American Philatelic Society (APS) officials have closed the book on this year’s Great American Stamp Show, which Executive Director Scott English deemed a “great success.”
Held in Cleveland, Ohio, from Aug. 10-13, the show drew about 2,500 attendees, “considerably higher than Sacramento’s attendance of 1,600 in 2022,” English said. With hundreds of exhibit frames, the one-of-a-kind show offered six single- and multi-frame Grand Awards – for the APS Stamp Show, American Topical Association’s National Topical Stamp Show and American First Day Cover Society’s Americover – and the World Series of Philately Champion of Champions events plus youth and literature competitions.
Two of the nearly 80 dealers on the bourse came from Canada, including Vance Carmichael, of Vance Auctions in Smithville, Ont., and Roy Houtby, of Roy’s Stamps in nearby St. Catharines.
“Collectors worldwide are returning with new items for their collections, saying goodbye to new and old friends energized by our annual summer show,” English wrote after the show’s final day in Cleveland, Ohio. “The APS Team is returning to Bellefonte, unpacking boxes, and taking a well-deserved break. By all accounts, the show was a great success. It does not happen by accident, and there are so many people to thank for helping to make GASS a premier stamp show.”
CANADIAN EXHIBITOR WINS ANOTHER GRAND
At this August’s show, Toronto collector and award-winning exhibitor Jean Wang added yet another Grand Award to her ever-expanding trophy case.
Wang took home the multi-frame Grand Award at the National Topical Stamp Show, held in conjunction with the Great American Stamp Show, for her five-frame exhibit, “Blood: A Modern Medicine,” which earned 91 points.
“There can be little doubt that Jean’s exhibit on ‘Blood’ is one of the very finest topical exhibits currently being shown in the world today,” said Sam Chiu, of Toronto, one of four Canadians on the massive event’s exhibit jury.
Next year’s Great American Stamp Show will take place from Aug. 15-18 in Hartford, Conn.