An exhibitor with the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada (RPSC) has earned the organization’s first international-level Championship Class exhibit since 2008. Greece-born Canadian exhibitor Anestis Karagiannidis qualified to participate in the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie (FIP) Championship Class with his exhibit, “Small Hermes Heads 1886-1901 – The Second Classical Period of Greek Stamps.”
Born in Greece in 1949, Karagiannidis immigrated to Canada in 1971 and operated a patisserie for Greek and French pastries in his new hometown of Montréal. As for his hobby, in 1986, he began focusing on the second period of classical Greek philately, known as the “Small Hermes Heads,” to which he devoted a large collection and later an award-winning exhibit. Over the years, he took home six international Grand Prix gold medals plus two additional Grand Prix medals.
“This is a significant accomplishment for Anestis requiring three Large Gold awards at FIP exhibitions in three different years,” said Joel Weiner, of Alberta, who chair’s the RPSC’s exhibiting and judging committee. “Anestis can now compete in the Championship Class at FIP World General exhibitions for the next 10 years.” The last Canadian exhibitor to qualify for the Championship Class – in 2008 – was the late Ron Brigham, who died last August.