Last week, for the first time since 2019, the American Philately Society hosted an in-person Summer Seminar in Bellefonte, PA. Approximately 80 students, instructors, and guests attended a wide range of courses, lectures, and events during the week. A good time was had by all.

The weeklong event began (unofficially) on Saturday with the first day of SCOPEX, the Mt. Nittany Philatelic Society’s annual stamp show. Dealers and local philatelists struck bargains, viewed exhibits, and talked all things philately on Saturday and Sunday at the APC.

On Sunday, collectors and non-collectors alike arrived for the “A Philatelic Memorial of the Holocaust” open house, the public’s first official opportunity to view the exhibit. Speakers included Jamie Droste of the Holocaust Stamps Project and Dr. Justin Gordon, a philatelist, postal historian, and major contributor to the “A Philatelic Memorial of the Holocaust” exhibit.

APS Executive Director Scott English addresses Summer Seminar students at the general session on Monday morning.

Summer Seminar officially kicked off on Monday morning with an address from APS Executive Director Scott English, who spoke frankly about the need for radical change and creative destruction in the hobby in order to sustain it. Students then dispersed for the first session of their classes, which included: Philatelic Research (Daniel Piazza); Stamp Technology (Wayne Youngblood); The Use of Technology and Forensics in Expertizing (Garfield Portch); The Changing Shape of the Mail Parts 1 & 2 (Diane DeBlois and Robert Dalton Harris); The Washington and Franklin Series (Guy Gasser and Steven Unkrich); Fundamentals of the British Machin Series (Steve McGill); British Postal History (Tom Slemons); Becoming a Better Exhibitor (Bill Schultz), Beyond the Scott Catalog Parts 1 & 2 (Ron Lesher); and Bank Notes, Marketplace, & Expertizing (Clark Frazier). Electives on Monday afternoon included a demonstration of the VSC 8000 (courtesy of Nathan Carey of Foster & Freeman) and “History of Holocaust Philately” with Dr. Justin Gordon.

Dr. Justin Gordon presents an elective on Holocaust philately to a full house on Monday afternoon.

The second day of classes began with a general session presented by Daniel Piazza, curator of philately at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, who spoke about the connections between baseball and philately. The SNPM currently hosts an exhibit on the subject, dubbed “Baseball: America’s Home Run,” which runs until January 5, 2025.

Instructor Daniel Piazza (wearing a red lanyard) leads a discussion with students during a session of the "Philatelic Research" course in the APRL.

After their Tuesday sessions, students had the choice of attending “Fakes & Forgeries” with APS Circuit Manager Bill Dixon or a VSC 8000 demonstration as electives. Between and after classes, students could be found conducting independent research in the APRL, perusing circuit books in the Sales department, or chatting with fellow philatelists. The APS held an auction on Tuesday evening, featuring varied lots of philatelic materials. Many sellers chose to donate the proceeds of their lots to the APS, and we thank them for their generosity.

An auction attendee places a bid on Tuesday evening.

On Wednesday, Garfield Portch kindly stepped in to lead the general session when the planned speaker was unable to attend. Portch delivered a presentation on a facet of postal history near and dear to his heart: the origins and history of the Toronto Post Office. On behalf of the Americans in the audience, he was sure to give a brief geography lesson as well. Wednesday’s electives included the third of four demonstrations of the VSC 8000 and “StampStore & Hipstamp” with APS Director of Sales Carol Hoffman.

Garfield Portch walks students through the finer points of expertizing and forensic philately with the assistance of the VSC 8000.

That evening, many students attended the Distinguished Philatelist Dinner, where the APS honored renowned ephemerists Robert Dalton Harris and Diane DeBlois with 2023’s Distinguished Philatelist award. Harris and DeBlois were recognized for their work in expanding the field of postal history and ephemera research, and delivered witty and warm remarks on the subject. APS Director of Education Eric Spielvogel also recognized the 2020/2021 and 2022 Young Philatelic Leadership Fellows and Summer Seminar course instructors at the event. Laura’s Home Cooking of Boalsburg, PA catered the dinner (and lunches throughout the week), which was highly praised by attendees.

Diane DeBlois and Robert Dalton Harris pose with one of their favorite pieces of ephemera — a two-sided puzzle distributed through the mail in the 1930s as advertising for the Armstrong Cork Company. 

Thursday began with a talk from former YPLF fellow and current CEO and President of H.R. Harmer Fine Stamp Auctions, Charles Epting. Epting spoke enthusiastically about the changes he would like to see in the hobby, ranging from more diverse leadership to the incorporation of experiential philately. Thursday electives included the final VSC 8000 demonstration, “Booze, Carriages, and Watches: Taxation in the Early United States” with Ron Lesher, and “Meet the APS Young Philatelic Leaders Fellows,” an opportunity for YPLF fellows Silas Ernst, Bethany Hunter, and Victor Livesay to speak about their philatelic interests and their experience at Summer Seminar and to receive wisdom from the gathered audience.

The students of "Beyond the Scott Catalog" pose for a class photo with their instructor, Ron Lesher (front row, center).

The Mt. Nittany Philatelic Society met on Thursday evening at the APC, and graciously opened their meeting to all Summer Seminar attendees. Wayne Youngblood, expertizer and longtime “Stamp Technology” course instructor, delivered the guest lecture.

Wayne Youngblood discusses portraiture with the students of his "Stamp Technology" course.

Official Summer Seminar events came to an end on Friday morning, when the APS directors gathered for an informal Ask Me Anything session, addressing topics from future Summer Seminars to how to involve more young people in the hobby. Students and instructors then retreated to the APRL and the sales department for a last look through the stacks and circuit books before beginning their journey home.

The APS would like to thank everyone who made this event a success, including our dedicated staff and volunteers, our knowledgeable (and adaptable) course instructors, and of course, this year’s students.

Questions or comments? Send us an email at digitalcontent@stamps.org.

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