The Richard Winter Cup
Nicholas Kirke
The Richard Winter Cup is awarded to authors or creators of print, electronic or digital media concerning United States postal history from the colonial period to 1900. For 2024, the Winter Cup is awarded to Nicholas Kirke for his two volume work, New York City Foreign Mail 1845–1878. His work is meticulous and historically rich, often highlighting not just the stamps and cancellations but also the broader context—like shipping routes, postal treaties, and the commercial networks of 19th-century New York. It’s a niche field, but one that combines art, history, and detective work in a way that clearly resonates with him.
Nick has exhibited extensively, including an eight-frame exhibit titled The Progression of the New York Foreign Mail Cancellation, 1870–1878, which showcases the evolution of these markings. He is a highly respected philatelist with a deep passion for postal history. His specialty lies in New York Foreign Mail (NYFM) cancellations, particularly from the period 1845 and 1878. These are the intricate postmarks used on mail sent from New York to international destinations, and they are prized for their variety and historical significance.
The U.S. Philatelic Classics Society congratulates Mr. Kirke for his outstanding work, which will greatly further knowledge and appreciation of this aspect of U. S. postal history.
Tracy Simpson Cup
David D’ Alessandris
The 2024 Tracy Simpson Cup for outstanding service to the society is awarded to David D’ Alessandris for his 15 years of service to the USPCS. David joined the Society almost 40 years ago, but was not active until 2009 when he became the publication sales manager and joined the Board of Directors. David assumed the role of Vice President in 2016 and was elected by the Board to succeed Fred Gregory as President at the Society’s annual meeting at Garfield-Perry March 7, 2020 – less than a week before the economy shut-down due to the COVID 19 pandemic. During his four years as President, David navigated the Society through show cancellations, event rescheduling, paper shortages, and other disruptions caused by the pandemic. He also presided over the first, and, so far only, annual meeting held virtually on the Zoom platform.
In addition to his prior roles as a Society officer, David continues to serve as an assistant section editor of the Chronicle for the foreign mails section. He also wrote the Member Spotlight column for the Chairman’s Chatter for a number of years. Additionally, David has served as the facilitator of the Baltimore-Washington USPCS regional chapter for the past 10 years.
Susan M. McDonald Award
Daniel J. Ryterband
The Susan McDonald award is given annually by the Section Editors of the Chronicle to recognize the year’s best Chronicle article. The McDonald winner for 2024 is Daniel J. Ryterband, for his well-researched and wonderfully illustrated series, “The Anaconda Plan and the Blockade of the Confederacy” serialized in the Chronicle beginning February 2023 and concluding February 2024. In five installments, all published in the Chronicle‘s 1861 section, Ryterband used covers to support an illustrated discussion of the ships and activities of the Anaconda Plan – the Union blockade of the Confederacy that contributed substantially to the ultimate federal victory.
Much has been written in the Chronicle and elsewhere about blockade runners and the covers they carried, but until this series, very little had been written about the postal history of the blockade itself. Ryterband explored the Union side of Civil War Blockade mail, region by region, supported by illustrations of covers (mostly selected from his award-winning collection) and other collectible artifacts.
The blockade of the rogue Confederate States was proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln on 19 April 1861, a week after the bombarding of Fort Sumter that marked the outbreak of the Civil War. Initially proposed by Union General-in-Chief Winfield Scott the “Anaconda Plan” emphasized a blockade of the Southern ports and called for control of the Mississippi River to cut the South in two, thereby choking its economy and limiting its ability to supply troops. Ryterband’s series looked at each of the blockade squadrons, the ships that composed them and their associated postal markings. Altogether, a tour de force, on a subject that had never before been addressed in the pages of the Chronicle.
Distinguished Philatelist
2025 John Zuckerman
John Zuckerman is awarded the Distinguished Philatelist Award in 2025 for his outstanding contribution building internet-based philatelic resources, including censuses of United States stamps and Siegel’s Power Search(™). These freely available services have aided countless collectors and dealers over the past 20 years. Over the past few years, John has moved the census data from a static PDF-based database to a dynamic database that is updated with each sale. He has tied sale records to certification records of The Philatelic Foundation and Professional Stamp Experts, giving buyers and sellers instant access to population reports and sale results.
John’s census of 5c 1856 Issue covers resulted in a Chronicle article, and he collaborated with Scott Trepel to create a census and entirely new approach to the 1869 Pictorial Safety Paper Essays. Currently he is finalizing a census of Civil War Patriotic covers from the Angell correspondence.
In today’s digital era, John has played an integral role in compiling and presenting essential data. This information has been used by prospective buyers and sellers, as well as researchers and expertizers, to analyze the material and the market. His Distinguished Philatelist Award is well-deserved.
Distinguished Philatelist
2025 Chip Gliedman
Charles “Chip” Gliedman has been awarded the Distinguished Philatelist Award in 2025 for his outstanding contributions including the recent completion of the first phase of the huge project to update and automate the American Stampless Cover Catalog launched online as the American Postal Marking Catalogue.
In the exhibiting realm, Chip won the Grand Prix International at CAPEX 2022 and the AAPE single frame Champion of Champions for “Mail Routes of Rupert’s Land” and opening up the western half of Canada via fur trading mail.
Chip is a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London (RPSL) as well as a member of the APS, CCNY, and AAPE. For 2019 he won the US Philatelic Classics Society best Chronicle article and the Susan McDonald Award. Chip has also been the Chronicle section editor for the 1861 period, and last year became Associate Editor of the Chronicle.
Distinguished Philatelist
2025 Larry Haber
Larry Haber’s path to this award is both, in his view, entirely undeserved and yet painfully familiar. Introduced to the hobby by his grandfather, young Larry was frequently dragged along to the stamp department at Gimbels and various old-time dealers. His grandfather even brought him to a stamp show—held at the Armory in Manhattan—though Larry had no idea what he was looking at. Like any obedient grandson, he mimicked his elder’s collection with U.S. singles and plate blocks. Mint, of course, but no 1847s. Not even used examples. Sorry. Those issues exceeded his financial capacity, which was mainly supplied from the proceeds of his birthday presents. He also wisely stopped short of modern FDCs, though that didn’t prevent him from accumulating boxes of the stuff from the 1940s through the 1960s. These now reside in his garage, spared from the pulper only by a stubborn strain of sentimentality.
After some years of dabbling, Larry became increasingly appalled by the visual crimes the U.S. Post Office (as it was known in those days) committed in the name of design. He found refuge in the refined elegance of Swiss stamps—exquisite examples of engraved art that formed the basis of what he would later describe (without irony) as his “miniature private art collection.” That he would later relocate to Switzerland suggests either a deep love of mountains or a subtle philatelic prophecy.
Like many collectors, his interest went dormant during college. The albums were shelved—and stayed that way until he stopped working for money. Freed from such obligations, he returned joyfully to his small pieces of paper. Thankfully, his career robbing banks improved his childhood financial limitations.
He was living mostly in Charleston, SC, when the APS Winter Show came to town in February 2011. On a whim, he signed up for a class on exhibiting—never having seen an exhibit in his life. But it was a class, and Larry likes classes. Taught by Bob and Liz Hisey, the course ignited something. His first exhibit—four (eventually five) frames on a truly worthless British stamp—won a vermeil, and he was thrilled. Encouraged, he entered Westpex and Napex and got more vermeils. But just as enthusiasm began to ebb, a high official of the U.S. Stamp Society came along and gently pointed out that improvement was possible. Larry listened, applied the advice, and voilà: next time out, a gold.
The more important lesson, however, was not about gold medals. It was about fellowship. That someone of stature—an RDP no less, with legendary U.S. collections—would invest time in someone fiddling with a modern British oddity? Illogical, yet beautiful. That moment revealed how this hobby, despite its eccentricities, is driven by generosity and connection.
In time, Larry was honored to present to the Collectors Club in New York. He did “okay”—or so they said when they gave him the Best Program Award of 2015. Then came the real trap: an invitation to join the board, and later, in 2020, to serve as president—a role he still holds. During his tenure, he helped steer the Club through the pandemic, the Zoom revolution, and the relocation and outfitting of new quarters. He has also endured 159 philatelic presentations without once nodding off—a record likely to stand for the ages, much like Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak. Occasionally, he might even appear to be interested in what was being said.
All the while, his collecting interests continued to mutate. From worthless British issues, he graduated to very expensive British issues. Ever price a plate 11 penny black on cover? Yikes!!! He also dove headlong into the postal affairs of the U.S. in 1909, producing a confounding exhibit with the widest score range in U.S. WSP history: 69 to 93 points. A feat of contrast he regards with fierce pride—and no real hope of being surpassed.
And let’s not overlook his current voyage into the postal history of New Haven. Oh, the joy of straight-line cancels and the pride in owning the ugliest item in U.S. philately: the New Haven Provisional. (Isn’t this where we all began? Ugly US stamp stuff?) Anyway, right now, it’s a collection. At some point, it may become an exhibit, likely accompanied by a philosophical essay on the injustice of an importance score of 5.
Ultimately, what shouldn’t be overlooked is Larry’s gratitude for the many kind souls in this hobby who have guided him, tolerated him, and offered both wise and indulgent advice. He remains deeply thankful—even if he doesn’t always show it. Truly.
