04 October 2019
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There were a number of exciting new initiatives at Stampex International this September, including a special series of talks, and tours of the philatelic exhibits.
A series of special talks took place throughout the four days, attracting collectors many of whom had booked their tickets in advance. Bill Hedley Chairman of the ABPS Exhibitions and International Committee shared his wisdom on how to exhibit competitively, whilst Stamp Collector’s very own Matt Hill chatted to leading philatelists Chris King and Frank Walton about their collecting background and philatelic expertise. You can watch the video of the talk here.
Thursday’s talk saw Stuart Aitken, Curator, Philately at The Postal Museum, take collectors on a journey celebrating the 100th anniversary of transatlantic airmail. Whilst on Friday, Oscar Young from Stanley Gibbons uncovered more on the world of philately, why stamps are issued, how to spot errors, and quirks in printing.
EXHIBITION TOURS
Regular visitors to Stampex will know the event features hundreds of frames of philatelic exhibits, offering collections and write-ups on all kinds of subjects and classes. To help visitors understand and get the most from the exhibits, The Philatelic Traders’ Society and the ABPS launched special exhibition tours at the latest Stampex, giving curious visitors a thirty-minute expert guide to the exhibits.
A limited edition ‘D-Day’ mini sheet from Royal Mail saw collectors queue up to purchase their copy throughout the event, especially on the opening day when the lines stretched across the back of the venue. Meanwhile, a limited edition Smilers Sheet was available from the Information Stand featuring ten 1st Class stamps alongside labels each featuring a rare foreign stamp, including classics from Brazil, Switzerland and the German colonies.
The Postal Museum presented a special display at celebrating the International Airmail Anniversary, which featured a range of items from the Museum’s archives. Meanwhile, postal history expert and dealer Bill Barrell once again ran his popular ‘GB Line-Engraved Made Easy’ workshop, with leading experts on hand to answer visitors’ queries, whether on plating, perforation, or shading.
STAMPEX 2020
The next Stampex International event will take place at the Business Design Centre from 30 September to 3 October 2020, when the British Thematic Association will be the lead organisation for displays. The event will take a break from its usual slot in February due to the London 2020 international exhibition which takes place at the same venue in May.
