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The Meter Stamp Society

About The METER STAMP SOCIETY (MSS)

President: Joel A. Hawkins, 3102 North 150th Lane, Goodyear, AZ 85338
Secretary/Treasurer: Douglas A. Kelsey, PO Box 16278, Tucson, AZ 85732
Editor Emeritis: Richard Stambaugh, 613 Old Corlies Ave, Neptune, NJ 07753

Editor: David Crotty, PO Box 16115, Ludlow, KY 41016-0115

Vice President: Stephen P. Kaplan, 3659 S. Green Road, Suite 100, Beechwood, OH 44122

APS Representative: A.J. Savakis, PO Box 609, Warren, OH 44482
Archivist/Librarian: Open Position

Webmaster: David Crotty, admin(at)meterstampsociety.com

International Organization: While the majority of the 300 MSS members are located within the United States, there are members from 25 other countries around the world. This diverse membership ensures that the most current meter stamp news is reported and made available to all members by way of the Meter Stamp Society Quarterly Bulletin. It also provides members with the opportunity to correspond with like-minded collectors around the world.

Study/research/collect meter stamps: The primary objectives of the Meter Stamp Society are providing an active forum for the discussion and study of all matters relating to meter stamps and serving the needs and interests of both the novice and experienced meter stamp collector.
Focus on types, slogans, and other specialties: The MSS is dedicated to serving the needs and interests of its members and provides balanced reporting of new and old meter stamp types, exciting slogan themes, and information on more detailed areas. For example, recently there have appeared comprehensive country catalogs on Vatican City and Guatemala and there is a monthly feature on slogan themes. Each month, the Meter Stamp Society Quarterly Bulletin will present coverage that is sure to please the members.

Quarterly Bulletin: All members will receive copies of the award winning Meter Stamp Society Quarterly Bulletin. Back issues are also available for purchase.

Highlight and illustrate all new worldwide issues: Each new issue of the Meter Stamp Society Quarterly Bulletin contains the latest meter stamp news and illustrations of new worldwide issues. For example, the Fall 1997 issue reported the discovery of an 1897 meter stamp used in the United States which completely re-wrote meter stamp history. Until this discovery, Norway was thought to have used the first meter stamp. In addition, the Bulletin serves to update, and maintain current, the various meter stamp catalogs in print, such as The United States Postage Meter Stamp Catalog.
Free member "want ads": Each member can place free "want ads" in the Bulletin. These ads can be used to solicit material of particular interest, offer to share information, or to simply ask questions and seek help from other members.
Member auctions: The Meter Stamp Society Quarterly Bulletin will normally contain an exciting auction twice a year. These auctions provide the opportunity for members to sell their duplicate material and to purchase items that are needed. Past auctions have contained some of the most scarce material, a wide range of slogans, and the more common and moderately priced material.
Opportunities for member’s to present their studies in the Bulletin: The Editor of the Meter Stamp Society Quarterly Bulletin offers print space for research articles and studies that might be of interest to the general membership. This is an excellent opportunity to share your information and establish a network with others who share your specialty.

Periodic publications: Over the past few years, several publications have been published by, or made available through, the MSS. To name a few:

Mailed Via Mailomat, by Douglas A. Kelsey
United States Meter Stamps, First Days and Earliest-Known Uses, by Douglas A. Kelsey
Werner Simon on Postage Meter Stamps of the World
The National Cash register Company – Meter Stamps, compiled by Douglas A. Kelsey

In addition to these MSS-sponsored publications, several other major publications have been made available. The United State Postage Meter Stamp Catalog was published in 1995 and the much-anticipated publication of The International Postage Meter Stamp Catalog arrived in spring of 2005. This is the first comprehensive worldwide meter stamp catalog in over 50 years.

National Conventions: The MSS began holding National Conventions in 1995, with the first one being held in conjunction with COLOPEX95 in Columbus, Ohio. The next conventions were held in conjunction with PACIFIC97 in San Francisco, California and in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania in 1998. The latest one was held in Cleveland, Ohio in March 2005. At each of the past four Conventions, as many as six award-winning meter stamp exhibits have been entered by MSS members and they have walked away with more Gold medals than any other single exhibiting group at the shows. The Convention News page provides a listing of awards given members at these shows.

The Convention sites are selected to afford members in various geographical areas the opportunity to attend. The next convention is scheduled for 2007. Return here for an update.

Slide show: The MSS has an excellent slide show that is available to members for local use. This 35mm slide show presents full color slides of rare and classic meter stamps and postal history items and has received rave reviews.

Meter Stamp Data Collection: The meter town lists are maintained by member Alan Draves. www.meterstamp.com contains the US and Canada town lists and the US Postal Service PVI list.

Full archive and Lending Library: The MSS has the world’s most complete and diverse meter stamp archive. Most of the books and articles are available (borrowed or photocopied) to members on a temporary loan basis for a nominal fee to cover copying and postage. See the Bibliography page for a list of many important books and where to get them.

Competitive annual dues: Annual membership dues to the MSS are considered very reasonable.

To join The Meter Stamp Society:
Just click here to print an application form, OR
click here to download an application form in PDF format.
(Click Here to DOWNLOAD Adobe Acrobat Reader for PDF-Format files)

10 June, 2010