You Can Start a Stamp Club

Through stamp clubs, collectors buy, sell, and trade material, gain knowledge, and enjoy many other philatelic pursuits. A balance of social and philatelic activities makes for pleasant meetings and a flourishing hobby group.

The organization of stamp clubs varies greatly. Successful clubs have strong leadership and maximum participation by the members. Collectors join clubs for various reasons, so the programs and activities of the club should be planned only after the desires of the members are known.

The following tips will help you to form a local stamp club. These guidelines should be adapted to fit your situation

Resources

Sample Forms

Bibliography

All items listed here may be borrowed from the American Philatelic Research Library, 100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte, PA 16823-1367, telephone 814-933-3803, or e-mail [email protected]. (Non-members of the APS/APRL should contact the librarian for details on borrowing these materials.)

Building Better Stamp Clubs, by the American Philatelic Society (State College, Pennsylvania: APS, 1996). Based on a workshop for clubs held in 1996, including practical ideas based on many clubs’ experiences in recruiting, promotion, finances, record keeping, working with youth, running shows, and more.

Linn’s Stamp Club Handbook, by Elaine Durbin Boughner (Sidney, Ohio: Amos Press, 1983). A great guidebook on how clubs should work: getting started, running a show, producing a newsletter, etc.

How to Make Stamp Club Meetings More Interesting: A Guide to Local Activities, by National Federation of Stamp Clubs, H.L. Lindquist, and James W. Shaver, eds. (New York: H.L. Lindquist, 1966). Contains suggestions and specific program ideas proven through use by active clubs.

100 Trivia Quizzes for Stamp Collectors, by Bill Olcheski (State College, PA: American Philatelic Society, 1982); and People on United States Stamps: 100 Trivia Quizzes for Stamp Collectors, by Bill Olcheski (Sidney, OH: Envision Monographs, 1993). A boon for stamp club programs; members can play in teams. Quizzes are graded as to difficulty, and appropriate point values are assigned to the various questions.

Developing a Local Stamp Club Speakers’ Program, by the American Philatelic Society Education Department (State College, PA: APS, 1994). Step-by-step guide to developing a speakers’ program, from finding a speaker to preparing and delivering a talk.

Elementary School Stamp Clubs: Helpful Hints, by Maryann Bowman (Waukesha, WI: Waukesha County Philatelic Soc., 1983). Includes many activities for youth stamp clubs.

Helpful hints to improve stamp club meetings ; Stamp clubs and their relation to stamp collecting / Gomersall, Robert. / National Federation of Stamp Clubs, Inc. -- New York: The National Federation of Stamp Clubs, Inc., c1962. (Book)

Editing stamp club journals / Hentzell, George. -- San Diego, CA: Hentzell Publications, 1980. (Book)

Sight, sound ... and stamps: audio-visual programs for stamp clubs ... for the classroom teacher : an index to philatelic programs / Webster, Howard B. -- Albuquerque, N.M.: New Mexico Philatelic Association, c1972. (Book)

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