Announcement

May 1, 2021

The Philatelic Foundation Remembers Louis Grunin

Louis Grunin, a long time trustee of The Philatelic Foundation and its chairman from 1993 to 1998 and again from 2002 to 2003, passed away on March 17, 2021 at the age of 93.

Lou, as he was known to all of his friends and colleagues, collected and exhibited some of the finest and most valuable stamps and covers for over four decades, winning top international awards along the way. He had an eye for quality and the means to pursue many of the most iconic pieces in United States philately and later, the pleasure and opportunity of seeing each of his collections sold at auction at which they garnered record prices.

As the PF’s Chairman in the 90’s, Lou was a leader in its reorganization and helped to restore its financial stability. Lou also served The Collectors Club of New York as its vice president from 1980 to 1982, its president from 1983 to 1986 and, as a member of its board of directors from 1973 to 1991.

In recognition of his support, participation and leadership, both organizations honored him with their highest awards. The Collectors Club in 1995 with its Alfred F. Lichtenstein Memorial Award for Distinguished Service to Philately, and the PF’s Mortimer L. Neinken Award in 2001 for Meritorious Service.

He will be missed as a longtime leader devoted to the good of our wonderful hobby.

Larry Lyons
Executive Director

Announcement

December 16, 2020

Wade Saadi Joins the PF Board of Trustees

The Philatelic Foundation is pleased to announce that Wade Saadi has become the newest member of its Board of Trustees. Wade collects 19th and 20th century United States stamps and postal history and is both an accomplished exhibitor and speaker.

He has served as President of several philatelic organizations including The Collectors Club, The American Philatelic Society, The United States Philatelic Classics Society, and World Stamp Show-NY 2016. He served as co-chair of the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum, and currently serves on the Board of the Club de Monte Carlo.

He is the recipient of a number of philatelic awards including the Collectors Club’s Lichtenstein Medal, the APS’ Luff Award, the Classic Society’s Distinguished Philatelist Award, and the PF’s Neinken Medal. In addition, he is a signer of The Roll of Distinguished Philatelists awarded by the Philatelic Congress of Great Britain.

Wade’s addition to the PF’s Board comes at time of great challenge as all of us continue to face Covid-19 on a daily basis. We look to the success of the vaccine to end the scourge of this horrible disease. We are fortunate to have our wonderful hobby to turn to during these difficult times for both pleasure and peace of mind. Throughout, the PF has continued to issue its Certificates of Authenticity, providing the collecting community with what are recognized as the “Gold Standard” of opinions.

Wade has served as President of several philatelic organizations including The Collectors Club (CC), The American Philatelic Society (APS), The U.S. Philatelic Classics Society (USPCS), and World Stamp Show-NY 2016. He was co-chair of the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum, and serves on the Board of the Club de Monte Carlo.
Major philatelic awards received include the Lichtenstein Medal (CC), Luff Award (APS), Distinguished Philatelist Award (USPCS), Neinken Medal (Philatelic Foundation) and he is a signer of The Roll of Distinguished Philatelists (Philatelic Congress of Great Britain).
He is an avid collector of 19th and 20th century United States stamps and postal history and is both an accomplished exhibitor and speaker.

Wade has other hobbies including coin collecting, photography, amateur racing, cooking and travel. He lives in New York City with his wife Gail; their son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren complete their family circle.

All of us here at the PF wish you and your families Joyous Holidays and a much Happier New Year. Be safe and well!

Larry Lyons
Executive Director

Announcement

June 29, 2020

Philatelic Foundation to Award Neinken Medal to John M. Hotchner

The Philatelic Foundation will award John M. Hotchner its 2020 Neinken Medal for distinguished service to philately. Originally scheduled to be held at a ceremony and reception at The Collectors Club in New York on October 27, 2020, it instead will be held in October 2021 because of COVID-19 which has shuttered much of New York. A collector since the age of fivc, he has been a devoted leader, writer and active participant in the advancement of organized philately at the international, national and local levels.

Mr. Hotchner served on the Board of the American Philatelic Society for sixteen years including a term as its President, as a member of the National Postal Museum’s Council of Philatelists for twenty years, as well as a dozen years as a member of the Postmaster General’s Citizen’s Stamp Advisory Committee. A co-founder of the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors, he served as a Board member for 32 years including two terms as its President. Accredited as a national chief judge and international judge in both stamps and literature. Mr. Hotchner has served for many years on the APS’ Committee on Judging Accreditation including a term as its Chairman. In 2017, he was invited to sign the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists. On the local level, he has served as president of the Virginia Philatelic Federation. He was a founder of national specialty societies for Auxiliary Markings, AMG Philately, and for Mourning Stamps and Covers.

A prolific writer, Mr. Hotchner currently serves as a contributing editor of Linn’s Stamp News, responsible for its popular “U.S. Stamp Notes,” a weekly column, and as a monthly columnist for The American Stamp Dealer & Collector, and U.S. Stamp News as well as a quarterly columnist for a number of philatelic publications. As an exhibitor, his exhibits have garnered both national grand and reserve grand awards.

PF Chairman Robert G. Rose commented on the choice of Mr. Hotchner as the recipient of its Neinken Medal. “John has done it all, and always at the highest level of achievement, as a collector and exhibitor, as writer and judge, as a philatelic expert and, as a board member and president of philately’s leading organization. We were looking forward to presenting our Neinken Medal to John this fall, but the PF will make certain that he gets his due in 2021!”

Larry Lyons
Executive Director

Announcement

April 28, 2020

PF Remains Busy Issuing Certificates

All of us at the PF are in good health and remain busy logging in your submissions, examining and expertizing each stamp and cover, preparing certificates and packaging submissions and certificates for their return to their owners. Operating remotely with the support and commitment of our outstanding staff, we are continuing to meet the needs of the collecting community on a timely basis.

We hope that each of you and your families are getting through this most difficult of times. Having a diversion, such as our wonderful hobby provides, has been a blessing to so many collectors. With plenty of time on our hands, there is the opportunity to study the stamps and covers all of us have collected over the years.

This year, the PF celebrates its 75th Anniversary as the leading expertizing service in the United States, having issued over 560,000 certificates of authenticity. Moreover, as a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization with an educational mission, our website, www.philatelicfoundation.org, has some really wonderful content that will fill many hours of your time.

Our website provides an opportunity to study the research of some of the most knowledgeable students of philately. Their insights frequently offer a better understanding and appreciation of the significance of stamps and covers in our collections. Take a look at our on-line collection of articles by leading philatelists. Review the incredible correspondence, research cards and classic cover photos prepared by Stanley Ashbrook, one of this country’s leading experts from the 1930’s to the 1950’s. Review the hundreds of faked covers prepared by John A. Fox, a New York dealer and auctioneer whose nefarious work fooled some of the most knowledgeable collectors back in the 1950’s and early 60’s. Study the PF’s exhibition collection of fakes and forgeries and so much more. One of our website’s most popular features, PF Search, is currently being updated, with accessibility to be provided soon on a new server.

We all look forward to the day that we are back to work in our offices in the Collectors Club’s classic town house. But until then, we will continue to help provide the collecting community with the most knowledgeable, authoritative and respected certificates in our hobby. Please continue to send your submissions, with confidence, via Federal Express to our offices in New York.

Please feel free to contact me at llyons@philatelicfoundation.org if you have any questions.

Larry Lyons
Executive Director

Announcement

March 18, 2020

PF Continues to Expertize

The PF will continue to expertize submissions of stamps and covers during these difficult times. We have adapted our office procedures to address the challenge posed by the coronavirus.

Submissions of new material should be limited to FedEx or USPS Express Mail.

No visitors to our offices will be permitted until further notice.

Communications should be directed to our Executive Director, Larry Lyons, via email: llyons@philatelicfoundation.org.

The PF wishes all of our clients the very best while all of us continue to enjoy our wonderful hobby. Stay Well!

The Philatelic Foundation will award Roger S. Brody with its Neinken Medal for distinguished service to philately at a ceremony and reception to be held at The Collectors Club in New York on September 19, 2019. A specialist in early twentieth century United States stamps and postal history, he has been a devoted leader and active participant in the advancement of organized philately at the international, national and local levels.

Mr. Brody is an elected governor, treasurer, and past president of The Collectors Club. He is board chairman of the United States Stamp Society, serving since 1990. Appointed to the Board of Trustees of the American Philatelic Research Library in 2005, he is currently APRL Past-President. In that capacity he also serves on the APS Investment Committee, and formerly chaired the John N. Luff Award Nomination Committee. He is a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society and a signer of its Roll of Distinguished Philatelists. He is a past member of the Smithsonian Institution’s Council of Philatelists, having served as its Research Committee Chair. In that role, he coordinated the efforts of a dozen noted philatelist/researchers and museum staff members in a wide array of research projects. He also served as treasurer for NY2016, the most recent international show held in the U.S.

He is a researcher and author, having published numerous articles on stamps and postal history appearing in The United States Specialist, The Collectors Club Philatelist, Linn’s Stamp News, and the PF Opinions VII & VIII. He is a contributing advisor to the Scott Specialized Catalogue. He has twice earned the annual USSS Hopkinson Memorial Literature Award for the best research article in The United States Specialist. He has presented lectures at the Royal Philatelic Society in London and the National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C. as well as at local clubs and APS national stamp shows. As an exhibitor, his collections have been awarded national gold and international gold medals. A member of the Westfield, New Jersey Stamp Club, he has introduced all of his exhibits at their annual stamp show.

PF Chairman Robert G. Rose commented on the choice of Mr. Brody as the recipient of its Neinken Medal: “Roger has selflessly devoted himself to the advancement of our wonderful hobby as an active participant and devoted leader. The PF is especially pleased to honor him for his many years of service to organized philately, and especially for his dignity and, the respect as a leader that he has shown to all participants in the hobby.”

Announcement

May 23, 2019

PF Announces $10 Grading Special

Many collectors and dealers have extremely fine and superb United States stamps which have received PF Certificates over the years, but have never had them graded. With the growing market for graded stamps, the PF is offering a special limited time discount rate of $10 for each stamp submitted for grading which the PF has previously certified as genuine at any time from 2006 to date. Even better, at the time of submission, you will be able to designate the minimum numerical grade you believe the stamp should receive. If it is awarded the requested grade, you will receive a replacement certificate with the original date and the grade on the certificate. In the event our expert staff determines your designated grade is too high, your stamp will be returned and it will not receive a graded certificate. At $10 per stamp, be sure to take advantage of this limited time offer which is good through the end of this year.

To maximize your savings and reduce the expense of mailing and handling, forward a submission of a number of your highest quality stamps together with their ungraded certificates. Even better, stop by and bring them to our offices next time you’re in New York. Whether by mail or in person, all you need do is mark the instruction box on the PF’s submission form “Grading Special” and send the stamps with their certificates. You can click here to download a submission form on our website.

So act now and get your highest quality stamps graded with replacement certificates for those with ungraded certificates issued by the PF from 2006 to date. For almost 75 years, the PF has issued the most reliable and authoritative certificates in all of philately. Now is the right time to enjoy peace of mind with graded PF Certificates for only a nominal cost. Any questions? Call our Executive Director, Larry Lyons at 212-221-6555, or email him at llyons@philaelicfoundation.org.

You’ll be glad you did!

Collect with Confidence — With a PF Graded Certificate