ipdesign

May 6, 1840 was an important date in English history. Postage rates were reduced to one penny throughout Great Britain, and pre-payment of mail became compulsory. Also, the first postage stamp was issued. The stamp, what we collectors seek after and fight for, was actually not Rowland Hill’s great innovation. In an age before computers, […]

I wrote a book that was published by Charles Scribner’s Sons about the history of philately. I’ve posted it online at this link if you would like to read it https://www.apfelbauminc.com/JDAOpening%20Page.htm

August is traditionally the start of the new stamp season. Back in the days when stamp shows represented the bulk of the retail stamp business in the United States, the stamp show circuit began in earnest in September and dealers (who are the main buyers at Public Auction) would begin to restock in August after

This week I am going to the American Philatelic Society Convention in Pittsburgh. STAMPSHOW, as they call their meetings, is the annual meeting, used to be the start of each philatelic year (which generally is reckoned to start in September). The show boasts meetings of the APS brass, seminars and society meetings, the Champion of

When EBaymania hit the collecting world some ten years ago it seemed the prevailing model of philatelic selling was going to be auctions forevermore. Serious philatelists were used to auctions. J Walter Scott began running them in the latter part of the Nineteenth Century. But until EBay, the way most collectors bought their stamps was

Fifty years ago, the stamp business shut down for the summer. There were several reasons for this. First, the entire country took more vacations than than we do now and so there was usually fewer people at home collecting stamps. Americans have progressively worked more and more hours each year for the last fifty. Part

The results of the Spink Shreve sale of Inverted Stamps of the World are in and they were spectacular http://www.stampauctionnetwork.com/f/f114.cfm. Most stamps sold at record prices and many items sold at multiples of catalog. But while high prices are always better news for professional philatelists than low prices, we should temper our enthusiasm for a

Each month I do an informal survey of our ten largest dealer buyers. These are people who buy larger lots and break them down for further resale. Nearly all of the ten are internet sellers. They tell me that business has picked up and been quite good on Ebay and other internet selling venues for

The American Philatelic Society holds its annual convention in Pittsburgh August 6-9 http://www.stamps.org/Stampshow/index.htm. As a lifelong stamper, this will be my 40th convention that I will attend. I’ve been to the annual convention as a collector, as a dealer with a booth, as a dealer without a booth, as a director of the society, as