Interest in investing in rare and valuable stamps create wealth? Then this article is written for you. Here we are covering the best stamp clubs for stamp investors to gain knowledge, to network, to find bargains and ‘gems’ and receive the best buck for your stamp collections.

Before jumping into the best stamp club, let’s define what a stamp club is and how to identify a good one.

What is a Stamp Club?

A club that is committed to delivering stamp collectors the guide, education and access to stamps and services is called a Stamp Club.

Stamp club is structured in such a way that, collectors can easily buy, sell and trade material as well as gather and enjoy the knowledge of various other philatelic (collecting stamps and postal matters as investment or hobby) pursuits.

Consequently, there are different types of stamps clubs such as well-to-do clubs that consist of strong leadership and has maximum participation by its members.

Let’s look at how to identify a good stamp from an average one.

Characteristics of a Good Stamp Club

Now let’s discuss a few major features that should be kept in mind because it can make easier for stamp collectors while choosing an upright stamp club that suits to their choice.

  • A good stamp club conduct research

Research conduct is a part of a good stamps club where time to time meetings are scheduled so that members can exchange their related research ideas with each other and increase their knowledge.

  • Stamp auctions

Decent clubs arrange stamp auctions at least once in a year so that collectors can upgrade their collection and have the chance to improve their personal collection.

  • Guidance and leadership

A good stamp club posses’ strong leadership and maximum involvement from its affiliates.

  • Education

It gives the opportunity to beginners and expert collectors to share their experience and knowledge on the platform without any age restriction.

  • Their members are given a voice

Stamp collectors join well-known clubs for many reasons; therefore, activities and programs of these clubs are designed according to the desire of known members.

Tip: We maintain a large stamp collection (offline) too. Here are some of our Mongolian stamps.

How a Stamp Club Help Stamp Investors?

Stamp clubs and its related societies are a great source for stamp investors, and it helps stamp investors in many ways.

  • It helps people to discover stamp collection community, both online and in-person.

For example, if you live within an area where many active collectors are present, then most probably you can find a traditional stamp club in a nearby area. Otherwise, online stamp clubs help to find such groups and people.

  • These clubs usually initialize and coordinate new programs that give benefits to stamp collectors and investors.
  • It helps philately to flourish by connecting experienced stamp investors all over the world.

Now let’s explore the best stamp clubs from around the world.

The Best Stamp Clubs in the USA

Now, let’s discuss 3 best worldwide working stamps club organizations, located in the USA.

1. American Philatelic Society (APS)

APS is one of the largest international non-profit stamps collecting foundation of philately in the world which was discovered in 1886.

Main Features of the American Philatelic Society
  • It has online stamps buying store named StampStore.
  • It owns the American Philatelic Research Library (APRL) which serves APS members. It has more than 21,000 book titles and 5,700 journal titles.
  • APS offers stamps insurance plans.
  • The APS Dispute Resolution complaint process resolve any possible disputes and issues between its members.

2. American Topical Association (ATA)

ATA is a US-based philatelic society and the largest organization association to topical stamp collecting which was established in 1949.

It collects postage stamps that are related to a specific topic or concept, that’s why it is named as American Topical Association.

Main Features of the American Topical Association
  • It publishes several handbooks yearly and maintains various checklists that are listing hundreds of stamps by topic.
  • It has an official journal, named Topical Time.

This journal takes-in informative and illustrated topical articles, dealer advertising and checklist. It also includes some regular feature articles, e.g. Units in Action and Chapter Chatter and no less than one multi-page feature article.

  • Its research guides use Handbooks. The information in handbooks is well researched by members of Topical Study Units.
  • It has Specific Topical Study Units whose members are specialized in topical philatelic collecting. Topics of study include a wide-range area from Americana on Stamps of the world to Wine on worldwide stamps.

3. United States Stamp Society (USSS)

USSS is also one of the largest working philatelic organization of the US which was founded in 1926.

Main Features of the United States Stamp Society
  • It is devoted to studying and the research related to United States postage and revenue stamps.
  • It consists of specialized committees that encourage philatelic study.

Now let’s turn into the stamp clubs in Canada

The Best Stamp Clubs in Canada

Let’s discuss 3 best worldwide working stamps club organizations, located in Canada.

1. Royal Philatelic Society of Canada (RPSC)

RPSC is a society which is world spokes media for all stamp collectors that are present in Canada. It was founded in 1919.

Main Features of Royal Philatelic Society of Canada
  • It has a journal called Canadian Philatelist which publish every two months.
  • Society allows members and non-members to view the journal issues free of cost.
  • Membership of the society is open to everyone, either it’s a beginner or an advanced collector.

As the RPSC has various member chapters all around the world, so membership in these stamp clubs create enjoyment and helps in continuation of the hobby.

2. Nova Scotia Stamp Club

Nova Scotia Stamp Club has a long history. It is being active for the past 90 years as a reputable organization.

Main Features of Nova Scotia Stamp Club
  • This club organizes a yearly exhibition called NOVAPEX.
  • It is consisting of few executives and committee members in which 2 of directors are elected from club membership, and third is appointed by the Executive.
  • Anyone above 16 years can join this club and further collect, study, exchange and acquire philatelic items and stamps.
  • Additionally, it also has a club library that has approximately 200 volumes and many periodicals.

3. Canadian Philatelic Society of Great Britain

The Canadian Philatelic Society of Great Britain is a society which is working about 70 years to study and promote every aspect of philately within British North America (BNA).

Main Features of the Canadian Philatelic Society of Great Britain
  • It helps in making new friends and focuses on increasing member knowledge.
  • It has an extensive and valuable library that consists of published books, and anyone can borrow books by asking its librarian.
  • Any beginner or advanced collector who is above 18 years can become a member of this club if he is interested in any related field of this club’s scope.
  • One or two auctions take place yearly in which, society members have permission to bid.

4. Winnipeg Philatelic Society

The Best Stamp Clubs in the UK

Here, we discuss the 3 best worldwide working stamps club organizations, located in the UK.

1. The Association of British Philatelic Societies Ltd (ABPS)

This is a National Organization catering stamp collectors and those who have an interest in philately, through the Federations and local societies.

Main Features of the Association of British Philatelic Societies
  • It categorizes its members such as Specialists, Federations, Local Nationals and Overseas Societies.
  • Its work focuses on the increasing growth of philately and represents philately as a hobby both nationally and internationally. As such, it also organizes workshops locally and nationally.
  • It has a journal called ABPS News that issues a journal, at least 4 times a year.
  • Its purpose is to publicize the work related to affiliated societies and federations at local and national levels along with the reports on developments within philatelic.

2. Aberdeen Philatelic Society

The Aberdeen Philatelic Society is a Scotland, UK based philatelic society active since 1918, that is a member of the Association of Scottish Philatelic Societies and the Association of British Philatelic Societies.

Main Features of the Aberdeen Philatelic Society
  • It has a library that is solely available to its members as well as this library contains various catalogues along with reference collection related to forgeries which can be borrowed by its members for study purpose.
  • To keep updated its members regarding stamp events and news, a twice-yearly they publish a newsletter.
  • Its society members are interested in both stamps and postal history and welcomed warmly either they are specialized or a beginner as a stamp collector or investor.

3. Alton Stamp Club

This is a club that was founded in 1964 with 11 group of people whose motto was to provide such forum to other people that has postage interest.

These 11 founding members decided that they will never become a philatelies’ society but a stamp club that will always encourage stamps collectors, regardless if they want to collect stamps on a casual basis or want to be a serious philatelist.

Main Features the Alton Stamp Club
  • Visitor speakers are welcomed in this club who provide interesting and varied philatelic displays.
  • This club has an exchange packet scheme where members show their materials in booklet forms.
  • A yearly auction is also part of this club and time to time they arrange large events with members of federation clubs.

Tip: We maintain a large stamp collection (offline) too. Here are some of our UK and Scottish stamps.

The Best Stamp Clubs in Australia

Here we discuss the 3 best worldwide working stamps club organizations, located in Australia.

1. Ballarat Philatelic Society

The Ballarat Philatelic Society was established in 1904 and is known as one of the oldest clubs located in Victoria. It is considered as one of the most active stamp clubs working in regional Victoria.

Main Features of the Ballarat Philatelic Society
  • It arranges 2 major stamps fairs every year which are very popular within local collectors. In this fair, local dealers and collectors display their wealth to the interest of people.
  • It also arranges mini auctions where each item is presented with its price where multiple members and visitors can bid, and winning bidders are asked to directly deal with sellers.

2. Joan Orr and the Nanango Stamp Club

This club is founded in 1987 due to a reason that people are finding out why there is no stamp club in Nanango, Queensland or any nearby area. So, an educational officer Joan Orr established this club and also became the first member of this club.

Main Features of the Joan Orr and the Nanango Stamp Club
  • This club’s purpose is to give serious and important information about stamps for kids, so they can also spend their time collecting philatelic information. That’s how they encourage kids to spend less time on the iPad.
  • Adults who are about to retire also take interest in it because after retirement they can spend time in collecting stamp stories as they used to do in their childhood.
  • This club has also contributed to Chinese Philatelic material.

3. Australia Post

The Australian Post acts as a centralized hub for stamp collectors and people who are known as philatelic enthusiastic.

Main Features of The Australian Post to Stamp Investors
  • They are working as a centralized hub, and support with the latest information or news, events and views that take place across Australia and the rest of the world.
  • They also give chance to collectors to share their stamp collecting experiences that can be displayed on their site. This includes collectors’ collection experience, their specialist area of philately, their views about current events and anything that make that collector so passionate about stamp collecting.
  • Their philatelic designs reflect Australian history and culture, along with celebrating the environment.

The Best Stamp Clubs in South Africa

Lastly, now let’s look at the 3 best worldwide working stamps club organizations, located in South Africa.

1. Doreen Royan & Associates: Fine and Rare Postage Stamps (DR€A)

Doreen Royan & Associates consist of professional philatelists that benefit collectors and investors with their expertise for 34 years.

The Association Main Features

They provide services such as

  • Professional stamp investment advice
  • Stamp information and updates
  • Buying and selling of single items or collections
  • Sourcing of postage stamps

2. Southern Africa Philately

It hosts south African philately and publishes a journal three time in a year.

South African Philately Main Features
  • Its journal is Springbok which comes out as 4 Issues, every year for its members. The journal aims to restore those journals that are being obsoleted in PDF format.
  • It also supports Southern Africa Philatelic Conference that occurs annually.

3. The Philatelic Society for Greater Southern Africa (PSGSA)

This society has been affiliated with the American Philatelic Society and the Philatelic Federation of Southern Africa. It started working in 1987 with 16 founding members.

Main Features of the Philatelic Society for Greater Southern Africa
  • Its purpose is to appreciate, understand and increase information related to philately by mutual sharing.
  • The society has a journal that appears 3 times yearly which includes over 100 pages of research, discussion and information.
  • It also promotes publication material that is finalized by the Publication Committee.

Tip: We maintain a large stamp collection (offline) too. Here are some of our Swedish stamps.

Conclusion

If we are interested in philately, then we can still find such clubs and societies that have the same interest in stamp collection as we have. But in case, if there is no such club in the locality, then you can make your own working club or society that will prosper with some effort and time.

After all, there are many clubs in the online space, if the face to face interaction is not your priority.

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