Annual Competitions, November 2017 

The National's Annual Competitions took place at the November Meeting and this year the judges were Dr Patrick Reid FRPSL and Christine Earle FRPSL.

Peter Wood  won the  Traditional Class with his entry "Irish Animals and Marine Life Post" with Michael Goodman's entry "New Lease of Life for Machines as the runner up. 

Annual Competitions, November 2016 

The National's Annual Competitions took place at the November Meeting and this year the judges were Richard West and Brian Asquith.  

Michael Goodman won the  Traditional Class with his entry "US Civil War Revenues" and was also the winer in the Postal History Class with "More to Pay from the USA" showing underpaid mail from the United States from 1879 to 1914.

First place in the Social/Open Class went to Rodney Knight with "Life in Spanish Guinea" and the runner up was Maria Roberts with her Read all about it" and the runner-up was David Hunter with \"Music"..

The Thematic Class winner was Howard Morgan with "Vienna and its composers" whilst "Horse Drawn Vehicles" gave second place to Maria Roberts. This year there were no entries in the Aerophilatelic Class

This earlier date follows a decision to close the gap between the end of the year under consideration and the voting and to this end voting forms for the 2016 articles in Stamp Lover will be issued in February 2017.

Annual Competitions, November 2015 

The National's Annual Competitions took place at the November Meeting and this year the judges were Ken Burr and Chris Harman. 

Nick Kerridge won the  Traditional Class with his entry "Philippine Revenues". The runner up was Michael Goodman with the USA 1851 3 cent Washington head definitive.

The Postal History Class was won by Stuart Henderson with "Swan Islandsl" and Michael Goodman took second place with "Gone Astray". 

First place in the Thematic Class went to Peter Wood with his entry "Read all about it" and the runner-up was David Hunter with his entry "Engineering, Science & Technology".

IMaria Roberts won the Social/Open Class, achieved first place with "The Seaside"

This year there were no entries in the Aerophilatelic Class

On this occasion the winner of the poll was Keith Johnson for his article  Fanning Island, the Pacific island tied up in cable history that appeared in the August 2014 issue of Stamp Lover., with the award being presented at the February Meeting of the Society.

Annual Competitions, November 2014 

The National's Annual Competitions took place at the November Meeting and two welcome features were that most of the winners had not won or entered before.

Martin Lloyd won the  Traditional Class with his entry "GB used in Malta" The runner up was Chris Oliver  with his South African Interprovincials.

The Postal History Class was won by Stuart Henderson with "Chile Pacific Steamship Mail" and Chris Oliver took second place with Swanage Postal History. 

The winner in the Thematic Class went to Maria Roberts with her entry "Celebrating with Roses" and the runner-up was Stuart Henderson with his entry "Whales".

In the Social/Open Class, Maria Roberts achieved first place with "A New Way of Life" (the story of a family who had emigrated to New Zealand), with Stuart Henderson taking second place with "The Lady Boats". 

This year there were no entries in the Aerophilatelic Class

The judges were Brian Sole and Christine Earle, FRPSL 
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The winner of the Johnson Award for philatelic writing in Stamp Lover during 2013 was announced at the National's December meeting and was Robert Jack for his article "The Classic Issues of Afghanistan, 1871-6" that appeared in the October 2013 issue.

Annual Competitions, December 2013 

The National's Annual Competitions took place at the December Meeting and two welcome features were that most of the winners had not won or entered before.

Michael Goodman won the  Traditional Class with his entry "Security Machins" The runner up was Brian Asquith  with his Turkish Airmail Fund stamps.

The Postal History Class was won by Brian Asquith with "The Postal History of Wakefield". Maria Edwards  took second place with her Edwardian postcards. 

The winner in the Thematic Class went to Maria Roberts with her entry "Horses.

In the Social/Open Class, John Swade achieved first place with "Verified Reception Stamps, with Peter Wood taking second place with "A Century of Scouting in Ireland". 

This year there were no entries in the Aerophilatelic Class

The judges were David Alford, FRPSL and Christine Earle, FRPSL who commented on the high quality of the entries, who noted that in the Traditional Class  only a few marks separated the winners and runners up. 
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As is usual Competitions Day saw the announcement of the winner of the Johnson Award for philatelic writing in Stamp Lover during 2012. This year there were joint winners - Briti Deb for his article on Tibet that appeared in the October 2012 issue and Peter Mellor for "The Previous Diamond Jubilee" that appeared in December 2012. 

Although increased postage costs have necessitated an increase in our membership subscriptions. existing and new members can save money by stickling to the old rates he old rates if they take our magazine Stamp Lover and the accompanying Members Literature Sale listings) electronically (i.e. by email).

Click here for further details and just email the Membership Secretary if you would like to receive a sample email copy before finally deciding.

August 2012

We are holding a Country Meeting of the National Philatelic Society at the Fear Institute, Keynsham (about half-way between Bristol and Bath) on 30th November at 1.30pm.

All are welcome, whether members of the National or not. Come along and enjoy the displays come along and if you wish bring something to show so that we can see what interests you and what intriguing material you have. There is no set subject so that there need be no inhibitions. If you are intending to bring material to show, please let Chris Oliver know on olivers.of_ham@virgin.net

There will be a Kevin Noble Stamp Fair elsewhere in the building on that day so why not combine a visit to that with our meeting and make it a "stamp day".

The Fear Institute is located in the centre of the town and directions on getting to the Fear Institute by road can be found by clicking here Local trains running between Bath and Bristol serve Keynsham railway station.

 We should finish the meeting by 4.00pm so this will enable us to pace the afternoon. It will be enjoyable occasion so if you are in the Bristol - Bath area on Saturday 30th November why not come along .

NATIONAL PHILATELIC SOCIETY SEMINAR

"How can philatelists use on-line shopping to the best advantage?"

 - An afternoon philatelic seminar on Tuesday 16 April 2013
                                 by Francis Kiddle R.D.P., Hon. F.R.P.S.L

The big attraction of stamp collecting is that it need not require lots of money or energy. These days, philately is not just about stamps, it can also be about collecting many things related to the postal system and the delivery of mail. In an ever increasing world of computer and internet users, one of the ways to acquire philatelic material is by use of E-Bay, Delcampe or other markets accessed by electronic means. This could be a long process and some pitfalls may occur.

At this Seminar on 16 April 2013, Francis Kiddle, RDP, Hon. FRPSL, will give his view on the use of such markets and explain how this process can be accomplished efficiently. There will be time for questions from attendees who will also be able to express their views. 

This seminar starts in the afternoon at 1.30 pm. at the Phoenix Centre, Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DL ( Next to the British Postal Museum & Archive). Members and non-members are invited to attend. There is a charge of £5 (£3 for members of the National Philatelic Society).   

Annual Competitions, December 2012 

The National's Annual Competitions took place at the December Meeting and two welcome features were that most of the winners had not won or entered before.

Simon Richards won the  Traditional Class with his entry "British Guiana ship issues of 1860-1875 that were lithographed by Waterlow. The runner up was Michael L Goodman with "Post and Go".

The Postal History Class was won by Peter Wood with a study of "Machine cancels of Ireland" embracing material from King Edward VII through to the 1922 Overprints. Pre-stamp material from Wakefield gave second place to Brian Asquith. 

The Aerophilatelic Class award went to Allan Boyce with a study of the first Greek "Patagonia" airmails. 

First place in the Thematic Class went to a first time contestant, Maria Roberts with her entry "Roses" roses with "whales" from Stuart Henderson gaining second place.

In the Social/Open Class, David Hunter achieved first place with "The West Indian Sugar Trade", with Nick Kerridge taking second place with "Wei Hai Wei" . 

The judges were Chris Harman and Christine Earle who congratulated the participants on their  entries.
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As is usual Competitions Day saw the announcement of the winner of the Johnson Award for philatelic writing in Stamp Lover during 2011 the winner of which was Christine Earle for her article “Thematic Philately - Why not give it a try" that appeared in the October 2011 edition of Stamp Lover. 

"An Appraisal of Cinderella Collecting"

      - An afternoon philatelic seminar on Friday 9th March 2012
                                 by Francis Kiddle R.D.P., Hon. F.R.P.S.L. and Charles Kiddle.

Francis and Charles Kiddle are well known as collectors and writers on Cinderella Collecting. We are pleased that they have agreed to lead the seminar on starting and collating such collections for us. They will give an overview of collecting topics, why they collect this material and, after refreshments, will ask attendees for their views and attempt to answer any queries that may be raised.

The meeting is open to members and non-members of the National Philatelic Society. The Venue is the Phoenix Centre, Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DL and the seminar has been organised through the British Postal Museum & Archive in the adjoining Phoenix Centre, where Royal Mail are kindly providing a meeting room.

There is a charge of £5 (£3 for members of the National Philatelic Society).   Places are limited and the deadline for applications is Tuesday 5^th March 2012.

If you require further information please email Christopher Oliver, National Philatelic Society, c/o The British Postal Museum & Archive, Freeling House, Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DL on npspresident@ukphilately.org.uk  

Please note that the date for this Seminar has been changed from that originally shown in the National Philatelic Society programme for 2011-12. 

Annual Competitions, December 2011 

The National's Annual Competitions took place at the December Meeting and two welcome features were that most of the winners had not won or entered before.

John W Smith won the  Traditional Class with his entry "The Development of the German Post Offices in Morocco" featuring the definitive stamps accompanied by an informative narrative. The runner up was a colourful display from Duncan P James entitled "Innovation and Modernisation" demonstrating Royal Mail's response to competition for downstream access mail and the rise in electronic communication. In third place was Michael Goodman's "Security Machins".

The Postal History Class was won by Alan Cowie with a study of "Roller Cancels on the Foreign Mail issue definitives of Japan between 1922 and 1938" with the runner up also having a Japanese theme, being Jan G Simons' entry "Early Mail from England to Japan". 

The Aerophilatelic Class award went to Peter Wood "From Clifden to Concorde" showing the developement of Irish airmail services including the early transatlantic flights whilst Chris Oliver was the sole entrant in the  Social/Open Class with his study of mobile post offices in South Africa. There were no entries in the Thematic Class. 

The judges were David Armitage and Peter Denly who commended the standard of the entries.
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As is usual Competitions Day saw the announcement of the winner of the Johnson Award for philatelic writing in Stamp Lover during 2010 the winner of which was Peter Mellor for his article “Private Postal operations in New Zealand” which appeared in the February 2010 edition of Stamp Lover. 

For 5 days in November, as a leading British stamp club, the National Philatelic took a stand at the Ideal Home at Christmas, where an estimated 85,000 people passed through the doors of the famous Earls Court Exhibition Centre. The aim was to promote stamps and stamp collecting. Click here to read more.

Changing stamp printing methods

      - An afternoon philatelic seminar on Thursday 8 September 2011
                                 by Douglas Muir FRPSL and Ian Bingham of Cartor Security Printing
                                          
The National Philatelic Society is to hold a seminar which will explore the methods of stamp printing used in the past together with current printing processes. It will examine different methods of printing, from the 19^th century to the present and will aid the identification of stamps produced by these various processes.

The date is Thursday 8 September and the venue is in London. The society is fortunate that  Douglas Muir from the BPMA and Ian Brigham from Cartor Security Printing, France, have agreed to lead the seminar and hope it will be well supported with active participation in the discussions and questions. .

The seminar is open to members and non-members of the National Philatelic Society. The Venue is the Phoenix Centre, Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DL and has been organised through the British Postal Museum & Archive in the adjoining Phoenix Centre, where Royal Mail are kindly providing a meeting room.

The seminar will run from 13 15 to 16.30 hours and the venue is the Phoenix Centre, Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DL .The seminar has been organised through the British Postal Museum & Archive in the adjoining Phoenix Centre, where Royal Mail are kindly providing a meeting room. 

There is a charge of £5 (£3 for members of the National Philatelic Society).   Places are limited and the deadline for applications is Friday 2 September 2011. 
 

Once again the National is holding a country meeting at The Kennet School Stoney Lane, Thatcham Berkshire RG19 4LL as part of this year's WESTBEX.

A range of Philatelic displays is being arranged for the National's Meeting which starts at 1.30 pm ant to which visitors are welcome. Last year's meeting proved popular when almost a dozen  members of the NPS or Thatcham Society's displayed at this meeting, and the event has proved an enjoyable philatelic day out. WESTBEX itself starts at 10.30 am with over 20 dealers participating and the Thames Valley Federation Competitions. 

NATIONAL TO HOLD THEMATIC AND SOCIAL PHILATELY SEMINAR

The National Philatelic Society is to hold an afternoon seminar on Thematic and Social Philately, led by Christine Earle FRPSL, a well-known philatelist in these fields and who competes at international level.

The title is “ An appraisal of Thematic and Social Philately ", and it will be held on Thursday 3 March 2011, between 13 45 and 16.30 hours at the Phoenix Centre, Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DL.

The approach to collecting these classes in philately is different to that of other classes such traditional stamps or postal history. The seminar will cover starting thematic and social collections, choosing subjects, choosing and finding material and, of course, writing up and presenting thematic and social displays. After providing an overview of these topics, Christine will discuss the issues raised, exchange ideas, and answer any questions.  The seminar is open to non-members as well as members of the National Philatelic Society.  

The seminar has been organised through the British Postal Museum & Archive in the adjoining Phoenix Centre, where Royal Mail are kindly providing a meeting room.

There is a charge of £5 (£3 for members of the National Philatelic Society).   Places are limited and the deadline for applications is on Saturday 26 February 2011. 

The National previously held seminars on Thematic Collecting and Judging in 2005 and on Social Philately in 2007.

Annual Competitions, December 2010 

The National's Annual Competitions took place at the December Meeting and as usual were preceded by the monthly auction and traditional sherry and mince pies.

A high standard of entries saw John Davies taking first place in the Traditional Class with a well written study of these issues, starting with the hybrid revenue postal overprints, and including good specimens of these stamps plus blocks and covers of later ones,. The close runner up was Simon Richards with the early stamps of Dominica, including some classics used on cover . Third place was Dr John Marks with GB Queen Elizabeth the Second , errors, flaws, and fakes, the sort of material that could go undetected without  magnifying glasses or a little bit of observation.

The Postal History Class was won by Simon Richards  with early British West Indies stamp less  maritime covers, unusual material,  and well researched and written up .The writer was the runner up with a study of  underpaid mail sent from the USA during the  19^th century and early 20^th centuries . Alan Randall Jones  came third with a study of mail from the USS Tillman, including a profusion of postcards.

Chris Oliver won the Social/Open Class with a study of the South African Voortrekker Celebration issue  while Stuart Henderson won the Thematic Class with the First  World War and its consequences, an opportunity to include a diversity of world wide material and show off his historical knowledge. 

The judges were Christine Earle and Brian Asquith . Christine stayed to comment on the overall competition and to discuss points with competitors after. She said she had spent a “very entertaining morning “ judging the entries and that “ a lot of people had taken time and trouble and thought about their entries.” She added”  I like the way more and more competitors are telling a story with their entries and explaining on the front page what their entry is about”.
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As is usual Competitions Day saw the announcement of the winner of the Johnson Award for philatelic writing in Stamp Lover during 2009 the winner of which was Ramon Goodey for his article “How I studied UN issues” which appeared in the October 2009 edition of Stamp Lover. 

"How to publish a Society Journal" -

       - An Afternoon Philatelic Seminar on  Wednesday 13 October 2010 
                                                                                                            by Richard West and David Alford

Two experts on publishing and writing for the philatelic press are to lead a seminar for the National Philatelic Society entitled  “How to Publish a Society Journal" in October.

Both Richard West and David Alford have been instrumental in producing the National P.S. journal Stamp Lover in the past. David was our previous editor, and Richard has been a Guest Editor on a number of occasions. Richard also writes for the national philatelic press. Both have strong views on how a philatelic society magazine should be produced and what these journals should contain.  

The club journal should be the  ”window” to the society. It keeps members informed and tells non-members what they are missing by not being a member. . Richard and David will be providing practical advice and also exchanging ideas with the audience.  The meeting is open to members and non-members of the National Philatelic Society.  

The seminar will be on Wednesday October 13, from 13 45 to 16.30 hours and the venue is the Phoenix Centre, Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DL .The seminar has been organised through the British Postal Museum & Archive in the adjoining Phoenix Centre, where Royal Mail are kindly providing a meeting room. 

There is a charge of £5 (£3 for members of the National Philatelic Society).   Places are limited and the deadline for applications is Friday 1 October 2010.
   

Giving a Display to your local club -

                  - An Afternoon Philatelic Seminar on  Thursday 21st January 2010

Too many collectors can be timid when showing off some of their treasures to an audience, and even fight shy of presenting a display to their local club. Often the excuses are “ No one will be interested in what I collect” and “I cannot stand up and speak in front of my club”. However, if you enjoy your collection why should not others enjoy it too? There is much good material which is hardly ever seen, and the enjoyment of it is worth sharing.  

The National is running a seminar in late January which will address these issues and more. The seminar is to be presented by husband and wife team Susan and Chris Oliver. 

Susan Oliver has given displays to Societies all over the British Isles and has been active in the world of Stamps and Postal History for some time. Her husband Christopher is, currently, President of the National Philatelic Society and also takes an active role in the hobby. 

They will try to offer encouragement to collectors who would like to learn how to present their display, by giving some tips and advice which will, hopefully, instil confidence and reassurance where needed. There will be time for discussion and questions. 

The venue is the Phoenix Centre, Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DL, the time will be Thursday, 21^st January 2010, starting at 2pm.  This event has been organised through the British Postal Museum and Archive in the adjoining Phoenix Centre, where Royal Mail are kindly providing a meeting room.

The National Philatelic Society Library will be open to all attendees from 11am and until 6.30 pm on the day of the Seminar.

 There will be a charge of £5 (£3 for members of the National Philatelic Society). Places are limited and the deadline for applications is Thursday 14^th January 2010. 

November 2009

Annual Competitions, December 2009 

Although fewer in number than usual this year's entries were all of good quality and meriting of awards.

The winner of the Traditional Philately class was Dave Alford  with "The use, re-use and abuse of the Fiji 1871 CR plates" 

Spanish Guinea Censored Mail won Rodney Knight first place in the Postal History Class, whilst Peter Wood took first place in the Social/Open Philately Class with Irish Exhibitions 1853-1907. 

This year’s judges were Eddie Weeks and Greg Todd.

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New this year was the Photocopied Entries class  which were judged by the members present in the audience, and the winner was a traditional entry "Cilicia" by Terry Harrison..

New Editor for “STAMP LOVER”

The council of the National Philatelic Society has appointed Michael L. Goodman as the new editor of its bi-monthly magazine The Stamp Lover. The appointment to the honorary post became effective in January, in time to see the February edition to press, and Mr. Goodman also joins the National’s Council. 

Michael L. Goodman, 61, has been a member of the National for more than 20 years and   attends its monthly Saturday meetings regularly. In recent years he has reviewed and reported for the Stamp Lover the diverse displays which take place at these meetings. His main collecting interests are USA and Great Britain from early to modern and he is a packet secretary of the American Stamp Club of Great Britain. He is also hon. secretary of Twickenham and District, his local philatelic society, which this year celebrates its 60^th birthday.

 Mr. Goodman is a journalist by profession, working freelance as a writer on personal finance and business matters. His work appears regularly in The Weekly Telegraph, the overseas edition of the Daily Telegraph, and in Estate Agency News, the trade paper for residential estate agents. 

He said,” I am honoured to be following in the footsteps of our distinguished former editors and in particular that great philatelic writer Fred Melville, who founded Stamp Lover a century ago and whose articles on philately are written in a style that is still easy to read despite the passage of time. I also wish to thank the former editor David Alford and his team who successfully re-launched a re-designed magazine last year. With the London 2010 Festival of Stamps coming up, it’s going to be an exciting and busy time for the National and for the Stamp Lover.”

                                                                                                                                                                                 January 2009

"The National Philatelic Society Library  and How to use it to best advantage"

                  - An Afternoon Philatelic Seminar on  Thursday 20th August 2009

The National Philatelic Society will be holding an afternoon seminar on Thursday, 20^th August 2009, when Michael Bramwell, Hon Librarian and Peter Mellor, Hon Secretary of the Society will describe some of the contents of the Library and how these can be accessed at the Library or from the comfort of one’s home. The meeting will then be opened for further discussion

Both Peter and Mike will be well known to those to those who attend the B.P.M.A. Search Room and the Society’s meetings on a regular basis.  This is an opportunity to learn more on how to use the Library Website and order books from the information displayed.

The venue is the Phoenix Centre, Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DL, commencing at 2pm.  This event has been organised through the British Postal Museum and Archive in the adjoining Phoenix Centre, where Royal Mail are kindly providing a meeting room.

The National Philatelic Society Library will be open to all attendees from 11am (Please note that whilst it was previously stated that after the Seminar the Library would be open until 6.45 pm, we regret that this evening opening will not now be possible due to circumstances outside our control). 

There will be a charge of £3 (Free for members of the National Philatelic Society). Places are limited and the deadline for applications is Saturday, 15^th August 2008. 

June 2009

A Day-long Seminar on Computers and Philately  – Saturday 7 March 2009 
(Please note the change of date - This seminar was originally scheduled for 28 February)

A ‘hands-on’ guide to using your computer to enhance your philatelic collection, this seminar will be held at 
20/21, Arcadia Avenue, London N3 2JU  (Near Finchley Central Underground Station) 
commencing at 10.30 hrs. and finishing at about 16.00 hrs.

Computers have become an essential tool in research and writing up collections. The seminar is aimed at improving skills in these areas, and will be based on Microsoft Word for Windows, use of the Internet, and simple graphics. It is not intended for absolute beginners, but for those who have some knowledge and who wish to expand it. 

Chris King will lead this tutorial seminar, which is limited to twelve places on a first come-first served basis.  He would like to know of specific things which you would wish included in this seminar and will be sending a short questionnaire, prior to the meeting, to all those who intending to take part. Chris is a philatelist who is a member of a number of philatelic societies, including the National, both in this country and overseas. He organised the database for A.B.P.S. Croydon 2007 and A.B.P.S. Harrogate 2008 and will be organising this for London 2010, to ensure that both competition entrants and judges have the best possible electronic back-up at these shows. 

Please note the venue and that there is a limitation of 12 on the number of attendees.

Annual Competitions, December 2008 

In terms of quality as well as quality, the 2008 annual competition was one of the best in recent years. There were 16 entries altogether and every class attracted more than one entry.

The winner of the Traditional Philately class was Michael R Thompson, with The Crown Colony of Ceylon. In Joint Second Places were John Davis with Canada - The War Tax Stamps and Terry Harrison with St. Vincent - The Perkins Bacon Printings..  

The History of Archery won Michael R Thompson first place in the Thematic class, with David Hunter taking second place with Women of Achievement.

Ron Rakusen took first place in the Social/Open Philately Class with Detained in Hong Kong while Michael R Thompson came second with his entry Lundy - North Devon.

This year there were three entries in the In the Aerophilatelic Class, with first place going to David Alford for Fiji - External Airmail and second to Michael R Thompson for Airmails of Chile.

Rolvenden - Kent gave Michael R Thompson first place in In the Postal History Class, with second place going to David potter for his entry, Jubilee of the Uniform Penny Post at the Guildhall.

This year’s judges were Christine Earle and Sheila Foster, here seen taking a well earned rest

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One Frame Exhibiting - Afternoon Philatelic Seminars on  Thursday 4 December 2008 
and Thursday 15th January 2009 
being held jointly by the National Philatelic Society and the Association of British Philatelic Societies (ABPS) 
at the
 The Royal Philatelic Society London, 41,Devonshire Place, London W1G 6J
commencing at 2pm

One-frame displays are a relatively recent development in organised philately. Until recently this was an Experimental class in which all disciplines of philately were assessed by a separate panel of judges. This year, it was agreed by F.I.P. that one-frame exhibits would be assessed by judges from their respective classes. The ABPS competitions, which are being held at Autumn Stampex 16 to 19 September 2009, will include one-frame competitions. 

The seminar will be led by Dr. Alan Huggins R.D.P., Hon. F.R.P.S.L. Alan is a very experienced national & F.I.P. International juror and, thus, is able to speak with knowledge on the subject. He will be discussing the principles of creating the exhibit in this class and judging criteria that are applied. Come along to see how this new class is organised and discuss the merits. It would be advantageous if attendees could bring a 16 page, one-frame display with them.   

There will be a charge of £5 (£3 for members of the National Philatelic Society).

"Fascinated by Forgeries"

                  - An Afternoon Philatelic Seminar on  Thursday 28th August 2008

Philatelic forgeries often more valuable than some of their genuine counterparts, judging by auction results. The National Philatelic Society, which holds its own forgery collection, is devoting a seminar to the subject when John Shaw, FRPSL will describe some of the modern ways in which forgeries can be detected and discuss material produced by some renowned forgers before opening the meeting to further discussion.  

John is notable philatelist in the many specialist societies to which he belongs, at societies in his neighbourhood, and as member of the notable expertising committee at the Royal Philatelic Society London. This is an opportunity to learn more about forgeries and some of the philatelic items of which you should be wary. 

The venue is the Phoenix Centre, Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DL, on Thursday, 28^th August 2008, commencing at 2pm.  This event has been organised through the British Postal Museum and Archive in the adjoining Phoenix Centre, where Royal Mail are kindly providing a meeting room.

The National Philatelic Society Library will be open to all attendees from 11am and until 6.30 pm on the day of the Seminar. 

There will be a charge of £5 (£3 for members of the National Philatelic Society). Places are limited and the deadline for applications is Saturday, 23^rd August 2008. 

PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF DATE - This seminar was originally advertised on the National Philatelic Society Programme for 2007-08 as taking place in May 2008. 

March 2008

“STAMP LOVER” Celebrates 100 years of enthusiasm

“The keynote of the STAMP LOVER will be enthusiasm” wrote Fred Melville founder of the Junior Philatelic Society in the very first edition of the journal in June 1908.  A century later, the Junior’s successor, the National Philatelic Society, celebrates the centenary of the Stamp Lover with a bumper edition. 

The special 100-page issue features a re-design, with full colour illustrations and articles which reflect the diversity of philatelic interests and which also review the development of philately during the past century.

The issue is prefaced with an extract from the very first issue, including the editorial where Fred Melville expresses his views about enthusiasm for stamps, stamp collecting and the Junior Philatelic Society. That enthusiasm has been reflected ever since in the pages of subsequent issues of the Stamp Lover. 

Articles by expert contributors not only mark the Centenary but also inform and educate on philatelic issues today. As will be seen below, subjects include research, social philately, aerophilately, Machins, thematics, postal stationery and computers in philately. There is also a look back to 1908 and the issues current then, as well as a philatelic history of the 1908 Franco-British Exhibition.   

Click here For full details of the contents of this special issue.

Accordingly, the British Philatelic Trust, has provided financial support for which we are grateful, to enable local philatelic societies in the UK to receive copies. This will allow their members to benefit from the research provided by our contributors.   

Copies of the Centenary issue may also be obtained from the Hon Secretary at National PS, 10 Gilpin Green, Harpenden AL5 5NR, for £4 each - UK only) including postage. Cheques should be payable to National Philatelic Society.

National Philatelic Society Meeting at Harrogate - Friday 2 May 2008

The National is reviving the practice of holding occasional meetings outside London and is to hold the first of these on Friday, 2nd May 2008, as part of the ABPS 2008 National Philatelic Exhibition, which is being at the Harrogate International Centre. 

The meeting is being held in the King’s Suite (to the right of the entrance to Exhibition Hall 'Q') and will be open to members and non-members alike. It will be in two parts, with an informal morning session commencing at 11 am when members of the National Philatelic Society are being asked to bring pages for short displays in what will be an opportunity for members from across the country to meet and discuss their common interests and to meet new friends' 

For more details contact the Society at nps@ukphilately.org.uk or for further information on the two-day exhibition and how to get their click on HARROGATE 2008 

How to research Philately 

                  - An Afternoon Philatelic Seminar on  Thursday 17th January 2008

Research is essential for writing up a collection and for competing, especially in classes such as thematic or social philately. It might also unearth hidden gems among otherwise common stamps or postal history or to avoid those embarrassing moments that occasionally occur at philatelic society meetings. 

The National Philatelic Society will be devoting an afternoon seminar to the subject at the Phoenix Centre, Phoenix Place, London (next door to Freeling House), on Thursday 17 January 2008. The seminar will start promptly at 14.00hrs and finish by 16.30hrs.

The seminar will be led by David Beech, FRPSL who will be discussing methods, sources and disciplines for successful and enjoyable philatelic research, in the light of developments such as the Internet. David will be following up the seminar with an article on the subject, in a future issue of Stamp Lover, the magazine of the National Philatelic Society. 

David Beech is the Head of the Philatelic Collections at the British Library and is a past-president of the Royal Philatelic Society London. He is also a trustee of the Stuart Rossiter Trust Fund and a trustee of the Revenue Philately Trust. David is a member of the National Philatelic Society and was a member of its Council 1981 –1996, including a period as vice-president from 1984 – 1996. 

The meeting has been organised through the British Postal Museum & Archive in the Phoenix Centre, where Royal Mail are kindly providing a meeting room.

The National Philatelic Society Library will be open to all attendees from 11am and until 6.30 pm on the day of the Seminar. 

November 2007

Annual Competitions, December 2007 

With a high standard of entries and a wide diversity of interests represented, another successful Competitions Day was held on 8 December 2007.

The winner of the Traditional Philately class was Allan Boyce, with The Development of Italian Definitives. Second was Ron Rakusen with The Hong Kong 1946 Victory Stamps. 

Ron Rakusen came first place in the Postal History class, with a study of the
1945 Hong Kong Octagonal Cancel, with Stuart Henderson taking second place with Czech Concessionary Postage Free Postal Cards 1884-1921.

There were three Thematic entries, the winner being David Alford with “My Name is Cocos”, with second place going to Brian Livingstone for “Use of Royal Portrait Photographs”.

In the Social Philately class, Chris Oliver took first place with his entry on the 1947 Royal Visit to South Africa, the runner up being Michael L Goodman with ”We support the world” (mail from a surgical appliance company in the USA!). The Aerophilatelic entry came from Barbara Priddy with her West African Airmails.

This year’s judges were Christine Earle and Sheila Foster.

A ‘hands-on’ guide to using your computer to enhance your philatelic collection, this seminar will be held at 
20/21, Arcadia Avenue, London N3 2JU, commencing at 10.30 hrs. and finishing at about 16.00 hrs.

Computers have become an essential tool in research and writing up collections. The seminar is aimed at improving skills in these areas, and will be based on Microsoft Word for Windows, use of the Internet, and simple graphics. It is not intended for absolute beginners, but for those who have some knowledge and who wish to expand it. 

Chris King will lead this tutorial seminar, which is limited to twelve places on a first come-first served basis.  He would like to know of specific things which you would wish included in this seminar and will be sending a short questionnaire, prior to the meeting, to all those who intending to take part. Chris is a philatelist who is a member of a number of philatelic societies both in this country and overseas. He is organising the database for ABPS Croydon 2007; ABPS Harrogate 2008 and for London 2010, to ensure that both competition entrants and judges have the best possible electronic back-up at these shows.

Please note the venue and that there is a limitation of 12 on the number of attendees, although to cater for numbers in excess of this we hope to be able to organise a further seminar in 2008.

108th Annual General Meeting of the National Philatelic Society 14th July 2007 
                                        
                                            - A New President and a New Librarian

Held in the Northampton Suite at City University, London on Saturday 14th July, this AGM came at the end at the end of a very eventful twelve months, with the Society moving from Charterhouse Street at the end of March, and now successfully based at the Royal Mail Archives. Two months earlier our President, Richard "Dickie" Pratt had sadly died - on 17th February 2007. A distinguished philatelist, Richard had given wonderful support to the Society for very many years and had been President since 2004. A full tribute appeared in the June 2007 issue of stamp Lover.  

Appointed by the Annual General Meeting, our new President is Christopher Oliver who has been a member of Council since 2004 and has masterminded the National Philatelic Society Philatelic Seminars that our now a regular feature of our annual programme. 

The AGM also saw the election of Mike Bramwell as our Hon. Librarian in place of Glenn Morgan who wishes to spend more time on other matters, after fifteen years in the job, culminating the planning and execution of this year's Library moves. Glenn's work for the Society over this period has been much appreciated and we are fortunate that both he and Peter Wood who also stood down from Council this year, are still very much involved with the Society. The other Officers and Council members are unchanged.

                                                                       _________________________

About our New President  - Chris's collecting interests started at the age of seven, nine years later he  decided to specialise in South Africa. He has been General Secretary of the South African Collectors’ Society since 2003, and in the same year he became and remains Chairman of the Middlesex Philatelic Federation.

Being interested in history, our new President has also developed a fun collection of the stamps of the U.S.A. called “The History of the U.S.A. as seen through its philatelic material". Chris says that "This is neither thematic nor social philately but has elements of each in it. It would be shunned in most organised philatelic circles but is enjoyable to me".  

When not involved with philately or attending historical society, church or planning advisory meetings, Chris uses some of his spare time, weather permitting, on his allotment. 

Accredited Judging Seminar for Thematic, Revenue & Allied Material
(not Traditional or Postal History) – Saturday 16th June 2007 

The National Philatelic Society is holding an An Accredited Judging Seminar, in association with the ABPS on Saturday 17 June 2007 at Room 3C, Northampton Suite, City University, Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB - click here for map. 

If you attend, you will be asked to bring 16 pages of Thematic or allied material, (but not Traditional or Postal History) to competition standard, for subjective criticism. The seminar will be of particular interest to those who attended the first of these accredited judging seminars, which was held on 16^th September 2006. 

One of the problems of judging or competing in thematic, social or allied classes, is what type of material falls into these classes rather than into the traditional or postal history classes. This seminar will help clarify the differences between classes, as well as examine how to judge thematic, social and other material. 

The seminar will be led by John Sussex, FRPSL and Brian Sole, FRPSL, who are both well-known International Philatelic Judges. John organises the judging seminars for the ABPS and has a social philatelic collection on “Malton, a North Yorkshire Market Town”. Brian’s displays include "Cycling" and "How to display and exhibit Thematics "

There will be a charge of £10 (£8 for members of the National Philatelic Society) to cover lunch, refreshments and expenses. Numbers will be limited and places provided on a first come – first served basis, so apply early.
 
April 2007

The Next Step - From Competing Nationally to Competing Internationally 

           - An Afternoon Philatelic Seminar   Wednesday 24th January 2007

Philatelists from the UK figured strongly among winners at Washington 2006 this year. If you want to boost the British presence at similar international events, by competing on an international level, then this seminar will help you make the grade. Entitled “The next step - from competing nationally to competing internationally” the seminar will examine current thinking about presenting, classification and judging as well as helping you progress individually. 

The National Philatelic Society will be holding the seminar at its Charterhouse Street headquarters on the afternoon. Wednesday, 24^th January 2007.  It will be led by the well-known philatelist and international jurist, Francis Kiddle, RDP, FRPSL. 

Francis was one of the leaders of the recent joint National PS/ABPS accredited judging seminar held at Charterhouse Street and will be leading the second part of this seminar, next spring. 

If you wish to discover the way to progress in philatelic competing this is a good way to do it.

The National Philatelic Society Library will be open from 10.30 am on the day to all attendees.

There will be a charge made to cover refreshments and expenses of £3 (£1 for National Philatelic Society members). Places are limited and the deadline for application is 15th January 2007.

The National Philatelic Society is grateful to the British Philatelic Trust for allowing the use their premises for this seminar 

October 2006

Social Philately - A One-Day Seminar   Saturday 17th March 2007

Compared with other competitive classes of philately, social philately is relatively new. How it differs from postal history or thematics and what sort of material to include in a display for this class are among the topics to be covered in a day long seminar planned by the National Philatelic Society for Saturday 17 March 2007. The Seminar will be held at The Rising Sun Inn, Cloth Fair (nr Charterhouse St), London EC1A 7JQ - please note this is a change of venue.

The main speakers are two renowned exhibitors in this field - Pat Grimwood-Taylor   and Birthe King. Pat is well known to visitors to Cavendish Auctions and her displays include ‘Victorian Ladies & Gentlemen’,  ‘On the Home Front’  (based on WWII Home Guard) and the twin exhibits ‘South Australian Postal History’ and ‘South Australia – A Society of Pioneers’ (both International Gold Medal winners in 2005 and 1999 respectively)

Birthe King won gold medals at both Washington and Belgica, during 2006, for her Open Class exhibit entitled  “Denmark: Conscience, Conflict, and Camps 1932 –1949”. Her similar eight-frame exhibit could have been seen at Stampex or at the Danish National Exhibition 2006 where it won a gold medal.  

Apart from the basic concepts of social philately, the topics include how to choose a subject, gather material and organise a collection, and how to select material to display and arrange it for competitions. There is also the opportunity to bring along material for "constructive criticism" by Pat and Birthe.

The cost includes coffee and lunch and is £10 (£8 for National P S members). Places are limited and the deadline for application is 11^th March 2007.

January 2007

Annual Competitions, December 2006 

The last annual Competitions to be held at Charterhouse Street took place on Saturday 9 December, being well attended with a good range of entries, except for the Aerophilately Class for which there were no contestants. 

The winner of the Traditional Philately class was Ron Rakusen, with Hong  Kong Centennial of British Occupation. Second was Charlie Mead with Fiji - Government Printing Office Franks and third Mike Goodman with USA - The Flag Definitives 1995-2005. 

In the Postal History class, John Leathes took first place with U-Boat Operations 1915-1918, second was David Alford with Fiji Postage Rates during the reign of King George V, and third, Jonathan Spooner with Indian Civilian Postcard Rates. 

There two Thematic entries, the winner being  John Henderson with the 1999 Tour de France.

The judges were Brian Asquith FRPSL and Brian Sole. 

 Traditionally, Competitions Day sees the presentation of the Johnson Award for philatelic writing  which was presented to Mike
 Goodman for his article “The Packet Brings a Stamp Shop into Your Home" The award is presented annually to the author the
 most popular article to appear in the magazine during the previous year.  

The presentations were preceded by a well-attended auction and seasonal refreshment.

National Philatelic Society to relocate from 107 Charterhouse Street

At the end of March 2007 the National PS will be leaving its present premises as a result of the planned sale of the building by our landlords. Steps are being taken to secure new space for the Library and the Monthly Meetings and full details will be published early in 2007. 

In the meantime, Saturday Displays and Members Auctions will be held held as advertised in January - March 2007, as will be the Philatelic Seminars arranged for 24th January and 17th March.

However preparations for the move will make it necessary to curtail the availability of the Library and the Office to visitors ahead of the move, given the enormous amount of work needed to log, sort and shift three floors of Library material dating back to the 1860s 

It is unfortunately necessary, therefore, to close the library on Christmas Eve and not to re-open again until April, whilst the opening hours for the Office will be Tuesdays 11 am – 3pm, Thursdays 11am – 4pm, plus National PS Meeting Days on the 2nd Saturday of the month.
 
Every effort will be made for the library to be accessible for both borrowing and returning books that are out on loan during National PS meeting days between January and March, but this will be subject to compliance with Health and Safety regulations. Books may also be returned during weekday National PS office hours, but unfortunately the library will not be open.
 
It is recognised that this will be a disappointment to some members who regularly use the library, but it simply not practical to be open while undertaking the packing.

December 2006

What will happen to my Collection? - A half-day seminar on Wednesday 
15th November 2006         

Many philatelists worry about what will happen to their collection should they die or suffer ill health.  A forthcoming seminar to be held by the National Philatelic Society may provide some answers and set out the options. The seminar is to be held on the afternoon of Wednesday, 15^th November 2006 at the National’s Charterhouse Street headquarters. The seminar will be led by Gerry Pye, a well-known philatelist and representative of one of London’s leading philatelic auction houses.

Gerry Pye has worked for Harmers of London for a number of years where he has had to advise philatelists and their families on ways to dispose of philatelic material. He recently gave a similar seminar to the Kent Philatelic Federation, which was warmly received. 

If you have concerns about the future of your collection or have questions which you may wish to put to Gerry, this is a good opportunity. 

There will be a charge made to cover refreshments and expenses of £3 (£1 for National Philatelic Society members). Places are limited and the deadline for application is 3^rd November 2006. 

The National Philatelic Society is grateful to the British Philatelic Trust for allowing the use their premises for this seminar 

September 2006

Accredited Judging Seminar – Saturday 
16th September 2006

The National Philatelic Society is holding an An Accredited Judging Seminar, in association with the ABPS on Saturday 16 September 2006 at the British Philatelic Centre, 107 Charterhouse Street, London EC1M 6PT. This seminar will cover the Traditional and Postal History Classes and will be lead by John Sussex, FRPSL., starts a little earlier than usual - at 10.15 am 

The cost includes coffee and lunch and is £8 for National P S members, and £10 for others. Places are limited and the deadline for application is 5th September 2006.   
 
The National Philatelic Society is grateful to the British Philatelic Trust for allowing the use their premises for this seminar 

June 2006

107th Annual General Meeting of the National Philatelic Society 8th July 2006.  

PHILATELIC SEMINARS LAUNCHED

The 107th Annual General Meeting was held at the British Philatelic Centre on Saturday 8th July. Key developments in the year had been the successful introduction of philatelic seminars, of which five were held during the Season, some mid-week, others on Saturdays, and the appointment of David Alford as editor of the Society's journal, Stamp Lover.  David succeeds Michael Furnell, who sadly died last November. 

The Library reported another busy year, including the kind and thoughtful from the late 
Bill Parmenter which resulted in a large improvement in our holdings of South American material.

The President, Richard Pratt, was re-appointed, as were the Vice-presidents and the Officers

Postal History Collecting Seminar - Saturday 1st April 2006 

The opportunity to learn more about postal history collecting and displaying from two of the experts in this field is to be offered by the National Philatelic Society. A day-long seminar on this subject is to be held on Saturday 1^st April at its Charterhouse Street headquarters.

The speakers are John Jackson FRSPL, who is Chairman of the Society of Postal Historians and whose displays include the Postal History of the Dutch colonies, and Patrick Frost, whose main forte is the postal history of Great Britain. The topics include how to choose a subject, gather material and organise a collection, and how to select material to display and arrange it for competitions.  

Primarily this is an opportunity to bring along material for "constructive criticism" by John and Patrick. Please therefore remember to bring examples of your collection (16 or 32 pages) to assist in the critique.

The cost includes coffee and lunch and is £8 for National P S members, and £10 for others.  Places are limited and the deadline for application is 17^th March 2006.  

Half Day seminar for Beginners and those wishing to return to Philately

The National PS is holding a half-day day seminar on Wednesday 22 March 2006
 
                             Problems in beginning a Philatelic Collection

The big attraction of stamp collecting is that it need not require lots of money or energy. And it can help you learn about different countries, world events, famous people, species of animals, sports or whatever interests you.

If you are thinking of taking up this hobby for the first time, or returning to your former pastime, the National is holding this seminar to help explain what stamp collecting – philately is all about. 

These days philately is not just about stamps, it can also be about collecting many things relating to the postal system and the delivery of mail.

You will hear about the different types of stamps and other philatelic items you can collect and study and also the different aspects of the hobby. Some of these such as social philately have only developed during the past decade. You will also hear about how to acquire material and how to store safely your stamps and covers. You will also hear about local and national philatelic societies, which bring like-minded collectors together.

The seminar will commence at 13.45 but the National Philatelic Society Library will be open to attendees from 10.30 on the day.

The cost to cover refreshments and expenses is £3 (£2 for National Philatelic Society members). 
 
The National Philatelic Society is grateful to The British Philatelic Trust for the use their premises for these seminars.

December 2005

John Leathes (left) and Ron Rakusen (right) having received their trophies from Richard Pratt, President, National PS being present

The National held its annual 16 sheet competition on December 10 which attracted 16 entries, a welcome increase on the previous year

The winner of the Traditional Philately class was first time entrant Ron Rakusen, with a study of the Hong  Kong 1891 Jubilee overprints. Second was John Davis with Jamaica War Stamps and their uses, third John Leathes with the Spanish republic submarine mail issue. 

In the Postal History class, John Leathes emerged winner with "The Italian Connection" in the Mediterranean, second was Michael L. Goodman with U.S. underpaid international mail 1870's to 1900's and third, Rodney Knight with Rio Muni 1960-1968.

There was only one thematic entry, from John Leathes, with "Some spots in Africa" a study of African cats , which was awarded to  John Leathes and there were no entries in the Aero Philatelic class.

The judges were Brian Sole and Brian Asquith, FRPSL..

 Traditionally, Competitions Day sees the presentation of the annual Johnson Award for philatelic writing. On this  occasion the award has been given posthumously to the late Michael Furnell, former editor of Stamp Lover who  sadly died in November 2005.

The Conservation and/or Restoration of your Collection 
                                        - A Half-day Seminar on Wednesday 23 November 2005 

The opportunity to keep up to date with current thinking and discuss controversial aspects of the keeping of philatelic material will be given at this Seminar being held by the National Philatelic Society at the British Philatelic Centre, 
107 Charterhouse street, London EC1M 6PT on Wednesday 23rd November.

The speakers are David Beech FRPSL who is Head of the Philatelic Collections at the British Library and Professor John C West CBE, RDP, FRPSL who signed the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 2000 and was, until last year, its ex-officio keeper.

The afternoon seminar will commence at 13.45 but the National Philatelic Society Library will be open to attendees from 10.30 on the day.

The cost to cover refreshments and expenses is £2 for National Philatelic Society members, and £4 for others. Places are limited and the deadline for application is 8th November 2005    

 SORRY BUT THIS SEMINAR IS NOW FULLY BOOKED

The National Philatelic Society is grateful to The British Philatelic Trust for the use their premises for this seminar

August 2005

Judging Seminar for both Competitors and Judges – Saturday 15 October 2005 

A National Philatelic Society seminar on Saturday October 15 aims to  assist competitors and provide an opportunity for local and federation judges to brush up their skills. The National will be holding this daylong seminar at the offices of Grosvenor Philatelic Auctioneers, 399-401 Strand, Third Floor, London WC2R 0LT. The seminar will be led by Alan J Griffiths, FRPSL, FBSAP, a national and international accredited judge and recent recipient of the ABPS Congress Medal. 

His own collecting interests of Queensland; Prince Edward Island and Transatlantic Postal History are developed and exhibited to a high standard, winning the Silver Mail coach at national level and the Harmer’s Diamond Jubilee Trophy - the Prix d’Honneur at international level at Stampex. 

Alan also finds time to help with the training of apprentice judges and has been Hon. Secretary of the British Association of Australian Philately since 1993 and on the Council and several committees of The Royal Philatelic Society of London.

The cost includes coffee and lunch and is £8 for National P S members, and £10 for others. Places are limited and the deadline for application is 1st October 2005. 

August 2005  

Thematic Collecting Seminar – Saturday 20 August 2005  

The opportunity to learn about thematic collecting and displays from two of the renowned experts in this field is being held by the National Philatelic Society.

A day-long Thematics Seminar is being held on Saturday 20 August at its Charterhouse Street headquarters.

The main speakers are Brian Sole FRPSL, whose displays include "Cycling" and "How to display and exhibit Thematics" and Sheila Foster, who presents "Roses".  The topics include how to choose a subject, gather material and organise a collection, and how to select material to display and arrange it for competitions. There is also the opportunity to bring along material for "constructive criticism" by Brian and Sheila.

The cost includes coffee and lunch and is £8 for National Philatelic Society members, and £10 for others. Places are limited and the deadline for application is August 5.  

June 2005

106th Annual General Meeting of the National Philatelic Society 9th July 2005 

SOLID ACHIEVEMENTS

Chairing the Annual General meeting in the absence of the President, Richard Pratt, due to illness, Vice-president Dane Garrod advised the well attended meeting of a past year marked by some setbacks on the one hand, and solid achievements on the other. The former included the loss of our Packet Secretary, Brian Sylvester who sadly died in January 2005 and the fact that despite an encouraging start, many of last season's evening Meetings had unfortunately not attracted enough members to justify their continuation in 2005/06. 

Against this, the Postal History Packet had been launched successfully, the steps taken to develop the Postal History in 2004 were progressing and the new Seminars are being introduced, with four now arranged to take place between August 2004 and April 2006. With the Literature Sales also now well-established, the Society now has more than ever to offer members, wherever they live.

The President, Richard Pratt, was re-appointed, as were the Vice-presidents and the Officers.

As is now customary, the AGM was followed by the usual monthly Auction and then Members Displays. The latter proved particularly successful with a wide -range of interesting material on offer.

July 2005

Keen Interest in New Postal History Circuit 

The new postal history circuit of the National Philatelic Society's exchange packet has already attracted interest from 60 members although it was only launched in December last year, according to Rod Thompson, Postal History Packet Secretary. He said, " We have already sold material, and so far postal history from Great Britain has been the most popular."

The circuit sets a minimum price of £2 per item, although sets of covers can be included in the price. For reasons of security, and cost of postage, only photocopies are sent to members of the circuit on approval. If a member wishes to buy, then they send in their payment and then receive the original. Members wishing to sell send the secretary their material and which is then photocopied for circulation at the National PS.

The circuit is divided into three sections, Great Britain, General Foreign and Commonwealth.
and is an addition to the Society's stamp circuits and its monthly auction sales.

Collectors wishing to join the postal history circuit either as buyers or vendors, please contact the National PS or visit the Society’s website for membership application forms and an information pack.

January 2005