Monday Morning Brief | Summit on the Future of Philately

Watch as Linn’s Stamp News managing editor Chad Snee reports on the Summit on the Future of Philately that took place Oct. 28 in Bellefonte, Pa.

Full video transcript:

Greetings fellow stamp collectors! Welcome to the Monday Morning Brief for November 21.

On October 29, the American Philatelic Research Library in Bellefonte, Pa., officially opened its doors to the world. This splendid facility is housed in the American Philatelic Center, which also is home to the American Philatelic Society.

The day before this important event, the APC played host to another gathering of consequence: the Summit on the Future of Philately.

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Included among the more than 30 participants were representatives from the APS and APRL, the American Stamp Dealers Association, the Boston 2026 World Stamp Show, the National Postal Museum, the Royal Philatelic Society London, and the U.S. Postal Service, among others.

As Linn’s associate editor Michael Baadke reports in our Nov. 28 issue, attendees “enthusiastically discussed the topics of growing the hobby, the future of stamp shows, and dealers and philatelic partnerships, along with ways the leading organizations involved in the stamp hobby can work together to make it succeed and grow.”

Throughout the discussion, which often took the form of a brainstorming session, Scott English, executive director of the APS, guided the conversation with his own upbeat observations regarding the state of our beloved hobby.

He was quick to point out that the hobby itself is doing well, while organized philately — which includes stamp shows, the APS and other hobby groups — presents what he called “a different story.”

An action plan put together by summit attendees called for a presentation at the next APS winter show, to be held March 3-5 in Reno, Nev. If you wish to offer your own ideas and suggestions for consideration, please send them via email to future@stamps.org.

Finally, as we head into the festive Thanksgiving holiday, I encourage you to be safe during your travels and cherish the time you spend with family and friends. Those connections are the ones that matter most of all.

For Linn’s Stamp News and the Scott catalogs, I’m Chad Snee. Have a great week enjoying our wonderful hobby. Cheers!