Collecting the British Machins

Collecting the British Machins, an APS continuing education “On the Road Course,” will be held March 14–15, 2012 prior to the St. Louis Stamp Expo in St. Louis, Missouri. The course will focus on the various characteristics that collectors must consider in order to appreciate all the varieties of these definitive stamps. Topics to be covered include colors, face values, numerals, papers, gums, phosphor band variations, perforations, regional issues, methods of printing, booklets, se-tenant combinations, and postal history. The workshop will include both a PowerPoint presentation illustrating key points and hands-on experience. There will be something of interest for beginner, intermediate, and advanced collectors.

Initially attracted to the many bright colors of individual stamps in the series, course instructor David Alderfer began collecting Machins in 1983. For the past 25 years, he has kept up with the many technological changes that have affected the issuance and production of the current definitive series of Great Britain and reports on them for Linn’s Stamp News. He currently lives in the Chicago area with his wife, Kay, and is a retired pastor of the Lutheran church.

The course will be held at the St. Louis Renaissance Hotel, St. Louis, Missouri. The cost is $195 for APS members; $295 for nonmembers. Please register by clicking here.

Feedback from former students include:
“Outstanding two days. Thank you.” Peter Butler
“Excellent mix of lecture and class participation.” Jim Pullin
“Very knowledgeable. Well worth repeating this course.” Ron Robertson
“Wonderful experience.” Richard Drought

Accommodations
St. Louis Stamp Expo 2012 is being held at the St. Louis Renaissance Hotel; 314-429-1100 Toll Free 1-800-HOTELS-1 or 800-468-3571. The stamp show rate is $89 per night. Saint Louis is served by a number of major highways. Among these are Interstates 64, 70, 55, and 270. Also within the area are parts of Historic Routes 66, 67, 40, and others. The Renaissance St. Louis Hotel is located at 9801 Natural Bridge Road. Lambert International Airport is located literally 100 yards from the show venue. Free parking is available for students of this course at the hotel. Following the course, the St. Louis Stamp Expo will be held March 16–18, 2012. For more show information see www.stlouisstampexpo.org/aboutexpo.htm.

This Machins course is one of twelve “On the Road Courses” offered by the APS Education Department during 2012. A complete list of APS educational course is available on the APS website. For further course information, contact Gretchen Moody, APS Director of Education at 814-933-3810.

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