Toronto philatelist wins big in Edmonton

One Canadian exhibitor has enjoyed an exciting month on the national stage.

Last month, Toronto’s Sam Chiu won two Large Golds, one Gold, a Grand Award and a Best Single Frame Award in the span of two nights.

On March 24, Chiu’s exhibit, titled “Chefoo Local Post, China 1893-96,” won a Large Gold at the Garfield Perry March Party hosted by the Garfield-Perry Stamp Club in Cleveland. The following weekend, at the St. Louis Stamp Expo, this exhibit earned another Large Gold. It also won a Large Gold in New Zealand in 2015.

The following night, both Chiu’s single- and multi-frame exhibits won big at the 2017 Spring National Stamp Show hosted by the Edmonton Stamp Club. His multi-frame exhibit, weighing in at nine frames and titled “Development of Chinese Imperial Post Office 1897-99: transformation from Customs Post Office,” won the Grand Award. It earned a total of 94 points for a Large Gold and also earned one of five APS Medals of Excellence, this for pre-1900 material.

Chiu’s single-frame exhibit, titled “Detained in Hong Kong and the ones that got away,” won Best Single Frame and earned a Gold with 87 points.

“It is a new exhibit and the first showing,” said Chiu, adding it was the first Canadian show to be judged by the new APS rules, which came into effect earlier this year. The panel included Chief Judge David Piercey as well as Arlene Sullivan and Ed Kroft.

Only two Large Golds—the first Canadian Large Golds ever handed out—were awarded at the show. The other Large Gold went to Donald Wilson, who also won the Reserve Grand Award for his exhibit titled “Australian Mail to the U.K. to 1891.”

“In my case, with success it just brings more work,” said Chiu, who added his nine-frame exhibit must be taken out of competition for one year because it won the Multi-Frame Grand in Edmonton.

“I have to scramble to get a replacement exhibit to Orapex and the Royal next month, so I am writing up yet another new exhibit for these shows—yes, another nine frames of it, or 144 pages. That is all I have been and will be doing from now ’til Orapex on May 5.”

AMERISTAMP EXPO

At last month’s AmeriStamp Expo, which was hosted by the American Philatelic Society (APS) in Reno, N.V., Chiu also took home a Vermeil for his multi-frame exhibit titled “Frogs & Toads, Their Relevance to Humans.” Chiu was also nominated for the Most Popular Prix d’Honneur, which was eventually awarded to Jeffery Bennett for his exhibit titled “Baseball Centennial: Every Boy in America Could Get a First Day Cover.”

For more information about the AmeriStamp Expo or to view the exhibition’s palmares, click here.

According to the revised APS Manual of Philatelic Judging and Exhibiting, the various point ranges for APS-sanctioned exhibitions are as follows:

  • Large Gold: 90-100
  • Gold: 85-89
  • Large Vermeil: 80-84
  • Vermeil: 75-79
  • Large Silver: 70-74
  • Silver: 65-69
  • Silver-Bronze: 60-64
  • Bronze: 55-59
  • Certificate: 0-54

NEWFOUNDLAND EXHIBITS AT AMERISTAMP

California’s Norris Dyer, who’s chairman of BNAPS’ Newfoundland Study Group, also earned a Large Gold for his single-frame exhibit titled “Shenanigans at the Newfoundland General Post Office 1889-1900.”

Another Newfoundland exhibit, this by Richard Wilson and titled “Newfoundland’s 1897 Royal Family Issue – American Bank Note Company’s Preproduction Plate Proofs,” earned a Gold.

Leave a Reply

Canadian Stamp News

Canada

Canadian Stamp News is Canada's premier source of information about stamp collecting and related fields.

Although we cover the entire world of philatelics, the majority of our readers are Canadian, and we concentrate on the unique circumstances surrounding collecting in our native land.

Send Us Your Event

Running an event? Send it to us and we will display it on Canadian Stamp News!

Submit Event →

Subscribe To 26 Issues For Just $59.99/year

Subscribe today to receive Canada's premier stamp publication. Canadian Stamp News is available in both paper and digital forms.

Subscribe Now