Last month, we announced that 2025 was a building year for the APS, but it’s not all about us – we want to help you build too! The APS was originally founded as an organization to protect stamp collectors working to build their collections – and that’s still a major part of our mission today.
Whether you’re just starting your stamp collecting journey or you’re a seasoned pro looking to pick up a new collecting interest, the APS has resources and services to help you. Acquire new stamps and covers through the APS StampStore on HipStamp, which sells APS members’ collections on consignment, helping to keep philatelic materials in the hands of active collectors. While anyone can make a purchase from StampStore, your membership helps support this important and long-running APS service and our dedicated APS Sales Team – and only members can sell through StampStore, so if you’re to move your duplicates or stamps from a category you no longer collect, why not check us out?
Interested in seeing a stamp up close before you buy, or finding reasonably priced but generally rare stamps to complete your collection? APS members can participate in the Circuit Sales program, which delivers booklets of stamps directly to your door. Circuit sales was one of the first programs established by the APS back in the 1880s, and is still cherished by our members today.
And of course, if you want to authenticate an item in your collection, there’s no service like APEX, the APS expertizing arm, which provides guaranteed opinions from proven experts across the philatelic spectrum. Stamp collectors worldwide can benefit not only from APEX’s part in keeping the stamp market free of forgeries, but also from the department’s certificate archive, which documents past decisions and is free to access. And if you’re an APS member, you receive a discount on expertizing services from APEX!
What's New This Month
In addition to those perennial services, we’ve got some special events for you to look forward to this month that can help you build your collection – and your stamp knowledge.
- Updates to our USPS Black Heritage Series album pages in honor of Black History Month.
- A special Valentine’s Day/Presidents Day sale at the APS StampStore on HipStamp on February 14 & 15.
- Weekly social media posts from APS Director of Expertizing Ken Martin, as he presents a new common type of forgery that collectors might encounter in the wild and how to detect it.
- A clearance circuits extravaganza curated by APS Circuit Manager Bill Dixon (read on for details!)
- StampEd Issue 4, featuring an exclusive interview with the Discworld Emporium, the history of the cheap postage movement of the 1840s by Mike Wilson, the latest advice from John Hotchner for new collectors, and much more.
- A new video featuring APS volunteers offering a window into the expertizing process.
Like what we’re doing and want to get on board? You can become an APS member through the end of 2025 for just $29.25 for digital members, $36.75 for U.S. members, $44.25 for Canadian members, and $51.75 for all other international members – and new members who join in February will receive a free packet of stamps to help build their collections.
Already a member and want to lend a hand? We’re revving up for GASS 2025, and we need your help to spread the word! You can check out our show page here for hotel and travel information, application forms for participants, volunteer sign ups, and more – and once you’ve taken a look, please share the page with your friends and fellow stamp collectors! We hope to see you all at the show this August.
If you don’t already subscribe to our e-newsletters and follow the APS on social media, now is a great time to start; you’ll be the first to see all the latest stamp news and content from us!
Clearance Circuits Sale
During the month of February, the APS Sales department has waived the 5% buyer’s fee for clearance circuits on a large list of countries and topics.
Clearance circuits are previously circulated circuit books where the remaining value has been discounted for a "buy all or nothing" opportunity. APS members can request a direct clearance circuit that contains 10-20 sales books from the categories below. Requests can be single country/topic circuits, or a mixed circuit of several categories.
Available clearance circuits: Austria, Switzerland, Central Europe, Europe, Germany, France, French Colonies, Scandinavia, Southern Europe, General Topical, U.S. mixed, Topical Animals & Flora, British West Indies, Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, British General, British Oceania, Canada, Global-mint/used, Global 1840-1940, Far East, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and South America.
Questions about circuits or this offer? Check out the circuit sales page on our website, or contact the APS Sales department at circuits@stamps.org
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