Educational Philatelic Vacation

In its 33rd year, the APS Summer Seminar on Philately is unique in the hobby, offering instruction in specific areas through a combination of lectures and hands-on workshops.

Dates: June 17 - 22, 2012

Location: Hosted at the American Philatelic Center in Bellefonte, PA

What to Expect Throughout the Week:
The 2012 Summer Seminar begins with a Sunday evening dinner. The remainder of the seminar week, Monday–Thursday, features 4½ hours daily of class time, PLUS afternoon elective workshops, a student auction and two dinners. You’ll finish off the week on Friday at a breakfast session with the staff of the American Philatelic Center, and one last opportunity to use the library, sales division, expertizing reference library, and other resources at the Center.

2012 Major Course Selection

Four-Day Courses

Costs: 4-Day Major course $540 members and $640 non-members.
(includes Sun. evening dinner, Mon. - Thurs. lunches,
2 snack breaks/day, Mon. and Thurs. dinners, and Fri. breakfast.)

1. CLASS FULL - How to Read and Evaluate a Cover, with David Straight
2. CLASS FULL - Literature and Research, with Daniel Piazza and Tara Murray, APRL Library Resources Director
3. U.S. Bank Note Company Issues: 1870-1890,
   with Clark Frazier and Bill Weiss
4. Washington-Franklin Series,
   with Dennis Gilson, assisted by Carol Hoffman from the APS Sales Division

Two-Day Mini Courses

Costs: Each 2-Day Course is $300 for members and $400 non-members.
     OR, Take Two 2-day Courses $540 members and $640 non-members
     OR, Take One 2-day Course plus meals for the remainder of the Seminar
             $400 members and $500 non-members
(Meals included are listed with each course below. If you take from both course sets below
you will recieve all meals noted.)

1. Monday-Tuesday Mini-Courses
   Select ONE
   (each includes Sun. evening dinner, Mon. and Tues. lunches and snack breaks, Mon. dinner)
   • Inverts and Misperfs and Curios, Oh My!, with Wayne Youngblood
   • Philatelic Desktop Publishing, with Barb Boal, Editor of the American Philatelist
   • U.S. Stamp Expert 101, with Irv Miller
   Worldwide Collecting Study Group, led by Art Elkins.
   Students pay for food functions only.
   Held Monday & Tuesday.
2. Wednesday-Thursday Mini-Courses
   Select ONE
   (each includes Wed. and Thurs. lunches and snack breaks, Thurs. dinner, Fri. breakfast)
   • Computers & Philately: How to Organize Your Philatelic Material, with George Fekete
   • Telegraph Postal History, with Diane DeBlois and Robert Dalton Harris
   • U.S. Revenues Part II, with Ron Lesher
   • U.S. Stamp Expert, Irv Miller
   • Worldwide Fakes and Forgeries, with Bill Dixon, APS Sales Division

Electives:

As a student, you will enjoy early morning “General Sessions” and afternoon “Electives,” where you can learn about subjects outside your chosen major. These may be workshops in specific topics or roundtable discussions, involving both instructors and students. Electives run Monday through Thursday afternoons. You have the option to attend these sessions covering useful and unusual philatelic topics, or you may use this as free time to visit the Center.

Read descriptions of Electives and General Sessions along with speaker pictures and bios.

General Sessions

General Sessions each morning provide attendees with news and views from around the hobby to include:

Read descriptions of Electives and General Sessions along with speaker pictures and bios.

Guest Activities:

We welcome family and friends of our Summer Seminar students and provide scheduled and suggested activities for them to enjoy while they are staying in Centre County. See Guest Activities for ideas of things to do in the area.

Seminar Costs (Alumni & Guests)

APS members attend Summer Seminar according to the prices listed above for the 4-day courses or the 2-day courses. Tuition includes meals as noted.
Guest/Spouse Costs: - Guests are welcome to attend meal functions at additional costs of $38 Sunday dinner; $18 per lunch; $38 per dinner event, $18 Friday breakfast.
Alumni Social Attendees - Alumni of past Summer Seminars who prefer the social-only aspect of the seminar may attend for $225. Price covers administrative fees, meals, and break services (Sunday evening dinner, Monday-Thursday lunches and two snack breaks, Monday picnic dinner, Thursday’s Distinguished Philatelist dinner, and Friday's farewell breakfast.)

Accommodations

The registration fee does not include housing for the week. APS has reserved blocks of rooms from June 13-22 at the following hotels. Blocks will be held until May 15th. (Click here for a list of other hotels nearby).

Scholarships

Scholarships are available to help serious youth (age 14–18) collectors attend the seminar. Youth must be accompanied by a parent or other adult. A scholarship covers the youth’s tuition, the meals covered in regular seminar tuition, as well as housing for the youth and the accompanying adult (i.e., they share a room). Travel and meal expenses for the adult are not covered.

To apply, please send a letter of interest to: Seminar Scholarships, APS, 100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte, PA 16823. Application deadline is May 15.

Student registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Click HERE to Download the pdf Registration Form.

For more information, contact:

APS Summer Seminar
100 Match Factory Place • Bellefonte, PA 16823
Phone: 814-933-3803 • Fax: 814-933-6128

Email: Gretchen Moody