Nation's Largest Postage Stamp Show
Visits Richmond, Virginia

APS STAMPSHOW, the nation's largest annual event for postage stamp collectors, will take place at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, 403 North Third Street, Richmond, Virginia, from Thursday, August 12 through Sunday, August 15, 2010. Hours for the show are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free.

More than 5,000 people from throughout the United States and abroad are expected to attend the show, which will have something for everyone: collectors, dealers, and the general public who may simply want to learn the value of stamps, meet a stamp designer, or get an "up close" view of rare and valuable stamps.

Nearly 140 dealers from throughout the United States and abroad will have booths at the show, buying and selling stamps and covers ranging from "penny box" material to world-class rarities priced in the tens of thousands of dollars. Auction sessions Friday, Saturday, and Sunday should realize more than $1 million. For the bargain hunter, there will be twelve special booths where all items sell for $1.00 or less, including two where stamps will sell for 10 cents. Attendees will also be able to pick through thousands of stamps, filling a bucket for only $1 for youth under the age of 16 (and $5 for others).

Show attendees will have an opportunity to view the most famous U.S. stamp, the "Jenny Invert," as well as the discovery pane of the 1962 Dag Hammarskjold 4 cent invert. The 4 cent Pony Express Centenary Certified Plate Proof will be shown, courtesy of the Smithsonian National Postal Museum.

Both collectors and non-collectors will enjoy the opportunity to see the Hoyer & Ludwig Lithographic Press, used to print Confederate money and postage stamps.

The United States and the Marshall Islands will issue new postage stamps during special ceremonies on Thursday, August 12. The Marshall Islands stamp featuring Carousel Horses will be issued in a special ceremony at 10:30 a.m. At noon, a Winslow Homer stamp, in the Treasures of America series, will be released by the U.S. Postal Service. First day cancels will be available for each of these issues. A free ceremony program or cover will be provided to attendees at each of the first day ceremonies and ceremony dignitaries will be available to provide autographs.

For individuals desiring to use the new stamps, an envelope, with special artwork by world-renowned stamp designer Chris Calle, will be available for sale. A stamp designer for several countries, Calle is credited with more than 200 worldwide postage stamps, including at least 25 for the United States. Calle will also be at the show to autograph covers. A number of other artists will be present with their original work at the cachetmaker's bourse on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

A free pin will be available to any American Philatelic Society member who presents their membership card at the APS booth.

A number of meetings and seminars will be held at the show, providing attendees an outstanding opportunity to enrich their knowledge of stamp collecting. The Confederate Stamp Alliance will celebrate its 75th Anniversary with educational seminars and several activities. "An Inside Perspective," with John Hotchner and Janet Klug, members of the Citizen's Stamp Advisory Committee, will provide insights into the selection of United States stamp subjects and designs. Docents will lead tours of more than 14,000 pages of exhibits in competition for a wide variety of awards, including the title of Champion of Champions – the highest award available to a philatelic exhibit in the United States.

Thursday evening's events include the Tiffany Dinner with third-generation collector and 24-year APS member, Karl Rove. The former Presidential Deputy Chief of Staff will share his lifelong collecting of Patriotic and Campaign Covers. Reservations are required for this event and can be made by calling 814-933-3803 or online.

Individuals interested in learning more about the basics of stamp collecting can attend "Stamp Collecting 101." This specially designed course for adult beginners introduces collectors to the tools of philately, the resources available, and the techniques involved in handling, preserving and storing a collection. The session runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, August 14. Preregistration is recommended for this popular course, which costs $15 for APS members or $20 fee for non-members. Students partake in hands-on activities and receive a starter collecting kit. Register online or at the APS booth.

A large area will be set aside throughout the show for young collectors to learn about stamp collecting, compete for prizes, design their own stamps, play electronic stamp games, and pick up new items for their stamp collections. All for free!

The second-year class of Young Philatelic Leaders Fellows will be introduced at the show. The three young leaders will spend time learning about different aspects of philately and the many organizations involved in this great hobby. Each fellow has chosen one of three areas of philatelic specialty: authorship, dealership, or exhibiting.

The always popular "Stamps in your Attic" booth will be available each day of the show, to assist individuals with identification and evaluation of philatelic items. Bring in an inherited collection or those mysterious philatelic items to share with APS experts.

APS StampShow is sponsored by the American Philatelic Society, the American Stamp Dealers Association, and the United States Postal Service, in cooperation with the Smithsonian National Postal Museum and National Stamp Dealers Association. Full details on the show including a list of the participating dealers, affiliates and societies, the schedule of meetings and seminars, and the exhibits are available by calling 814-933-3803 extension 217 or by writing the American Philatelic Society at 100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte, PA 16823.

The Society caters to all levels of collectors with an award-winning 100-page monthly magazine, certification of stamps, opportunities to buy and sell stamps, the world's largest public philatelic library, and educational programming. A presentation on the Society's headquarters will be available for continuous viewing throughout the show and a special membership offer will be available will be available for collectors who decide to join the Society at the show.

Of the Society's more than 500 chapters, sixteen are in Virginia with members of the Greater Richmond Stamp Club spearheading the local support of the show.

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