$5 OFF 'BARGAIN OF CENTURY' That's what Linn's called the Encyclopedia of United States Stamps and Stamp Collecting --- a 730-page hardbound full-color review of U.S. stamps, history, production, and technology, with tips for the novice, too. This month, members save $5! ORDER YOURS NOW

LEARNING ABOUT STAMPS Preschoolers recently lit up  the American Philatelic Center. They learned how stamps carry mail, visited the Headsville Post Office, and searched through stamps to complete a stamp story. Each received stamps and information to help them continue in the hobby. TAKE A TOUR OF RECENT APS YOUTH EFFORTS

LET 'QUICK I.D.' WORK FOR YOU! Since 2005, Quick I.D. has filled a special need for collectors, identifying items at much lower cost that the formal certification offered by the American Philatelic Expertizing Service (APEX) --- and more rapidly, too.   HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF 'QUICK I.D.' SERVICE

'FLAGS OF OUR NATION' ALBUM On June 14, the USPS will begin a three-year, 60-stamp series of commemorative-size coils depicting flags of 50 states, four territories, the District of Columbia, and four different U.S. flags, too. The APS has prepared free color pages for the first 10 stamps. VIEW AND DOWNLOAD PAGES

RECRUIT A MEMBER, EARN $5!  Give the Business Reply Card in your June American Philatelist to a friend, or PROVIDE US with a prospective member's contact information, and we will send them a personalized invitation listing you as their sponsor.  Other TOOLS are available to help recruit new members.

HARTFORD SHOW Hotels Special-rate rooms are still available --- but reservations are filling fast --- at hotels for StampShow 2008 August 14-17 in Hartford, Connecticut. Blocks of rooms have been reserved at the show hotel, the Marriott Hartford Downtown, as well as at a nearby Holiday Inn Express. COMPLETE DETAILS ARE HERE

WOMEN EXHIBITORS JOIN APS  The APS welcomes Women Exhibitors (WE) as the 200th active APS affiliate. WE encourages women exhibitors to help each other by sharing ideas, information, experience, advice, problems, and solutions, in seminars, its quarterly online newsletter WE think (edited by founding member and APS Past President Janet Klug), and mentoring. LEARN MORE HERE

STAMPSTORE HAS PAID $7,000,000 APS members have received checks totaling more than $7 million for items they have sold on StampStore.  Daily sales are about $5,000 for the site which offers 300,000 items including 1,000 new items each day.  If you haven't visited StampStore recently, you don't know what you're missing! Why not visit StampStore RIGHT NOW?

ELECTION POLICY REVISED  At a meeting of the Board of Directors on May 9, the committee charged with reviewing APS Election Policies and Guidelines presented its REPORT and recommendations. The report was accepted and a NEW ELECTION POLICY approved by the board.

FLOREX A NATIONAL SHOW With the addition of FLOREX, the U.S. now has 32 nationally accredited stamp shows.  The Grand Award winner at FLOREX will now be eligible to compete in the annual APS Champion of Champions competition. Sponsored by the Florida Stamp Dealers Association, FLOREX 2008 will take place December 5-7 at the Central Florida Fair Grounds in Orlando, Florida. Make plans to attend FLOREX now!

TIP:  KEYS TO STAMP SALES Want to successfully sell your stamps? First, place yourself in the position of a buyer. Ask yourself, "What am I looking for when I buy a stamp or cover for my collection?" Proper description, condition, price, presentation — this crucial quartet are the main considerations for most collectors, and not necessarily in that order. MORE

JUNE 21 SALUTE TO ST. LOUIS   Saturday, June 21, kicks off the busiest week of 2008 at the American Philatelic Center. SCOPEX 2008 --- the annual exhibition and bourse of the Mount Nittany Philatelic Society --- will get under way. The APC will welcome visitors, including friends from the Wisconsin Federation of Stamp Clubs and the New York's Syracuse Stamp Club. They will enjoy an Open House at the Headsville Post Office and the first of five scheduled "Summer Saturday" openings of the American Philatelic Research Library and APS Sales Division. At 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, there will be a special dedication of the St. Louis Patio adjacent to the Gordon and Mary Morison Pavilion that houses the Headsville Post Office. The open-air patio's name recalls the important contribution to American philately made by pioneers from Missouri's Gateway City, beginning with John K. Tiffany, this nation's most prominent philatelist and president for the first ten years of the American Philatelic Association (now the APS), in the 1880s and 1890s. David Straight, T. G. Rehkop, Gary Hendren, and Peter Mastrangelo are currently scheduled to speak at the dedication. SEE THE COMPLETE SCHEDULE FOR SATUIRDAY, JUNE 21

NEW ON THE WEBSITE - Recruiting Tools - Youth Activity Photos FREE DOWNLOADS - Computer Wallpaper - Album Pages - APS Logo - APS Member Application - ISU Submission Form THE AMERICAN PHILATELIST - Online Features - President's Column - From the Executive Director - Table of Contents. SPONSOR A NEW MEMBER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES - June 21-27 Bellefonte, PA - Aug 12-13 Hartford, CT - Sept. 26-27 Washington, DC - Oct. 24-25 Bellefonte, PA - Nov. 19-20 Chicago, IL APS SHOWS - Aug 14-17, 2008 Hartford, CT - Feb 20-22, 2009 Arlington, TX WSP (NATIONAL) SHOWS - May 30-June 1, Seattle, WA - June 6-8, McLean, VA - June 13-15, Clackamas, OR - June 27-29, Indianapolis, IN RESOURCE LINKS - Dealers - Show Calendar - Clubs - Affiliates APS STAMP TALK JUST FOR KIDS PRESS RELEASES - Women Exhibitors Join APS - June 21 at the APC - Stamps of Connecticut Album AWARDS NOMINATIONS NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE - May 2008