Philatelists gather for annual stamp collecting event
By Kyle Valentini
March 28, 2014
481
The Tuscora Stamp Club hosts their annual Stamp Exhibition and Auction April 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Tuscora Park Pavilion in New Philadelphia. The show is open to collectors and those interested in learning more about stamps and collecting.
The event will include a United States Post Office booth, and junior collectors will receive a free stamp packet to add to their burgeoning collection.
A food stand will be offered with sandwiches, snacks and beverages.
Even while the role of the United States Postal Service continues to evolve, the art of stamp collecting has remained the same. Since the very first stamp was issued in 1847 at a cost of 10 cents and featuring Benjamin Franklin, Americans have been fascinated with the hobby that in addition to providing fun and pleasure helps instruct the collector in geography, biography, history, culture and art.
Rare stamps are hard to find these days, said Fred Swinderman, Tuscora Stamp Club vice president. The age of a stamp does not make it rare or necessarily valuable. Stamps are valuable to different collectors for different reasons.
Members of the Tuscora Stamp Club, a club that has been active for 63 years, collect stamps but they also collect envelopes stamped with postmarks from dead post offices and even envelopes that have been postmarked.
Currently the Tuscora Stamp Club roster has 50 members, and new members are always welcome.
The club meets the first Wednesday and the third Tuesday of each month at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church at 202 East High Avenue in New Philadelphia. A social hour where club members can exchange stamps and discuss their collections begins at 6:30 with the meeting getting underway at 7 p.m.
The public is always welcome to attend.
For more information about the upcoming exhibit or the Tuscora Stamp Club, call Fred Swinderman at 330-343-8122.
