# Chapter 14 Philatelic societies

This chapter was last modified on 21 November, 1997.

Please send all bug reports, additions etc. to the Editor, Kaleb S. KEITHLEY. Make certain RCSFAQ appears in the subject.

## Section 14.1 General

HOW CAN I FIND INFORMATION ON NEARBY STAMP CLUBS?

The 1994-95 APS Handbook contains the name of every stamp club registered with the American Philatelic Society, including address, contact person, and meeting schedule. If you do not have a copy, send an e-mail message to to obtain this information. [Additional information is needed here for identifying stamp clubs in other countries.]

HOW CAN I FIND INFORMATION ON NEARBY STAMP DEALERS?

For the United States, this information is listed in the 1994-95 APS Handbook. If you do not have a copy, follow the directions in the previous question. [Additional information is needed here for identifying dealers in other countries.]

### Section 14.1.1 American Philatelic Society (APS)

    (10/27/94)

    Offers  `Special'  Memberships:  Take  Advantage  of  Family

            Discounts, Life Memberships, Dealer Listings

                 No matter what a person's age or stamp collecting interest,
            he or she may join the American Philatelic Society. Membership
            applications are printed periodically on the back wrappers of
            The American Philatelist and also are available from the APS,
            P.O. Box 8000, State College, Pennsylvania 16803 U.S.A.
                 Any individual who pays the basic membership fee is a
            regular member, regardless of age. A regular member who is not
            yet 21 years old is assigned a membership number prefixed with
            the letter "J," which is dropped when the member attains legal
            age.

            Memberships Half-Price for Additional Family Members
                 If you are a regular member, your spouse and/or any child
            younger than age 18 who lives with you may join for one-half the
            regular membership fee. Share your hobby and membership with
            your entire family.
                 Family members who are youth or spouse members do not
            receive The American Philatelist. While a separate
            application for each spouse and youth applicant is required,
            additional references are not. Spouse and youth members are
            assigned individual membership numbers, spouses with an S
            prefix and young people with a Y prefix.

            Life Membership
                 You may choose to become a life member of the American
            Philatelic Society at any time after you reach age 21. The life
            membership fee for persons residing in the United States, based
            upon the 1994 annual dues rate, is $440. The life membership fee
            for Canadian members is $500, and that for members who live
            outside the United States and Canada, $560. Applicants for
            regular membership who concurrently apply for life membership
            must add the $3 admission fee to these amounts.
                 If you joined the APS prior to January 1, 1974, and your
            membership number is lower than 74902, you may be eligible for
            life membership at less than the stated fee. Members joining
            before that date are granted APS life membership upon completing
            thirty years of continuous membership AND reaching age 65.
                 You may obtain life membership prior to actually meeting
            those two requirements by paying an amount equal to the total
            dues (at current rates) for the number of years remaining before
            you would actually fulfill BOTH requirements. The APS
            Administrative staff will calculate the exact sum for you upon
            request. Please include your date of birth with your request.

            Foreign Membership
                 The APS has members in more than 100 countries. If you
            correspond with collectors outside the United States, why not
            sponsor them for membership?
                 Regular members who maintain addresses not directly serviced
            by the U.S. Postal Service, an APO/FPO, or a Canada Post address
            are required to pay a foreign-member mailing surcharge of $6 per
            year. APS members in Canada pay a mailing surcharge of $3. The
            Canadian and foreign surcharges are not applicable to spouse and
            youth members, who do not receive The American Philatelist.

            Membership Gifts and Referrals -- Recruiting Aids

            Gifts
                 To give a gift membership in the American Philatelic
            Society, all you need to do is to send the name and address of
            the recipient of your gift to the APS, P.0. Box 8000, State
            College, Pennsylvania 16803. An application for membership and a
            card announcing your gift will be sent to the recipient, along
            with a current issue of The American Philatelist. We will
            invoice you for the prorated membership fee for the balance of
            the current year. Membership will be processed as soon as the
            recipient completes and returns the membership application. If
            requested, we also can arrange to have your recipient's renewal
            notices sent to you so that you can renew your gift membership
            each year.

            Referrals
                 If you simply want to recommend an individual for
            membership, just send his or her name and address to the APS,
            indicating that you wish to recommend that person for membership.
            An invitation to join the Society will be sent to each such
            prospect, with your name listed as proposer.
                 If you are credited with recruiting five new members during
            the same calendar year, you will receive a year's free dues or
            the equivalent credit, which may be used to purchase APS services
            and specialty items.

            Recruiting Kits
                 A special recruiting kit containing service forms, a poster,
            and other supplies is available to members willing to promote the
            American Philatelic Society. An instruction booklet with tips to
            assist you in using the kit at a stamp show or other event is
            included in the kit.
                 A copy of the current APS Handbook also is included in
            each kit to assist you in answering questions about the
            Society. For further information, contact Frank Sente, director
            of administration, P.O. Box 8000, State College, Pennsylvania
            16803.

            Enclose APS Reply Cards with All of Your Mailings
                 Special postage-free business reply cards are available for
            inclusion in club bulletins, promotional solicitations, house
            organs, auction catalogues, price lists, and so forth.
                 Recipients may return these cards to the APS to obtain
            membership information. The referrer's name is noted at that time
            and is listed as proposer on the application sent to the person
            making the inquiry.
                 Sponsors receive one year's regular dues free, or the
            equivalent credit, for every five members recruited during the
            same calendar year. The promotional cards are available free and
            are one of the easiest ways to obtain new member credits -- and
            the APS does all the paperwork!

            Dealer Display Stand
                 Retail dealers may publicize their membership in the APS at
            the same time they are earning recruiting credits. The APS has
            available a distinctive plastic countertop or wall-mount display
            stand that holds a supply of business reply cards.
                 The stand serves as a recruiting aid for the Society, while
            advertising that the dealer is a member and supporter of the
            largest stamp organization in the United States. The stand and a
            supply of business reply cards are available from the APS at no
            charge to any member who agrees to display them prominently.

            Professional Dealer Listing -- a Special, Free Service
                 If you maintain APS membership and are a full-time or part-
            time dealer older than 21 years of age and otherwise meet the
            requirements, you may be listed in the APS membership records as
            a professional stamp dealer. Dealer listings are provided at no
            charge, to identify professional members as a service to the
            membership.
                 Applications for full-time or part-time dealer listings are
            available from APS Headquarters. Dealer members of the Society
            receive periodic mailings of interest to professionals and are
            listed in the APS Dealer Member Directory.
                 APS membership application forms are printed periodically on
            the back wrappers of The American Philatelist and also are
            available from the APS, P.O. Box 8000, State College,
            Pennsylvania 16803, telephone 814-237-3803.

### Section 14.1.2 The American Philatelic Research Library (APRL)

SEE Chapter 19

### Section 14.1.3 The American Philatelic Congress

Founded 1934. Publishes research papers and a 'Congress Book'. Has an award program, o.a. the Colby memorial award for the best philatelic article (awarded once every 18 months). For information: Russell~V.~Skaravil, 222 E.~Torrence Road, Columbus, OH 43214.

No information from STAMPS list members available.

### Section 14.1.4 The Junior Philatelists of America

The JPA is a non-profit organization devoted to promoting stamp collecting amoung young people. Issues a bimonthly magazine, The Philatelic Observer. Membership is open to anyone under 18. Menbership fees are $9 for one year or $16 for two years. Family memberships $14/26.

JPA, Box 850-e, Boalsburg, PA 16827--0850, USA.

No information from STAMPS list members available.

### Section 14.1.5 Methodist Philatelic Society

No information available.

### Section 14.1.6 The American First Day Cover Society

Annual dues are $20 (US), $28 (foreign).

Address: P.O. Box 65960, Tucson AZ 85728

E-mail: `<AFDCS@aol.com>`

Journal: First Days published 8-times per year. 88-96 pages per journal.

### Section 14.1.7 The American Topical Association (ATA)

Magazine Topical Time, 6 issues/yr, approx. 100pages

Membership: $20,-- (Foreign $25)

They offer (extracted from their brochure):

- -
Membership directory --- lists members and collecting interests
- -
Translation service --- for over 30 languages Armenian, Bulgarian, Catalan, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Latin, Norwegian, Portugese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Tagalog, Thai and Ukrainian
- -
Handbooks --- 90 reference books on popular topics
- -
Checklist service --- for smaller topics not covered in handbooks
- -
Catalog number conversion service
- -
Awards --- medals and certificates for stamp shows
- -
Information board --- a panel of specialists to answer your questions for the cost of return postage
- -
Sales service
- -
Slide programs --- on 50 popular topics
- -
and more ldots

Address: ATA, P.O.~Box 65749, Tucson, AZ 85728, USA

E-mail: `<ATAoffice@aol.com>`

## Section 14.2 Societies specializing in one Country

### Section 14.2.1 Great Britain

Greame Sherman(Great Britain Philatelic Society)

### Section 14.2.2 Thailand

Thailand Philatelic Soociety Issues a journal, The Thai Times, three numbers annually Membership details can be obtained fron the Hon. Secretary/Treasurer, G.E. Farrier, 260 Bannerdale Road, Sheffield S11 9FE England

### Section 14.2.3 India

    India Study Circle
    Contact: Mrs. Joyce Brand
             20 Frogmore Close
             Hughhenden Valley, High Wycombe
             Bucks, HP14 4LN
             U.K

    or       Dr. John Warren
             P.O. Box 70775
             Washington, D.C. 20024

    Membership fees for US residents is $24.00 per year.  The study circle
    publishes the INDIA POST dealing with philatelic topics related to India.
    Also holds regular meetings in London, and conducts auctions of materials
    related to India and India states.

## Section 14.3 Specialised societies

### Section 14.3.1 American Revenue Association (ARA)

Address: ARA, c/o Bruce Miller, secretary, 701 S.~First Ave., Arcadia, CA 91006

In earlier years, bank drafts etc. were imprinted with revenue stamps. You may also contact the American Society of Check Collectors, c/o~Charles Kemp, Box 71892, Madison Heights, MI 48071, for more information about check collecting in general.

### Section 14.3.2 The Meter Stamp society

Issues a quarterly journal, MSS Quarterly Bulletin. Membership dues: $12 (US), $14 (Canada/Mexico), $16 (all others).

Address: MSS Treasurer Jack Mayer, 1379 Islewood Drive, Anacortes, WA 98221.

### Section 14.3.3 Bureau Issues Association

A national society of collectors specializing in the stamps of the United States. The BIA covers all stamped and revenue paper issued for use in the United States and their possessions. A monthly journal, The U.S. Specialist is one of the benefits of memberships. Annual dues are $20.00. Other publications including the Durland Standard Plate Number Catalog are available to members at a discount. For a list of publications or a sample copy of the journal ($2.00), write:

          Bureau Issues Association
          P.O. Box 23707
          Belleville, IL 62223

### Section 14.3.4 British Caribbean Philatelic Study Group (BCPSG)

The area covered is the former British West Indies, including Bermuda, British Guiana, Guyana, British Honduras and Belize.

Journal: British Caribbean Philatelic Journal (published quarterly) Editor: Michel Forand, Box 20145, Ottawa, Ont, Canada K1N 9P4

Address: BCPSG c/o Thomas E. Giraldi, 2021 Wylie Drive, Modesto, CA 95355.

# Chapter 14