Four Centuries of American Art stamps designer Howard Paine accepts his plaque from USPS chief lobbyist Deborah Willhite.

Matthew W. Kewriga, a "senior youth," won a gold medal at STAMPSHOW '98 for his exhibit, "U.S. Two-Cent Vermilion Banknote: Postal History and Cancellations". Here he accepts his medal from chief judge F. Burton Sellers.

The USPS and APS feel most shows are too scruffy, and places to sit and relax slow down commerce at the shows.

The American Philatelic Society, however, insisted on chairs and benches for STAMPSHOW '98.

The relationship between the APS and U.S. Postal Service is now being discussed in the Forum's Message Board.

Some of the judges at STAMPSHOW '98 examining exhibits.

Slide and overhead projectors were available for the large number of seminars, meetings and discussions held at STAMPSHOW '98.

Here, Delphi member Alan Warren (right) of suburban Philadelphia discusses first day covers and exhibiting first day covers. Warren has written the FDC section of the new American Philatelic Society judging manual, now undergoing review and final editing.

American Philatelic Society executive director Robert Lamb and Secretary Janet Klug (right) at the APS general membership meeting August 29th in Santa Clara, California.

Bugs Bunny, Tweety and Sylvester attended the show, and didn't just stick to the kids area!

There was an explosion at STAMPSHOW '98 of computer-related booths at the show: There were many more this year than before.

Along one of the major aisles were StampFinder, Philatelists.Com, eBay, StampBase and the Computers in Philately Committee. Shown at left is Philatelic Computing Study Group secretary and editor Bob de Violini about to demonstrate a piece of software at the Committee's booth.

Across the aisle from the Committee booth was the huge Subway Stamp Shop booth, where Marios Theodossiou was demonstrating his EzStamp for Windows program throughout the show.

Text and Photos © 1998 by Lloyd A. de Vries