FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 16, 2005…The U.S. Philatelic Classics Society (USPCS) announced today that the program for its annual meeting at the Rocky Mountain Stamp Show (RMSS) in the Denver, CO area from May 13^th to 15^th will provide something for all levels of students of the classic period of U.S. postal issues. Society members will present three seminar sessions, show over 1000 pages of material in the exhibit frames, gather to both conduct the business of the society and to socialize, in addition to seeking to add to their collections in the dealer’s bourse.

"I commend all of the committee chairs on their hard work and dedication to the society and look forward to rekindling friendships with my fellow members." said Wilson Hulme, President of the Society. "The annual meeting is a chance for us to meet all of our goals as an organization — to promote interest and knowledge of the classic issues of the United States, to encourage philatelic research and the exchange of information, and to build and increase a sense of community among our members," Hulme continued.

• When: May 13^th to May 15^th
• Show Location: Holiday Inn — Denver International Airport, John Q. Hammons Trade Center, I-70 at Chambers Road, Aurora, (Denver) Colorado. A special discount room rate of $84.00 plus tax is available to attendees of the RMSS.
• Show Hours: Friday and Saturday from 10:00 to 6:00 and Sunday from 10:00 to 3:00
• Show Admission: The RMSS charges $1.50 per day or $3.00 per weekend admission. However, coupons for free admission to the show are available on the RMSS website, the USPCS website, and in the USPCS Chairman’s Chatter newsletter.
• RMSS Website: http://www.rockymountainstampshow.com

As of March 15, 2005, the USPCS has confirmed the following plans:

Seminar Series: Program chair Charles Souder had confirmed three USPCS members to present sessions as part of the program at the show. Currently planned, though times and room locations are being finalized and are subject to change, are:

• "The Providence, RI Silent Precancel, or is it a Control Mark?" presented by Dr. Charles J. Di Como on Friday, May 13, at either 3:00 or 4:00;
• "Understanding Transatlantic Mail - The Book," presented by Richard Winter on Saturday, May 14, following the Annual Meeting of the Society at approximately 2:30;
• "How to Detect Internet Fakes & Forgeries" presented by Clark Frazier on Sunday between 11:00 to 1:00.

The seminars are open to all attendees of the RMSS and will be presented free of charge.

Annual Dinner: Regional Vice-President Stephen B. Pacetti has arranged a members’ dinner on Friday evening, May 13^th in the Breckenridge Room of the Holiday Inn (show hotel) with cocktails commencing at 6:30 (cash bar — but beer and wine included in dinner price), and dinner at 7:15. The menu for the dinner includes:

• Salad: Marinated grilled asparagus vegetable salad with lemon vinaigrette dressing
• Entrée: Filet Mignon of Beef OR Salmon "Colubaick" (shrimp mousse and spinach wrapped in puff pastry). Entrées will be accompanied by an appropriate sauce, vegetables, and accompaniments. Wine will be served with dinner, and coffee/tea will be available. A vegetarian entrée alternative will also be available which will be determined based on what is fresh and available at the time.
• Dessert with coffee/tea: Chocolate ribbon mousse cake with Grand Marnier cream sauce and fresh berries.

Tickets to the dinner cost $60 per person, which includes the dinner with wine, tax, and service charge. Members are requested to indicate as soon as possible intentions to attend this event (as well as your choice of Entrée) by sending an email to Stephen at sbp57@comcast.net, followed by a check for the price of the dinner made out to "The U.S. Philatelic Classics Society, Inc.", and mailed to, Stephen Pacetti, 12751 W. Alameda Dr., Lakewood, CO 80228-2801.

More details on the event and the address for payment can be obtained from the annual meeting links on the society website at http://www.uspcs.org. Due to planning requirements, reservations for the dinner must be made in advance will not be available at the show.

Exhibits: USPCS members have entered a wide range of exhibits as part of the RMSS exhibition and competition. Exhibits already accepted by members includes:

• Baltimore Postal History: from Colonial Times until the UPU
• Roger Sherman of Connecticut on U.S. Stamps and Currency
• Appreciating US Classics 1847-1868
• Independent State and Confederate Mail of North Carolina
• The First Ten Years of Bureau Issues, 1894-1903
• 1893 Columbian Envelopes
• Postal Routes and Roads of West Virginia to 1830
• Forerunners -- The Philatelic Truck and Souvenir Sheet
• United States Five Cent Issue of 1856 (in the Court of Honor)

As the deadline for exhibit application submission is April 15, 2005 or when the exhibit frames have been filled, the list of USPCS-member exhibits may grow. A copy of the Exhibit Prospectus and application are available from the website of the RMSS at http://www.rockymountainstampshow.com/Prospectus_Entry.html.

Annual Meeting: Members of the society are requested to attend the annual meeting to be held on Saturday, May 14^th at 1:00 at the show hotel (check program for specific location). The program of the annual meeting will include:

• Report on any decisions made by the Board of Directors of the Society at their meeting held earlier in the day

• Consensus of annual reports from the various officers and committees of the Society
• Discussion of society business, including future plans and directions for the Society
• Election of new Board members
• Announcement of the society award winners (details below)
• Presentation of the annual meeting seminar presentation

Annual Awards: During the annual meeting, the society will announce the winners of all of its annual awards, including the society’s highest honor — the Distinguished Philatelist Award. Since its inauguration in 1988, thirty-nine people have been invited to sign this award in recognition for "Exceptionally meritorious service to U.S. philately through published research, award-winning collections, active participation in the organization and promotion of philatelic exhibitions, and sustained administrative service to the national or international organizations which furthered United States philately." Ken Lawrence and Herbert A. Trenchard were the 2004 recipients of the Distinguished Philatelist Award.

In addition, the Society will also present the following additional awards:

• The Stanley B. Ashbrook Cup — Awarded to authors of articles, books, or other studies concerning U. S. postal history from the colonial period to 1894
• The Dr. Carroll Chase Cup — Awarded to authors of articles, books, or other studies concerning any U. S. stamp issued to 1894 including postmaster's provisionals, locals, carriers, and back-of-the-book material
• The Lester G. Brookman Cup — Awarded only to a member of The U. S. Philatelic Classics Society for outstanding service to the Society
• The Elliott Perry Cup — Awarded to authors of articles, books, or other studies concerning either U. S. stamps or postal history to 1894, with particular weight to newly discovered information, reported and used by the recipient, from original sources; from newly found manuscript material; or from materials presently held by the United States archives or any public or private institution
• Mortimer L. Neinken Award — Awarded for articles about U. S. classic stamps published in a given Chronicle volume
• The Susan M. McDonald Award — Awarded for articles about U. S. classic postal history published in a given Chronicle volume

Further Information: Further information about the annual meeting will be posted on the society website at http://www.uspcs.org as they become available.

The U.S. Philatelic Classics Society is the premier organization for the study of the postal issues and postal history from the Stampless Era up to the Bureau Issues. The society is the successor of "The Three Cent 1851-57 Unit" (Unit Number 11) of the American Philatelic Society. Our members include both collectors and students. Many have written articles that have been published in our award winning quarterly magazine, The Chronicle, and in other publications. Information about the USPCS, membership, its publications, and articles of interest to collectors and students of the classic period of U.S. philately, can found at the society’s website at www.uspcs.org.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Wilson Hulme
President, USPCS
wilson.hulme@uspcs.org

or

Chip Gliedman
Publicist, USPCS
publicist@uspcs.org