FEPA Medal for Exceptional Study and Research 2024
Mehmet Akan (Turkey)
Co-authors: Selçuk Akar, Turhan Turgut RDP, Emre Utku
for “Postal Rates of the Republic of Türkiye, 1920-1950”
The book is a project by the Postal Rates Research Group of the Turkish Philatelic Academy based on a collaborative effort by Mehmet Akan, Selçuk Akar, and Emre Utku, prominent figures from the new generation of philatelists, along with respected philatelist Turhan Turgut RDP. This 350-page, full-colour, and fully bilingual book (Turkish-English) documents Turkey’s postal rates from 1920 -1950, covering all postage services defined in UPU Congress publications and airmail rates. It also includes comprehensive information on special rates and services, examining many categories that had not previously been catalogued or thoroughly analysed. The book is a very comprehensive reference work on postal rates in the Turkish Republic. The information was collected in easy-to-use tables; the relevant source information is provided for each rate. This allows the reader to check the accuracy of the rates if necessary. The work draws on significant collections and meticulously scanned official archives, ensuring all rate-related information is supported by references to archival sources. Philatelic collections often risk being divided over time, but reference publications like this help preserve the subject’s legacy. This book will become an essential reference work, addressing a critical gap in Turkish philatelic studies in scope and content.
