StampShow/NTSS Coming to Omaha

APS StampShow/National Topical Stamp Show, the largest national event for stamp collectors, will be held from August 1-4 at the CHI Health Center, 455 N 10th St, Omaha, Nebraska. The free event is co-sponsored by the United States Postal Service which will issue four new stamps for Military Dogs at the show on Thursday, August 1. The USPS will also have a large retail presence offering a selection of current U.S. stamps for sale.

The heart of the show is the bourse of 75 dealers buying and selling stamps and covers ranging in price from a few cents to hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The dealers will be supplemented by a multi-session public Harmer-Schau auction. On Saturday a cachetmakers bourse will be held where collectors may purchase cacheted covers sold by the artists. The APS will also sponsor Stamps by the Bucket and Covers by Container where youth may acquire a bucket of stamps or a container of covers for only $1 ($5 for adults).

No other philatelic event offers two multiple frame grand awards (for National Topical Stamp Show and APS StampShow), two single frame grands, the World Series of Champion of Champions, the Youth Exhibiting Championship, a literature competition, and a Court of Honor. The Court of Honor will include an exhibit on the Transcontinental Railroad which was completed with the Golden Spike 150 years ago. Three of America’s rarest postal items – the Inverted Jenny, The “Dag Hammarskjold Invert” and the earliest known U.S. Presidential “Free Frank” – will be on display. In total 750 frames (12,000 pages) of exhibits ranging from "Backyard Chickens," "Cuba Errors & Varieties", and "Point Arena Lighthouse" will showcase the diversity of the hobby.

The event serves as the annual meeting of the two largest philatelic organizations in the U.S., the American Philatelic Society and American Topical Association. In total 50 philatelic organizations will participate in the show, many with a booth and or meetings and seminars. Cats on Stamps will be the ATA featured study unit. A show passport will serve as a guide for sponsor and society booths and encourage exploration and collection.

The American Philatelic Society will also sponsor three six hour “On the Road Courses” during the show. Postal History of the Holocaust will be taught by Justin Gordon on Thursday, August 1. Post Office Historical Research Techniques Supporting Cover Documentation by Frank Scheer will focus upon Railway Post Office (RPO) history on Friday, August 2. Applying Different Philatelic Lenses to the Trans-Mississippi Issue will be offered by Casey Jo White on Saturday August 3. There is limited capacity for these courses for which a fee and advance registration is required.

World-renowned stamp designer Chris Calle has created the official APS StampShow cachet for 2019. These specially designed, hand-cancelled envelopes will be available for sale. A stamp designer for several countries, Calle is credited with designing more than 200 worldwide postage stamps, including twenty-five for the United States Postal Service. Calle will be available for autographs at the APS Booth.

Youth can learn about , compete for prizes, design stamps, play games, and pick up items for their stamp collections in the Youth Area – all for free! Adults interested in learning more about the basics of stamp collecting can attend “Stamp Collecting 101” on Saturday. This beginner course introduces collectors to the tools and techniques involved in handling, preserving and storing a collection. The American Topical Association will be celebrating its 70th anniversary at the show and offers a post show Highlights of Omaha tour which is open to the public on Monday, August 5. Stops include the Strategic Air Command, Mormon Trail Museum, Durham Museum in Omaha’s Art Deco Union Station and historic Old Market.

Participation by the Smithsonian and Boys Town is anticipated but not yet confirmed.

Show hours will be Thursday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. To download the mobile app or for more information including hotel information, details on the participating dealers, the show schedule, and exhibit information visit stamps.org/stampshow.