Resources for Stamp Collecting

Organizations
Expertisers
Museums, Libraries, and Displays
Teacher Resources
Exchange Service
Periodicals
Literature
Philatelic Centers
Foreign Postal Administrations

American Air Mail Society
Contact: Rudy Roy
PO Box 5367
Virginia Beach, VA 23471-0367
(p) 757/499-5234
[email protected]
www.americanairmailsociety.org
Specializes in all phases of aerophilately. Membership services include Advance Bulletin Service, Auction Service, free want ads, Sales Department, monthly journal, discounts on Society publications, translation service.


American Ceremony Program Society
Contact: John E. Peterson
ACPS Secretary/Treasurer
6987 Coleshill Drive
San Diego, CA 92119-1953
(619) 466-3443
[email protected]
www.stampsceremony.org  
The American Ceremony Program Society is a place to learn about First Day and Supplemental (Second Day or later) stamp ceremonies and ceremony programs. The Society publishes a journal, The Ceremonial, which can be sent to members in a hard copy format at $2.50 per issue. The Society dues are $7 a year.

American First Day Cover Society
Contact: Douglas Kelsey
Executive Director
PO Box 16277
Tucson, AZ 85728-6277
(p) 520/321-0880
[email protected]
www.afdcs.org
A full-service, not-for-profit, noncommercial society devoted exclusively to First Day Covers and First Day Cover collecting. Publishes 80-page magazine, First Days, eight times per year. Offers information on 300 current cachet producers, expertizing, foreign covers, translation service, color slide programs and archives covering First Day Covers.

American First Day Cover Society
Claude C. Ries Chapter #48 
Kathy Clemens, Membership Secretary Treasurer
3976 Olmstead Avenue, Los Angeles, CA  90008-2626
Home (323) 292-5460  Cell (213) 703-7809
[email protected]
www.rieschapterafdcs.com
Contact us by email and go online to see our Ries’ Pieces newsletters.  We area a fun group of talented cachetmakers and collectors whom produce and collect interesting and varied first day and event covers.  We meet six times a year at members’ homes and stamp shows and we help with or participate in many So Cal stamp ceremonies.  We are known as ”The Chapter That Eats” because of our famous potluck gatherings.

American Philatelic Society
Contact: Ken Martin
Department PG
100 Match Factory Place
Bellefonte, PA 16823-1367
(p) 814/933-3803
(f) 814/933-6128
[email protected]
www.stamps.org
America's national stamp society. Membership benefits include various publications, services and more. Sponsors national stamp exhibitions annually in partnership with ASDA and USPS. 40,000+ members worldwide.

American Society for Philatelic Pages and Panels
Contact: Gerald Blankenship
PO Box 475
Crosby, TX 77532-0475
(p) 281/324-2709
[email protected]
http://www.asppp.org/
The only society with a focus on commemorative cancellations (formerly souvenir pages) and commemorative panels. Free ads, member auctions, quarterly publication sent to all members with reports on new issues, varieties, errors, oddities and discoveries. Active web site.

American Stamp Dealers' Association
Contact: Matthew Hansen
3 School St., Suite 205
Glen Cove, NY 11542-2548
(p) 516/759-7000
(f) 516/759-7014
[email protected]
www.asdaonline.com/
Association of dealers engaged in every facet of philately, with 6 regional chapters nationwide. Sponsors national and local shows. Will send you a complete listing of dealers in your area or collecting specialty. A #10 SASE must accompany your request.

American Topical Association
Contact: Vera Felts
Executive Director
PO Box 8
Carterville, IL  62918-0008
(p) 618/985-5100
(f) 618/985-5131
[email protected]
www.americantopicalassn.org
A service organization concentrating on the specialty of topical stamp collecting. Offers handbooks and checklists on specific topics; exhibition awards; Topical Time, a bimonthly publication dealing with topical interest areas; a slide loan service, and information, translation and sales services.

Ebony Society of Philatelic Events and Reflections (ESPER)
Contact: Manuel Gilyard
President
PO Box 1757
Lincolnton Station
New York, NY 10037-1757
(p) 212/928-5165
(f) 212/928-1477
[email protected]
www.esperstamps.org
ESPER is a national stamp society which promotes the collecting of African Americans on stamps and the collecting of stamps by African Americans.

Mailer's Postmark Permit Club
Contact: Charles F. Myers
Central Office
PO Box 3
Portland, TN 37148-0003
(p) 615/325-9478
(f) 615/451-7930
[email protected]
www.mppclub.org
Publishes bimonthly newsletter, Permit Patter, which covers all aspects of mailer's postmark permits. Also available, an 8-page step-by-step brochure "How to obtain a Mailer's Postmark Permit… a basic guide."

Plate Number Coil Collectors Club
Contact: Ronald E. Maifeld
President
PO Box 54622
Cincinnati, OH 45254-0622
[email protected]
www.pnc3.org
The Plate Number Coil Collectors Club (PNC³) is an organization that studies the plate numbers and plate varieties of United States coil stamps issued since 1981. PNC³ publishes a monthly newsletter, Coil Line. The web site includes a membership application and discusses plate number coils and PNC³ at length.

Precancel Stamp Society
[email protected]
www.precancels.com
Devoted to the collection and study of precanceled stamps done by the Bureau of Frinting & Engraving and by local Post Offices across the U.S.

Spring-Ford Philatelic Society
First United Church of Christ
145 Chestnut St.
Spring City, PA  19475-1804
(p) 610/970-5408
[email protected]

Meeting the last Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm.

Stamp Camp USA
117 Court Street, Suite A
Elkland, PA  16920-1447
(814) 258-5601
Fax (814) 258-5601
[email protected]   
www.stampcampusa.org
Teaching children using world-wide stamps.

Post Mark Collectors Club
Robert J. Milligan, Membership Director
7014 Woodland Oaks Drive
Magnolia, TX 77354-4898
www.postmarks.org
A club for those who collect U.S. and foreign postmarks from the moder era, including pictoial cancels. The PMCC Bulletin is published monthly. PMCC has America's only postmark museum that is located in Bellevue, Ohio. It contains over 1.5 million posmarks anpictures of thousands of post ofices. 

Postal History Society
Contact: Kalman V. Illyefalvi
869 Bridgewater Drive
New Oxford, PA 17350-8206
[email protected]
Devoted to the study of various aspects of the development of the mails and local, national and international postal systems; UPU treaties; and means of transporting mail.

The Souvenir Card Collectors Society, Inc.
Contact: Dana M. Marr
PO Box 4155
Tulsa, OK 74159-4155
(p) 918/664-6724
[email protected]
Provides member auctions, a quarterly journal and access to limited-edition souvenir cards.

United Postal Stationery Society
Stuart Leven
Membership Office
1445 Foxworthy Ave. #187
San Jose, CA  954118-1119
[email protected]
www.upss.org
Postal stationary is made up of the Post Office-issued postal cards, envelopes, letter sheets and other postal products having the stamp already printed. The UPSS is the largest society devoted to the collecting and study of the world with members throughout the U.S. and many foreign countries.

United States Stamp Society
Executive Secretary
P.O. Box 6634
Katy, TX 77491-6634
www.usstamps.org
An association of collectors to promote the study of all postage and revenue stamps and stamped paper of the United States and U.S.- administered areas produced by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and other contract printers.

Universal Ship Cancellation Society
Contact: Steve Shay
747 Shard Court
Fremont, CA 94539-7419
[email protected]
www.uscs.org
Specializes in naval ship postmarks and cachets.

U.S. Postal Service
Stamp Services
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room 3300
Washington, DC 20260-3501


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American Philatelic Expertizing Service (APEX)
Contacts: Mercer Bristow
Director of Expertizing
[email protected]

Krystal Harter
Expertizing Coordinator
[email protected]

100 Match Factory Place
Bellefonte, PA 16823-1367
(p) 814/933-3803
(f) 814/933-6128
www.stamps.org
A service of the American Philatelic Society since 1903, APEX utilizes the outstanding reference collections at APS headquarters in conjunction with the nation's best philatelic scholars to pass judgment on the identification, authenticity and condition of stamps from around the world.

Philatelic Foundation
Attention: Chairman
George J. Kramer
70 W. 40th St., 15th floor
New York, NY 10018-2615
(p) 212/221-6555
(f) 212/221-6208
www.philatelicfoundation.org
A nonprofit organization known for its excellent expertization service. The Foundation's broad resources, including extensive reference collections, 5,000-volume library and Expert Committee, provide collectors with comprehensive consumer protection. Book series include expertizing case histories in Opinions, foundation seminar subjects in "textbooks" and specialized U.S. subjects in monographs.

Professional Stamp Experts (PSE)
PO Box 6170
Newport Beach, CA 92658-6170
(p) 877/782-6788
[email protected]
www.psestamp.com
Organization specializing in identification, expertization and grading of U.S. Postage Stamps, Covers, Revenues, etc. PSE issues a Certificate of Authenticity accepted by all auction firms, dealers and collectors. PSE publishes a Guide to the Grading of U.S. Stamps and The Stamp Market Quarterly Price Guide. Either is free upon request.

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Please contact the institutions before visiting to confirm hours and any entry fees.

American Philatelic Research Library
100 Match Factory Place
Bellefonte, PA 16823-1367
(p) 814/933-3803
(f) 814/933-6128
[email protected]
www.stamplibrary.org
The largest philatelic library in the U.S., the APRL receives more than 400 periodical titles and houses extensive collections of philatelic literature.

The Collectors Club
Contact: Irene Bromberg
Executive Secretary
22 E 35th St
New York, NY 10016-3806
(p) 212/683-0559
(f) 212/481-1269
[email protected]
www.collectorsclub.org
Bimonthly journal, publication of various reference works, one of the most extensive reference libraries in the world, reading and study rooms. Regular meetings on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 6:30 p.m., except July and August.

Corporate Library
United States Postal Service
475 L’Enfant Plaza SW
Washington, DC 20260-1540
(p) 202/268-2904
(f) 202/268-4423
Offers a wide collection of past and present postal publications, including the Postal Bulletin, Annual Reports, news and philatelic releases, the Postal Guide and Postal Laws and Regulations.

National Postal Museum
Office of the Director
Smithsonian National Postal Museum
2 Massachusetts Ave. NE
Washington, DC 20013-0570
(p) 202/633-5502
www.si.edu/postal
Located in the Old City Post Office building at 2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, the National Postal Museum houses more than 16 million items for exhibition and study purposes. Collections research may be conducted separately or jointly with library materials. Call the museum and its library (202-633-9370) separately to schedule an appointment.

Postal History Foundation
Contact: Paul A. Nelson
920 N. First Ave.
Tucson, AZ 85719
(p) 520/623-6652
(f) 520/623-3810
www.postalhistoryfoundation.org
The Postal History Foundation, a member of the Union Philatelic Library, is located in Tucson, Arizona. Established in 1960, the Foundation has a world class collection of postal history information and artifacts and is a pioneer in its provision of youth philatelic education programs. It offers museum tours, research library, USPS contract post office, philatelic sales, archives and stamp collections. Hours: Monday – Friday from 8 am - 3 pm and Saturday from 10 am – 2 pm. Admission is free with donations accepted.

Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library
Contact: Ellengail Beuthel
Librarian
2038 S. Pontiac Way
Denver, CO 80224
(p) 303/759-9921
www.rmpldenver.org

San Diego County Philatelic Library
Contact: Al Kish
Library Manager
7403C Princess View Dr.
San Diego, CA 92120-1345
(p) 619/229-8813
Hours: Mon. 1 p.m.-4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m., Tues. 5 p.m.-8 p.m., Wed. 1 p.m.-9 p.m., Thurs. 6 p.m.-9 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Closed Fri. and Sun.

Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History
Edward S. Sternick, Ph.D. Executive Director
235 Wellesley St
Weston, MA 02493-1538
(p) 781/768-8367
(f) 781/768-7332
[email protected]
www.spellman.org
America's first fully accredited museum devoted to the display, collection and preservation of stamps and postal history. Exhibitions feature rarities, U.S. and worldwide collections. Philatelic library and family activity center open with admission. School and scout programs by appointment. Museum store and post office carries gifts, collecting supplies and stamps.

Western Philatelic Library
PO Box 2219
Sunnyvale, CA 94087-2219
(p) 408/733-0336
[email protected]
www.pbbooks.com/wpl.htm (informational site)
www.fwpl.org (Friends of the Western Philatelic Library site)


Wineburgh Philatelic Research Library
Contact: Paul Oelkung.
McDermott Library, The University of Texas at Dallas
PO Box 830643
Mailstation: MC33
Richardson, TX 75083-0643
(p) 972/883-2570
[email protected]
www.utdallas.edu/library/uniquecoll/speccoll/wprl/wprl.htm
Hours: Mon.-Thurs.: 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Fri.: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

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School Days and American Ways Calendar
http://about.usps.com/corporate-social-responsibility/connections.htm
School Days & American Ways is a beautiful, oversized curriculum-connected classroom calendar filled with information and imagery about our country. Monthly calendar pages are designed around selected themes that are illustrated through stamps, and dovetail with primary grade curriculum standards in: political science, people and nations of the world, science, geography and economics.

USPS Classroom Resources
http://about.usps.com/corporate-social-responsibility/education-kits.htm
Several times each year, the Postal Service issues stamps that are particularly relevant and interesting for elementary students. An education kit has been created for each special stamp issue designed to bring their featured people and topics to life for teachers and students.

The American Philatelic Society's "Stamps Teach"
http://stamps.org/Stamps-Teach
The American Philatelic Society, the nation's largest non-profit stamp collecting organization, hosts a web site called "Stamps Teach." The site provides educators with lesson plans, activities, and worksheets that use postage stamps as hands-on learning tools. Educators can use these tools to add some fun and interest to their current curriculum while exposing students to postage stamps.

Stamps: An American Journey
This 13 1/2-minute video was created by The History Channel and the United States Postal Service to tell the surprising story of the journey of stamps from an idea, to art, to the issued stamp. You can view it online at two sites:
National Postal Museum web site or American Philatelic Society web site
(Note: Windows Media Player required to play video.)

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Stamp Master
Contact: Charles Bergeron
PO Box 17
Putnam Hall, FL 32185-0017
[email protected]
An "electronic connection" for philatelists via modem and computer to display/review members' stamp inventories for trading purposes, etc.

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Many of the following publications will send you a free sample copy of their magazine or newspaper upon request.

Global Stamp News
PO Box 97
Sidney, OH 45365-0097
(p) 937/492-3183
[email protected]
America's largest circulation monthly stamp magazine featuring U.S. and foreign issues.

Linn's Stamp News
PO Box 29
Sidney, OH 45365-0029
(p) 937/498-0801
(f) 888/340-8388 (U.S. only)
(f) 937/498-0876 (outside U.S.)
[email protected]
www.linns.com
Linn's Stamp News, the world's largest weekly stamp newspaper, contains breaking news stories of major importance to stamp collectors, features on a variety of stamp collecting topics, the monthly U.S. Stamp Market Index, Stamp Market Tips and much more. A sample copy of the weekly newspaper is available upon request.

Linn's U.S. Stamp Yearbook
PO Box 29
Sidney, OH 45365-0029
(p) 937/498-0802
(f) 800/572-6885 (U.S. only)
(f) 937/498-0807 (outside U.S.)
[email protected]
www.linns.com
A series of books providing facts and annual figures on every collectible variety of U.S. stamps, postal stationery and souvenir cards issued since 1983.

Mekeel's Weekly
Contact: John Dunn
42 Sentry Way
Merrimack, NH 03054-4407
[email protected]
www.StampNewsNow.com
Weekly magazine for collectors of U.S. & worldwide stamps & covers.

U.S. Stamp News
42 Sentry Way
Merrimack, NH 03054-4407
[email protected]
www.StampNewsNow.com
Monthly magazine for all collectors of U.S. stamps, covers and postal history.

Scott Specialized Catalogue of US Stamps and Covers
PO Box 828
Sidney, OH 45365-0828
(p) 937/498-0831
(p) 800/572-6885 (toll-free)
(f) 937/498-0807
[email protected]
www.amosadvantage.com

Scott Specialized Catalogue: Stamps and Covers of the World
PO Box 828
Sidney, OH 45365-0828
(p) 937/498-0831
(p) 800/572-6885 (toll-free)
(f) 937/498-0807
[email protected]
www.amosadvantage.com
Includes U.S. stamps and covers from 1840 to 1940 and issues from the British Commonwealth to 1952.


Scott Stamp Monthly
PO Box 828
Sidney, OH 45365-0828
[email protected]
www.amosadvantage.com
For beginning and advanced collectors of all ages.

Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue
PO Box 828
Sidney, OH 45365-0828
(p) 937/498-0831
(p) 800/572-6885 (toll-free)
(f) 937/498-0807
[email protected]
www.amosadvantage.com

USA Philatelic
Stamp Fulfillment Services
United States Postal Service
8300 NE Underground Dr., Pillar 210
Kansas City, MO 64144-0001
(p) 800/STAMP-24 (toll-free)
USA Philatelic is the only official source for the complete line of current stamp issues from the US Postal Service.

USA Philatelic: Beyond the Perf
Stamp Fulfillment Services
Beyond the Perf brings you behind–the–scenes stories and previews that you can’t find anywhere else about Collectible and Mail–Use stamps, cancellations, and more from the US Postal Service.
www.beyondtheperf.com

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ArtCraft First Day Cover Price List
Washington Press
2 Vreeland Rd.
Florham Park, NJ 07932-1501
(p) 877/966-0001 (toll-free)
[email protected]
www.washpress.com
Includes Presidential Inaugural covers. FREE for #10 SASE.

Brookman's Black Heritage First Day Cachet Cover Catalog (1st Edition)
Arlene Dunn
Brookman/Barrett & Worthen
10 Chestnut Dr.
Bedford, NH 03110-5566
(p) 603/472-5575
(f) 606/472-8795
Illustrated, 176-page, perfect-bound book.

Brookman's Price Guide for Disney Stamps (2nd Edition)
Arlene Dunn
Brookman/Barrett & Worthen
10 Chestnut Dr.
Bedford, NH 03110-5566
Illustrated, 256-page, perfect-bound book.

Brookman's Price Guide of US and Canada Stamps and Postal Collectibles (2008 Edition)
Arlene Dunn
Brookman/Barrett & Worthen
10 Chestnut Dr.
Bedford, NH 03110-5566
[email protected]
Illustrated, 384-page, perfect and spiral-bound catalog.

The Hammarskjold Invert
Washington Press
2 Vreeland Rd.
Florham Park, NJ 07932-1501
Tells the story of the Dag Hammarskjold error/invert. FREE for #10 SASE.

The Inverted Jenny
Washington Press
2 Vreeland Rd
Florham Park, NJ 07932-1501
A dream come true. FREE for #10 SASE.

Operation HUSH — HUSH
Washington Press
2 Vreeland Rd
Florham Park, NJ 07932-1501
How the Project Mercury Stamp was planned and issued. FREE for #10 SASE.

Precancel Stamp Society Catalogs
Dick Laetsch
3 Shady Creek Lane
Scarborough, ME 04074
(p) 207/883-2505
[email protected]
www.precanceledstamps.com
Precancel approvals available.

The U.S. Transportation Coils
Washington Press
2 Vreeland Rd
Florham Park, NJ 07932-1501
How some collectors struck it rich! FREE for #10 SASE.

Stamp Collecting Made Easy
Amos Hobby Publishing Co.
PO Box 828
Sidney, OH 45365-0097
(p) 937/498-0807
(p) 800/572-6885 (toll-free)
(f) 937/498-0807
An illustrated, easy-to-read, 96-page booklet for beginning collectors.

The White Ace Album Format Guide
Washington Press
2 Vreeland Rd
Florham Park, NJ 07932-1501
A listing of stamps required for the 2003 U.S. White Ace Album supplements. FREE for #10 SASE.

Postmark Advisory
Paul Brenner
General Image, Inc.
PO Box 335
Maplewood, NJ 07040-0335
[email protected]
A weekly newsletter is available which provides descriptive information on U.S. pictorial postmarks that you can send away for. A free sample newsletter is available if you send a SASE and ask for a copy.

The United States Postal Service: An American History, Pub. 100
Historian
United States Postal Service
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW
Washington, DC 20260-0012
[email protected]
www.usps.com
(p) 202/268-2507
Tells the history of the U.S. Postal Service from 1775 to the present. Includes bibliography, First–Class rate history. One free copy.

Sources of Historical Information on Post Offices, Postal Employees, Mail routes and Mail Contractors, Pub. 119
Historian
United States Postal Service
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW
Washington, DC 20260-0012
[email protected]
www.usps.com
(p) 202/268-2507
Lists all known federal sources of information on topics covered in the title. Includes a bibliography of books on state postal histories. One free copy.

Postmaster Finder
http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postmasterfinder/
Provides complete lists of Postmasters for more than 14,000 Post Offices and partial lists for all current Post Offices. Can be researched by Postmaster name, Post Office, state and establishment and discontinuance dates. Post Offices are researched upon request.

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In addition to the more than 20,000 postal facilities authorized to sell philatelic products, the U.S. Postal Service also maintains more than 300 Philatelic Centers located in major population centers. These Philatelic Centers have been established to serve stamp collectors and make it convenient for them to acquire an extensive range of current postage stamps, postal stationery and philatelic products issued by the Postal Service. Centers are located at Main Post Offices unless otherwise indicated. Note: Zip + 4 is 9998 unless otherwise indicated.

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