The American Philatelic Society annual convention, called Stampshow, will be held in Richmond, Virginia August 12-15. The APS has an annual meeting and convention each summer and moves the event around the country in an attempt to give geographical access to collectors who wish to attend. The APS has fallen on hard times in the last several years. Membership has dipped to a tad over 35,000, from a high of 60,000 plus. An ill conceived and poorly executed plan to move the central office and expand the library has cost the society millions of dollars that it could not afford. Bad hiring decisions led to a weak management team. And all this was exacerbated by a deep recession and the fact that the Internet has made specialty societies and specialty publications far less critical to philatelists than ever before.
Still, being a life long Philadelphia Eagles football fan has given me an appropriate philosophy. Though always dissapointing and never as good as they could be they are the only game in town. So too, the APS. They need your support.
Shopping Cart