The biannual National Postage Stamp and Coin Show opens today in Mississauga, where show-goers will be treated to two high-profile seminars in addition to an extensive bourse.
Held at the Hilton Mississauga/Meadowvale hotel on 6750 Mississauga Rd., the two-day show boasts a nearly 50-dealer bourse, a combined coin and stamp auction, a world-class competitive philatelic exhibition and a series of seminars and presentations throughout the weekend.
Later today, New York Times journalist James Barron and Bank of Canada Museum conservator Patricia Measures will kick off the festivities with separate seminars.
PRESERVING, ARCHIVING & STORING
Today at 11:30 a.m., Measures will explore the preservation and protection of various collections by teaching attendees to make informed decisions about storage options.
“This talk will show that with a bit of thought and a small amount of effort, your collection can be preserved and protected,” said Measures, who has been working as a conservator since 2001.
“By assessing storage options, becoming aware of risks to materials, and making informed decisions, you can drastically improve the lifespan of your collection at little or no additional cost.”
ONE-CENT MAGENTA AUTHOR
At 2:30 p.m., Barron – the author of The One-Cent Magenta: Inside the Quest to Own the Most Valuable Stamp in the World – will be sharing the historic journey of the one-cent magenta – the world’s most famous stamp – and answering questions from the audience. He will also be available to autograph his book, which will also be sold at the show, following his presentation.
“I think this stamp is known to philatelists,” said Barron. “I think every philatelist has probably heard of this stamp, but there are probably some things, if I’m lucky, that I can say that’ll pique their curiosity and interest so they might want to read it.”
FREE PARKING
As advertised by show organizers, free on-site parking is provided at the National Postage Stamp and Coin Show; however, the hotel’s policy prevents us from placing signage in the parking lot. Attendees are asked to “sign in” with their license plate number on a sheet of paper at the registration table. Do not pay the fee at the parking lot’s automated meters.
The show is open today from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and tomorrow from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is $3 today but free tomorrow.
For more information about the biannual National Postage Stamp and Coin Show, which is being held this weekend as well as on Sept. 8-9, visit stampandcoinshow.com.