Author: Tom Fortunato

Noted philatelist, researcher, author and international Grand Prix award-winning exhibitor Steven Walske is the latest major contributor to Boston 2026 World Expo.

Steven is perhaps best known for his postal history expertise in a wide variety of areas including mail of San Francisco (1849-1869), North American blockade-run mail (1775-1865), American transcontinental overland mail (1832-1869) and French Franco-Prussian War mail (1870-71), knowledge of which was presented through his many highly awarded exhibits at the international level since the 1990s.

He has authored several articles and co-authored books on his specialties with luminaries including Richard Frajola, George Kramer and Scott Trepel, collecting honors along the way including the Royal Philatelic Society of London’s Crawford Medal in March 2016, awarded as the most valuable and original contribution to the study and knowledge of philately published in book form in the period.

Other donors who have contributed between $10,000 and $24,999 making Boston 2026 World Stamp Expo a reality include Murray A. Abramson, Gordon Eubanks, Vernon Morris, Dr. Tim O’Connor, Daniel Ryterband and Scott R. Trepel. Donations large and small are welcome, and as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization U.S. contributors may qualify for a tax deduction.

The largest regional federation of stamp clubs in the United States has made an initial $1,000 donation to Boston 2026 World Expo and pledged to make three more equal installments yearly for a total of $4,000 towards the once-a-decade philatelic exhibition.

Founded originally as the Georgia Federation of Stamp Clubs in 1991 with six clubs, the Southeast Federation of Stamp Clubs is now a twenty-four club member federation currently representing over five hundred collectors in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, the District of Columbia and Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It is an active Chapter of the American Philatelic Society.

Its sponsorship in the early days of the Peach State Stamp Show in Atlanta has evolved into the expanded Southeastern Stamp Expo, an APS World Series of Philately exhibition hosted annually in January in nearby Peachtree Corners, Georgia.

Commenting on the unanimous Board of Directors vote to financially support Boston 2026, Southeast Federation President Charles O’Brien III said, “The Southeast Federation of Stamp Clubs, host of the annual Southeastern Stamp Expo, is very proud to announce our donation to Boston ’26. Our member clubs strongly support this initiative to promote worldwide philately.”

On hearing the news Boston 2026 President Yamil Kouri wrote, “This will go a long way to ensure the success of our next US International Stamp Exhibition.”

Information about the Southeast Federation of Stamp Clubs and the Southeastern Stamp Expo taking place January 26-28, 2024 is on their website at sefsc.org.

Boston 2026 World Expo is pleased to announce details of its first in a series of contests open to all stamp collectors. Dawn Hamman, American Topical Association President, ended an email to Boston 2026 officers by writing, “There are a lot of good topics related to Boston!” How right she is!

Here’s where the fun starts and we invite philatelists around the world to participate. How many stamps can you find that relate to Boston in some way? Feel free to look beyond just U.S. stamp issues, as several countries have also honored the people, places, events and other things that make Boston such an historic and memorable locale.

The rules are simple. Put a list together of stamps and souvenir sheets you’ve researched dealing with Boston in some way noting the year of issue, country, major catalog used and its reference number, a description of what is shown and how it relates to Boston. While some are obvious, we guarantee you will be amazed at what you’ll uncover!

Entries must be made using the official form link between November 1 and December 31 when the contest ends. Only one entry per person is allowed. Questions about the contest may be emailed to contest@boston2026.org any time.

There will be three winners overall, two selected randomly and one for finding the highest number of stamps and souvenir sheets with a Boston connection, up to 100. In case of a tie, the earliest entry wins. All three receive a prize package of Boston 2026 mementos and souvenirs. Winning participants will be notified by email in early January. Good luck!

Boston 2026 World Expo officers have received a $1,000 check from the Polonus Polish Philatelic Society to further support the international philatelic exhibition. Notice was sent by President Ronald Klimley on behalf of their Board.

Established in 1939, Polonus has grown from a small local stamp club in Chicago to become the world’s largest and oldest philatelic organization specializing in Polish philately. They have recently unveiled a brand new website under the guidance of current webmaster Mark Maestrone.

The group has over 500 issues of their bulletin published from 1940 to 2018 available for anyone to download, with more recent editions exclusively accessible by members. Content runs the gamut from postal history of the region dating from the nation’s founding in 1918 to the latest new issues from Poczta Polska.

Polonus has five study groups specializing in aerophilately, cinderellas, DP/Intern camps, POW camps, and the works of master engraver Czeslaw Slania. It offers members exhibit assistance and a document translation service, among other benefits. Everyone can access their extensive eBay store.

Boston 2026 has received the first of two $2,500 donations from the American Topical Association, with an additional contribution planned for 2024.

ATA Executive Director Jennifer Miller informed Boston 2026 officers of their wishes in a letter from August 23, shortly after a very successful Great American Stamp Show in Cleveland.  Collaborative efforts between both organizations have been ongoing for some time.

Dawn Hamman, ATA President, followed up by email, saying, “ATA is looking forward to active involvement in the show.  As you know, topical collecting is a growing segment of our hobby, and an excellent way to attract non-collectors to the hobby.  We want to start promoting the show to our membership now, as people will need time to plan for the big trip.  There are a lot of good topics related to Boston!”

The American Topical Association is the world’s largest collecting organization specializing in subject-related philately.  Founded in 1949, the ATA continues to encourage the promotion of philately through their many programs and services.  Nearly 50 ATA Study Units delve deep into subjects from Americana to Wine, while their bimonthly journal Topical Time allows the entire membership to discover the variety and pleasures topical collecting. 

Boston 2026’s newest collectible label was released at 1 PM today during a ceremonial presentation about the World Expo on the exhibition floor at the Great American Stamp Show in Cleveland, Ohio.

This third-in-a-series of patriotic-themed promotional “The Road to Boston 2026” labels was again created by award-winning stamp designer Chris Calle, whose artwork will be issued yearly up until show time. Each of the 3,000 sheetlets produced by the Portland Stamp Company contain nine water-activated labels of the same design.

Prominent in the design is the 1973 USPS Boston Tea Party block of four stamps depicting the nighttime raiding of British ships carrying tea that took place on December 16, 1773. Hours earlier 7,000 Bostonians rallied at the Old South Church to protest the tea importation tax imposed by the British with the catchphrase, “No taxation without representation.” Pro-independence leader Samuel Adams assembled 50 colonists in Indian guise that evening to accomplish the symbolic protest. His image is in the lower left of the label alongside the famous “Join, or Die” flag of a segmented snake.

Both the unsigned and a limited edition of 450 artist-signed versions of the sheetlet are available. Orders are currently being accepted through the Boston 2026 web site. Labels 1 and 2 in both formats have been withdrawn.

Boston 2026 is again joining the Collectors Club of New York in hosting a joint dinner in Cleveland before the start of the Great American Stamp Show.

It is scheduled for Wednesday, August 9 beginning at 7 PM at the LULO Kitchen & Juice Bar, 1273 West 9th Street, a few blocks from the show hotels. A choice of a beef, fish or vegan entrée is available. Tickets are available by reserving them online at Eventbrite.

The meal will be followed by brief presentations from both groups. Boston 2026 officers plan to provide attendees with an update on the show’s progress to date and give a look ahead about this once-a-decade international event.

David Coogle, co-chairman of Daniel F Kelleher Auctions, LLC, has confirmed the firm’s participation in Boston 2026 by reserving the first top-end Super Booth (i.e., 20’x30’ booth nearest the show’s entrance).

Based in Danbury, Connecticut, the company was founded in 1885 in Boston by its namesake, today making it America’s oldest philatelic auction house. Their quarterly public auction sales include Club, Flagship and Collection sales, conducting a public auction each month. With additional single-owner sales, they offer bidders the opportunity to own US and Worldwide items from entry level to rarities. Weekly internet auctions provide material of interest to intermediate and more casual collectors.

Their award-winning magazine, Kelleher’s Stamp Collector’s Quarterly, was first released in September 2015. More than 30 issue covers from the past eight years are displayed at www.kelleherauctions.com/magazines-2/ with a downloadable free sample of issue #1. Yearly subscription information for both the publication’s print and digital formats is also available. More than 500,000 copies in print and many more digitally have been distributed to philatelists worldwide.

To date, three-quarters of the show’s Super Booths and Half-Super Booths have been reserved. However, most size configurations remain available on the show floor. Potential dealers are asked to immediately email Bourse Chair Mark Reasoner at Mark.Reasoner@Boston2026.org for the latest information.

Boston 2026 has received a $10,000 contribution from the American Air Mail Society in support of the show’s overall mission.

Now in its 100th anniversary year, the American Air Mail Society is the world’s largest and second oldest aerophilatelic group interested in all aspects of “mail by air,” from pioneer flights to airmail labels and etiquettes. The organization publishes major works regularly, most notably the indispensable AAMS Catalogue, now in its seventh edition, that are available for purchase through the American Philatelic Society Store. Issues of their award winning Air Post Journal from the past 90+ years may be downloaded from their web site at www.americanairmailsociety.org.

Boston 2026 President Yamil Kouri commented, “We thank the AAMS for their generous donation and invite their members to attend society-sponsored meetings and seminars throughout the eight days of our show.”

Philatelic groups from around the world are encouraged to contact Society Chair Mark Schwartz as soon as possible at Mark.Schwartz@Boston2026.org to make their show interests known, whether it be for a society table or meeting space.

New APS President Cheryl Ganz has accepted a position on the Boston 2026 Corporate Board, replacing Immediate APS Past President Bob Zeigler. 

The APS Board voted Ms. Ganz unanimously as the new APS president in a vote on April 3. She previously was the Chair of the APS Board of Vice presidents, a role she assumed in August 2022. Her term as President ends August 2025. 

“Boston 2026 is appreciative of the years of guidance Bob Zeigler has provided the international exhibition and wishes him well in his future endeavors,” said Boston 2026 President Yamil Kouri.