Canada’s national centre for philatelic research has been recognized on the international stage after the Vincent Graves Greene Philatelic Research Foundation captured the People’s Choice award for Collaboration of the Year at the 2025 Philatelic Traders’ Society (PTS) Awards.
The Toronto-based foundation secured the honour through a global public vote, attracting more than 4,300 ballots from collectors and philatelists worldwide. The PTS Awards celebrate excellence across the philatelic trade and its supporting organizations, with winners selected either by public vote or by an independent international judging panel.
The Greene Foundation’s award recognized its 50th anniversary collaboration with the Royal Philatelic Society London, highlighted by A Day of Philately, a full-day international program held in Toronto last July. The event was organized in partnership with the Philatelic Specialists Society of Canada and brought together speakers, exhibitors and collectors from multiple countries.
“It is a great honour for the Greene Foundation to be the recipient of the Philatelic Traders Society 2025 People’s Choice Collaboration of the Year award,” said foundation president David McLaughlin. “Our Day of Philately event brought together organizations, speakers and collectors from Canada and abroad in a shared celebration of research, education and cooperation.”
McLaughlin also thanked the broader philatelic community for its support, acknowledging the PTS, the Royal Philatelic Society London and the Philatelic Specialists Society of Canada, along with those who nominated the foundation and participated in the vote.
While the Greene Foundation claimed the People’s Choice honour, the PTS Awards also include a separate Judges’ Choice stream. Those awards were determined by a panel of four international judges, including Dr. Jean Wang, a Toronto-based hematologist and leukemia researcher who is also very active within Canada’s philatelic community.
During the Toronto anniversary event, the program opened with a lecture by Alexander Haimann, FRPSL, titled Exploring the Contours of Context Philately. The day also featured displays by Canadian members of the Royal Philatelic Society London and concluded with the 10th Harry Sutherland Philatelic Lecture. That presentation was delivered by David R. Beech, MBE, FRPSL, former curator of the British Library’s philatelic collections, under the title Philatelic Libraries: The Final Frontier.
McLaughlin credited the success of the event to a dedicated group of volunteers and speakers, singling out organizing committee members Ingo Nessel, Jean Wang, Natalie Mitchell and Sophie Andrade, along with presenters Haimann and Beech.
Canada was also well represented in other award categories. In the Philatelic Ambassador of the Year category, Toronto philatelist Sam Chiu was named runner-up in the People’s Choice vote for his international exhibiting, judging and editorial work. Harold Krische, of Langley, B.C., was also nominated for his efforts to promote collaboration and shared learning across philatelic societies.
Stanley Gibbons was named runner-up in the Collaboration of the Year category.
In addition to the Greene Foundation’s win, People’s Choice awards were presented to Bill Barrell for Campaign of the Year and Trade Ambassador of the Year, Stanley Gibbons for Publication of the Year, and Joseph Stephen for Philatelic Ambassador of the Year. Judges’ Choice honours went to Heinrich Köhler for Collaboration of the Year, Royal Mail for Campaign of the Year, Siegel Auctions for Publication of the Year, Bill Barrell for Trade Ambassador of the Year, and Simon Martin-Redman for Philatelic Ambassador of the Year.
PTS chairman Simon Carson said the strong turnout for voting reflects the health of the hobby. “Voting was up again this year, which shows just how much passion and collaboration exists across our hobby,” he said.
Founded in 1974, the Vincent Graves Greene Philatelic Research Foundation serves as Canada’s national centre for philatelic research and expertizing. Its work includes supporting expert committee examinations, maintaining the Harry Sutherland Philatelic Library, advancing digitization initiatives that expand access to research materials, and providing administrative support to several Canadian philatelic organizations.