the Single Frame Grand award with his “Honor’s City Express Post.” Members winning gold medals for multi-frame exhibits were Larry Lyons for his “Hussey’s Post” (also the U.S. Stamp Society Statue of Freedom Medal and the Baltimore Philatelic Society Award for the best exhibit by a member); William Fort III for “Wartime Transpacific Airmail Routes” (also the American Air Mail Society Gold Medal); Darrell Ertzberger for “British Honduras Postal Stationery 1879-1973” (and the UPSS Marcus White Award); Robert P. Meegan for “United States Domestic Letter Rates: Act of 1792 Through the Act of 1872” (also the Ed Ruckle Memorial Award for excellence in postal history, and the APS pre-1900 Medal of Excellence); and Carol Bommarito for “The Development of Adhesive Postage Stamps on Transatlantic Mail.”
Winning gold medals for single frame exhibits were Richard Taschenberg for “The Thirty Cent Nesbitt Envelopes of 1865” (and the UPSS One Frame Exhibit Award); Richard Taschenberg (again) for “The Ten Cent U. S. Envelopes of 1870-1874”; and Steve Washburne for “Portuguese Postal Cards: Empire Republic Transition 1910-1912”.
Winning vermeil medals were Larry Rausch for “United Kingdom One Penny (1d) Perfins 1868-1880”; Steve Washburne for “Portuguese Postal Cards 1878-1910” and for his single frame exhibit, Dr. Robert Toal with “America’s First Souvenir View Folders” (and the AAPE Creativity Award).
