We have only been actively collecting stamps and other postal ephemera since the beginning of the calendar year. In that time, the kids have entered their exhibits into four philatelic shows. Two were small, local shows (NOVAPEX in March and SOPEX in April). One was a relatively large, regional show (PIPEX in May) and most recently, a very large national show (APS). At each of the shows, the kids have done very well … earning multiple honors.
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| Sweetie talking with a judge about her exhibit at the APS show |
Each time they have exhibited, they have made revisions to their original project using the suggestions that have been provided by the judges. They have thereby made gradual improvements in most cases. We have also learned a tremendous amount of philatelic knowledge and made immeasurable growth in terms of our presentation skills (writing, formatting, organizing, etc.) and research (historical and scientific knowledge as applicable to their chosen topic of interest).
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| Buddy talking with a judge about his exhibit at the APS show |
We have not been able to attend all the shows we have entered personally. However, we learn so much more from this experience than I can attest to here. We were fortunate to attend the national American Philatelic Society (APS) Stamp Show this past weekend in Sacramento. It was an amazing experience … attended by dealers and exhibitors from all over the world.
One of the greatest things about attending a show of this caliber, is the opportunity to talk with dealers and philatelists with similar interests. We were able to connect with dealers who specialize in Scandinavian stamps, learn of associations and study groups, and discover fellowship opportunities for young adults.
Attending the APS show also provided us the opportunity to attend our first United States Postal Service First Day of Sale Ceremony where they unveiled The War of 1812: USS Constitution. Buddy was very excited to attend this ceremony for he as been pining for this stamp for some time.