Most collectors never exhibit their stamps, except perhaps to show their collection to a friend or family member. But many collectors derive great enjoyment from displaying what they have to others in an organized, systematic kind of way. And while a collector may exhibit in any manor that he wishes, certain guidelines can aid in securing the two goals of most exhibitors. Those goals are the accuracy, appeal and aesthetic beauty of your presentation and second, success in obtaining the awards that are part of the stamp exhibiting process.
Exhibits must be specially prepared. No one, besides your friends, want to see your album pages. Your album pages, while giving you considerable enjoyment in filling, are essentially quite like any other collectors’ who collects the same material as you do. You may have some items that he is missing, or vice-versa, but there is considerable similarity in most collections.
It is wise to specialize, that is restrict what you’re exhibiting, as completeness is highly prized in exhibiting. Only a multi-million dollar collection should hope to garner much praise if it is entitled “United States Stamps”. Too, space constraints, the number of frames that you may use, forces limitations in what you may show so it is usually wise to limit yourself through the title of your exhibit, rather than being open to the charge of lack of completeness.
First time exhibitors often start their first exhibit by expanding on a part of their collection that they like best. If your U.S. Columbians are strong or if you like Children topicals these can be made into a winnding exhibit. But work is required as no exhibit is worth seeing (or making) that does not show and tell the viewer things that he does not know about the stamps and covers involved. And what you should tell is not just issue date and perforation, or other information that can be found in the Scott Catalog. The designer of the stamp or stamps, dates of use, rate of postage, type of mail used for, and other esoteric information is germane to your write up, but it is important not to put too much emphasis on the write up alone. Remember, the visual appeal of your stamps and covers is what is valued in an exhibit.
Every generation of collectors has its particular prejudice and ours is Postal History. What people mean when they say this is generally, covers, as oddly just cancellations by themselves, arguably as “Postal Historical” as a stampless cover, are frowned on. Reflecting our current preoccupation with this cover mania, good exhibits usually have covers, sharing the message of the stamps involved. Strive for the exotic, unusual usage; they need not be expensive. One of the appeals of this is as your knowledge of what is unusual and rare on the particual stamps involved increases, you are able to find some very rare items at very reasonable prices. Topical or thematic exhibiting need not show the stamps exhibited on covers but rather should show interesting usages relating to their topics. For instance, a fumigated cover in a medical topical exhibit, or a blockade cover on shipmail marking in a ship exhibit would be well received.
Even the current, most fascinating material in the world will seldom produce a fine exhibit if displayed in a poor, untidy way. Just as you would not send a resume for a job with coffee stains on it, your exhibit should be as neat as possible. Mounted items must be mounted straight and pages should be nicely printed. The goal is appeal. Make it neat; make it interesting. This won’t assure you a gold medal (you may not even want one!) but it will assure you an attention causing exhibit of which you can be proud.
For more techinical information on exhibiting, the American Philatelic Society published a booklet on it. Information is available from the APS, 100 Match Factory Place, Bellfonte, PA 16823.