2024 Postal History Symposium
The thirteenth biennial Postal History Symposium will be held November 15 & 16, 2024 at the American Philatelic Center in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. The theme for the 2024 symposium will be "The Universal Postal Union: Connecting the World by Mail," commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Treaty of Bern.
The event will feature an international slate of speakers, non-competitive exhibits of UPU, and a dealer bourse and social events hosted by the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society and Collectors Club of Chicago.
This event is free and open to the public.
See below for presentation details, list of dealers, and non-competitive exhibits.
Schedule of Symposium Presentations
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Speakers
Opening Remarks and Dinner Keynote Speaker
Benjamin Combes, Philately and IRC Programme Manager, UPU International Bureau (bio)
Friday, November 15
10:00 am - 11:00 am Eastern
“The Empire State, the UPU, and Global Maritime Empire”
Diane DeBlois & Robert Dalton Harris, Jr. (bio and abstract)
Can't attend in person? Register for the Zoom webinar.
11:00 am - 12:00 pm Eastern
"Public Health and the Post: The Universal Postal Union’s Role in Promoting Public Health"
Steve Kochersperger (bio and abstract)
Can't attend in person? Register for the Zoom webinar.
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Eastern
"Matter for the Blind: Franking Privileges and the International Construction of Accessibility"
Amelia Kiddle (bio and abstract)
Can't attend in person? Register for the Zoom webinar.
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
"The Postal History of the Universal Postal Union: The Postal Card, Worldwide, 1869-1974"
James P. Gough (bio and abstract)
Can't attend in person? Register for the Zoom webinar.
Saturday, November 16
9:00 am - 10:00 am
"A Historical Analysis of Türkiye's Declaration at the Bern Postal Congress"
Mehmet Şükrü Yaman (bio and abstract)
Can't attend in person? Register for the Zoom webinar.
10:00 am - 11:00 am
"Effects of the German-Austrian Postal Union on Rates under the U.S. Postal Conventions with Bremen and Prussia"
Heinrich Conzelmann & Dwayne Littauer (bio and abstract)
Can't attend in person? Register for the Zoom webinar.
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
"UPU’s Regulations on Offensive Postage Stamps and Postal War"
Jan Heijs (bio and abstract)
Can't attend in person? Register for the Zoom webinar.
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
"UPU British Empire Security Protected Specimen Stamps 1884-1948"
Robert Myers
**This event will not be streamed via Zoom and is an in-person only event.
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
"Letters Sent to/from the United States Under the GPU/UPU Regulations 1875-1881"
Jeffrey C. Bohn (bio and abstract)
Can't attend in person? Register for the Zoom webinar.
Dealers
Bourse Hosted by U.S. Philatelic Classics Society
HB Philatelics
Specialties: Quality U.S. material, Federal and State Hunting Permits, Proofs and Essays, Revenues
Harmers International, Inc.
Specialties: Auction, British Commonwealth, U.S. and Foreign material
Triple S Postal History
Specialties: Worldwide Postal History, British Colonies, U.S., and Europe Colonies
Mountainside Stamps, Coins, and Currency
Specialties: U.S. Single stamps – new and used, U.S. Plate Blocks, U.S. and Foreign covers, Worldwide stamps on covers
Robbins Stamps
Specialties: U.S. Covers/Postal History from 19th and 20th century
Kurt Schau
Specialty: Worldwide Postal History
James Taff
Specialties: Confederate States, German Area, U.S. and Worldwide, British Commonwealth
Joseph Volutza - JSV Philatelics
Specialties: U.S. Covers, Space Events, Covers by topic