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©2025 FEPA. All Rights Reserved.
UK & Relevant International Laws Apply.
Main Pages:
Magazine & News:
Events:
Other Resources
©2025 FEPA. All Rights Reserved.
UK & Relevant International Laws Apply.
Kids roar at STAMPEX INTERNATIONAL 2023
We received the following Press Release from Stamp Active:
The familiar “Youth Zone”, sponsored by the Philatelic Traders’ Society, returned to Stampex, manned by volunteers from the Stamp Active Network.
Stamp Active had laid on a display of sports stamps and related activities, with youngsters winning points for the popular free children’s auction on Saturday or exchanging points for prizes. The “Lucky Dip”, “Guess the Number of Stamps in the Jar” and “Spin A Prize” games added to the fun. All young visitors received £20 in vouchers to spend at the show, financed by Stamp Active as a result of their fund-raising efforts and dealer patrons. Many dealers were also generous in giving big discounts to the kids on what they had chosen or free items, which were greatly appreciated. This was all very well-received and resulted in some exciting youngsters around the Show. The Show Zone also included a PostCrossing session in the auditorium on Saturday.
The team were pleased to entertain a Year 3 School Group from St. John’s Primary School, Highbury, who listened to a presentation about the history of stamps. They then completed a range of activities including “Design a Stamp”, a “Quiz”, “Guess the Number of Stamps in the Sack” and created their own Greetings Card with “Stamp Art”. Overall, it was a busy session and the youngsters had to be persuaded to leave, such was their enthusiasm. Some returned on Saturday to take part in the activities and auction, showing that they had enjoyed their first visit.
The auction was run again by Keith Burton of the Association of British Philatelic Societies (ABPS) who challenged the young collectors to choose from 30 lots to bid for their favourites. It was held in the Spink Auditorium, which provided a very professional atmosphere for the event. There was fierce competition for some of the more popular items. The kids roared their appreciation at the end for the generous donations from dealers and friends that made up the lots. At the end of the auction, there was a prize draw for a Penny Black, donated by Robin Cassell of Mulready Philatelics, which was won by Xanthe Page, aged 11, from St. Helens.
The best overall entry in the British Youth Stamp Championships came from Dominic Beattie of Aylesbury, aged 17, for a 16 page entry on “Die Ziffernserie”.
Commenting on the event, Chair of Stamp Active, Susan Henderson, said “Stampex exceeded our expectations, particularly as there was a rail strike on our big day. Feedback from the children and their parents was excellent and made all our effort worthwhile. There was lots of fun. The youngsters enjoyed spending their £20 vouchers and we believe some of the dealers were very generous on what they gave to them. Lots of happy young collectors!”
Photo: 1d Black winner Xanthe Page with Robin Cassell.
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“Tavolo dei «postali»”, Palermo, Sicily: 6-8 October
From 6 to 8 October, Palermo will host the third physical meeting “Tavolo dei «postali»” (Postmen’s Table).
The “Tavolo dei «postali»” was born as an idea in 2018. It found supporters in the Institute of Postal Historical Studies “Aldo Cecchi”, the Unione Stampa Filatelica Italiana (Italian Philatelic Press Union) and the Vaccari News. Later, the cultural centre of what is now the MIMIT (Ministry of Business and Made in Italy) was added, participating through the Historical Museum of Communication.
In Italy, there are various entities, public (such as museums and municipalities) or private (associations and individuals), which understand postal activities as modules of art, conservation, culture and entertainment. The idea was to put everyone at the same table (hence the name), let them get to know each other and interact with each other or interested third parties.
Meeting programme: https://fepanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Tavolo-dei-postali-Oct-2023.pdf
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BERGAMOFIL 2023
The last event in the 2023 calendar of Italian national exhibitions was BERGAMOFIL 2023, which took place from 29th September to 1st October under the patronage of FSFI. Over the last few years, Bergamofil has become a traditional appointment, also thanks to the key role played by the organising society, the Circolo Filatelico Bergamasco, which for its activity had been awarded the FEPA certificate of appreciation in 2015 and the Golden Roll of Italian philately in 2021.
The exhibition was held in Chiuduno, about 20 km from Bergamo, and it included the classes of postal history, postal stationery and traditional philately. The scans of all the exhibits are available on the exhibition website:
http://expo.fsfi.it/index.php?CodiceExpo=Bergamofil2023&Ambito=USER.
Renewing a long tradition of friendship and collaboration, the FESOFI – Federación Española de Sociedades Filatélicas was invited to Bergamofil 2023, where it was represented by commissioner José-Pedro Gómez-Agüero. The jury included Bruno Crevato-Selvaggi (president), José-Pedro Gómez-Agüero (vice-president), and Franco Giannini, Giorgio Khouzam and Luca Lavagnino (members), the latter acting also as the FSFI commissioner.
The highest award in the Championship section was awarded to Flavio Pini for the exhibit “Interi postali con tassello pubblicitario 1919-1925” (postal stationery). The competition Grand Prix went to Eugenio De Quesada for “El correo sin Correos en España, siglos XV a XIX. Cartas de fraude y fuera de valija” (postal history). The other main awards went to Pasquale Piccirillo (best in class in traditional philately – “Domini al di qua del faro: da Ferdinando II a Vittorio Emanuele II 1858-1861), Fabio Petrini (best in class in postal stationery – “Dalla Luogotenenza alla Repubblica (Democratica) – Usi delle cartoline postali”) and Angelo Teruzzi (best in class in postal history – “The foreign mail in the Papal States 1852-1870”). Marco Panza received the special prize presented by the FESOFI for “The Postal Rates and the franking system in the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy 1805 – 1814”. Overall, it was a very high-level exhibition: 21 large gold medals and 11 gold medals were awarded.
Next year, BERGAMOFIL 2024 is waiting for us.
Photo: Flavio Pini (left) receives the Championship Award from Bruno Crevato-Selvaggi.
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