Philatelic Society of Lancaster County
The James Buchanan Chapter #173 of the American Philatelic Society 
Chapter #118 of the American Topical Association 
Welcome – Enjoy your Visit!
Our Society is an award-winning, non-profit community organization dedicated to promoting stamp collecting as a hobby for education & fun, from teens to adult, from beginners to postal historians, serving members from PA, MD, DE & beyond. To learn more about Membership Benefits or to become a member, click JOIN US or reach out to Charles J. DiComo, PSLC President at charlesdicomo@gmail.com.
2025 SOCIETY PROGRAMS
We meet in-person the second Wednesday of the month at Landis Homes, 1001 E. Oregon Rd., Lititz, PA (Directions below). Doors open 6:30 PM. We hold a brief business meeting, followed by keynote speaker, then Show, Tell & Ask, where members & guests share their favorite stamp, cover, or philatelic item. There are refreshments, snacks, and a bourse. Come early: share, buy, sell, or trade.
* Added bonus to all far & wide, we host a Virtual meeting via Zoom on the fourth Wednesday of the month. Visitors always welcome! Contact Paul Petersen at +1 (717) 299-5640 or pcpetersen@comcast.net for more info or to sign-up to present.
Storm Cancellation Policy: Should there be a storm or the forecast of such on our in-person meeting, the Board will determine the status of the evening session. When decided, they will inform Paul Petersen, who will send out an all-Society email. Those not on email should call him at +1 (717) 299-5640 for further info.
26 February: (Zoom) Join the Flying Postmen to Celebrate Stamp Day in France, by Larry Rosenblum.
Stamp Day became an international philatelic celebration in 1937; France joined in 1938. With World War II following shortly thereafter, Stamp Day had an uneven, but interesting, beginning. After its rough start, Stamp Day lasted to the end of the century in France. We’ll admire some of the many souvenirs created for the occasion – cards, covers, menus, medals, calendars and more. And we’ll meet the Flying Postmen who brought smiles to philatelists in the dark days of 1942.
12 March: Official Seals, by David Hunt.
26 March: (Zoom) “A Republican Soldier in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939),” by Jaume Balsells. The Spanish Civil War remains a pivotal chapter in European history, characterized by intense ideological conflict and international involvement. The war pitted the Republican government, supported by leftist militias and international volunteers, against General Francisco Franco’s Nationalist forces, backed by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. The discovery in 2005 of an intact archive of correspondence between a Republican soldier and his family made it possible to study his experiences spanning the entire length of the conflict. This presentation reconstructs those experiences through the philatelic records and offers a rare glimpse into the postal history of the losing side of the war.
9 April: Title to be determined, by Scott English.
23 April (Zoom): “Overprints on Newspaper Wrappers,” by Cemil Betanov. Stamps and postal stationery get overprinted for a number of reasons. When postal rates change, items that prepay the old rate are unlikely to be needed in large quantities. Instead of discarding them, surcharging them to reflect the new rate makes a lot of sense. This saves users the trouble of adding stamps to make up the new rate. It saves also postal authorities the cost of printing new items. Cemil will show why philatelic items get overprinted, however, using only newspaper wrappers as examples.
14 May: “First Appearance of Lincoln on Stamps,” by Ronald Lesher.
Happy Birthday, President Lincoln. It was about six weeks after the assassination of President Lincoln that his vignette appeared on the 5¢, 10¢, and 50¢ designs for revenue stamped paper (Scott U.S. Specialized Catalogue, prefix RN). By mid-June, 1865 the 5¢ design was on certificates of deposit by the American Exchange Bank of New York City! We will look at lots of examples of the three denominations.
18 May: Society Outdoor Bourse, at Freedom Memorial Park, Millersville, PA. A time to meet & greet, arrange & settle your private treaties with other members, and enjoy the time with friends in a safe environment. More details to come!
28 May: (Zoom) Captain Tim Healy, by Rick Barrett.
11 June: Summer Society Auction. For more information, visit Auction Instructions. Download the Auction Lot Form HERE.
The Society holds three (3) Auctions a year at the Club (Winter, Spring and Autumn). Auctions are for Society Members-only. However, anyone can join the Society for $10.00 the night of an Auction and get yearly access. Material for sale is broad in scope, from stamps, postal history, albums, ephemera, supplies, etc. – both international and U.S. There is always something for everyone at a reasonable price. Why not stop by, grab a paddle and have some fun!
25 June: (Zoom) The Centennial of the 1925 Santa Barbara Earthquake, by Rob Sternberg.
9 July: Crash Mail, by Mike Wilson.
23 July: (Zoom) “Rounding Up [Texas] Post Offices: Identifying And Locating All The Sites That A County Has To Offer,” by John Germann.
13 August: Society Picnic.
27 August: (Zoom) “Topics in Civil War Philately,” by Scott Ney.
10 September: Autumn Society Auction. For more information, visit Auction Instructions. Download the Auction Lot Form HERE.
The Society holds three (3) Auctions a year at the Club (Winter, Spring and Autumn). Auctions are for Society Members-only. However, anyone can join the Society for $10.00 the night of an Auction and get yearly access. Material for sale is broad in scope, from stamps, postal history, albums, ephemera, supplies, etc. – both international and U.S. There is always something for everyone at a reasonable price. Why not stop by, grab a paddle and have some fun!
24 September: (Zoom) “Graf Zeppelin & Hindenburg: U.S. Mails,” by Cheryl Ganz. The Graf Zeppelin flew to the United States in 1928, 1929, 1930, and 1933. Hindenburg flew to the United States in 1936 and 1937. During the 1920s and 1930s, Zeppelin linked countries across the Atlantic Ocean before airplanes could carry a non-stop payload. The Zeppelin Company subsidized operations by carrying and servicing mail. The earlier flights were demonstrations of how zeppelins could transport mail, freight, and passengers more quickly than ships at sea. By 1936, Hindenburg provided the first regularly scheduled, entirely by air, post service between Europe and North America. This presentation will focus on U.S. dispatches on these flights.
8 October “3.2 Wine and Beer Taxation,” by Ron Lesher.
22 October: (Zoom) Elmer Long or alternative “The Post Office 75 Years Ago vs. Today,” by Rick Barrett.
12 November: Society Open House and Single & Multi-Frame Exhibition.
26 November: (Zoom) The DC-4 SkyMaster Plane, by Thomas Nichols. This presentation chronicles the in-flight image of the DC-4 SkyMaster plane that was used in the design of one of the longest running series of airmail stamps and stationery ever issued in the postal history of the United States. It appeared on more than 20 types of postal material issued in a twelve year period between 1946 and 1958. Over 7.2 billion stamps as well as tens of millions of stationery envelopes and Air Letters were issued making the iconic image one of the most recognized airmail designs of all time.
10 December: Holiday Society Dinner.
24 December: (Zoom) TBD
2025 REGIONAL SHOWS, BOURSES & GATHERINGS
March 29, 2025: DELPEX Stamp Show This year celebrating the Universal Postal Union (UPU)! An all-ages event for stamp enthusiasts throughout the Delaware Valley. There’s sure to be something for all levels of interest. We are just minutes from South Jersey, Philadelphia and Northern Delaware. For “GPS” (Google, Waze, etc Navigation) – Use New Castle, DE. NOT Wilmington! Location: Nur Shrine Center, 198 South Dupont Parkway (U.S. Route 13), New Castle, Delaware 19720. FOr more information, visit the DEPLEX website.
March 28 & 29, 2025: Morlatton Post Card Club’s 48th Annual Postcard Show.
Location: Farm and Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster, PA. 17601. Hours: Friday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Admission $3.00, good for both days. Vintage and modern postcards, books and ephemera for sale.
For information, contact Aaron Heckler at +1 (484) 655-8170 or pegpens822@gmail.com.
June 22, 2025: K2 Lancaster Stamp Show, on Sunday from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM at the Farm & Home Center of Lancaster County, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster, PA 17601. Affiliated Dealers: K2 Stamp Mobile (K2 Stamps & Collectibles), Doug McCullough, Frank Soeder, Leslie Botte, Hugh Clark, David Lengyel, Wayne Gehret, Tony Coccio, Jack Zerby & Ward Wilcox. Table fee is $120 for 8 feet “L’s” (8″ front & 8″ side) with an 8″ back table. Setup starts 8:00 AM. For more info, contact Kevin Kellman at k2stamps@gmail.com or +1 (301) 524-9562.
August 3, 2025: K2 Lancaster Stamp Show, on Sunday from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM at the Farm & Home Center of Lancaster County, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster, PA 17601. Affiliated Dealers: K2 Stamp Mobile (K2 Stamps & Collectibles), Doug McCullough, Frank Soeder, Leslie Botte, Hugh Clark, David Lengyel, Wayne Gehret, Tony Coccio, Jack Zerby & Ward Wilcox. Table fee is $120 for 8 feet “L’s” (8″ front & 8″ side) with an 8″ back table. Setup starts 8:00 AM. For more info, contact Kevin Kellman at k2stamps@gmail.com or +1 (301) 524-9562.
August 14 to 17, 2025: Great American Stamp Show ’25. LOCATION: Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center, 1551 North Thoreau Dr., Schaumburg, IL, 60173. HOURS: Thursday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM; Sunday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. COST: Admission is FREE! Pre-registration is recommended to help you save time and avoid on-site registration lines. Co-hosted by the American Philatelic Society (APS), the American Topical Association (ATA) and the American First Day Cover Society (AFDCS). Sponsored by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). For more information, visit the APS website.
October 12, 2025: K2 Lancaster Stamp Show, on Sunday from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM at the Farm & Home Center of Lancaster County, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster, PA 17601. Affiliated Dealers: K2 Stamp Mobile (K2 Stamps & Collectibles), Doug McCullough, Frank Soeder, Leslie Botte, Hugh Clark, David Lengyel, Wayne Gehret, Tony Coccio, Jack Zerby & Ward Wilcox. Table fee is $120 for 8 feet “L’s” (8″ front & 8″ side) with an 8″ back table. Setup starts 8:00 AM. For more info, contact Kevin Kellman at k2stamps@gmail.com or +1 (301) 524-9562.
December 20 & 21, 2025: K2 Lancaster Stamp Show, on Saturday & Sunday from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM at the Farm & Home Center of Lancaster County, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster, PA 17601. Affiliated Dealers: K2 Stamp Mobile (K2 Stamps & Collectibles), Doug McCullough, Frank Soeder, Leslie Botte, Hugh Clark, David Lengyel, Wayne Gehret, Tony Coccio, Jack Zerby & Ward Wilcox. Table fee is $120 for 8 feet “L’s” (8″ front & 8″ side) with an 8″ back table. Setup starts 8:00 AM. For more info, contact Kevin Kellman at k2stamps@gmail.com or +1 (301) 524-9562.
For existing members who want to renew their membership for 1 or more years, and/or make a donation to support our Society activities and programs, you can use PayPal-Friends by remitting payment to President Charles J. DiComo, PhD at charlesdicomo@gmail.com and denote in Notes section the reason for payment, your name, and now many years. Venmo can also be used @charlesdicomo. For new members, please mail/email your 
Membership Application along with a check or money order to Treasurer, Lou DiFelice.
MEETING LOCATION
The Crossings Meeting Room and/or High Conference Room at Landis Homes on 1001 East Oregon Road, Lititz, PA (Directions below).
- The Society meets in person monthly on the 2nd Wednesday (except August).
- Doors Open at 6:30 PM. Visitors Welcome!
- Come Early to Share, Buy, Sell, and/or Trade.
- Contact Paul Petersen at (717) 299-5640 or pcpetersen@comcast.net for more information
DIRECTIONS TO MEETING LOCATION
Landis Homes is located on 1001 East Oregon Road, also known as Route 722. Route 722 runs in a somewhat East-West direction between the Lititz Pike (Route 501) and the Oregon Pike (Route 772). You can easily reach this facility from either direction.
(1) From the North or the South via Lititz Pike: Take Lititz Pike (Rt. 501) toward Neffsville. Just 0.3 – 0.4 miles north of Neffsville is a traffic light at East Oregon Road (Rt. 722). Turn east, and it is two miles to Landis Homes, which is on the south side.
(2) From the North or South via Rt. 222: Take exit for Oregon Pike (Rt. 272). On Oregon Pike, turn north for 0.3 miles. Turn left on Creek Road for 0.3 miles, and then left on Oregon Road. Landis Homes is about 0.8 miles on the south side.
(3) Entering the Facility: Off Oregon Road there are three entrances to Landis Homes: an (1) East, (2) a West entrance, and (3) a middle or Main entrance. Enter here at the Main Entrance, the large building right in front of you is the Calvin and Janet High Learning and Wellness Center (this is the purple building on the map with #5 attached). Park here. The Crossings Meeting Room is on the second deck of this building, and is there is an elevator which you can take up one floor. The High Conference Room is on the first floor just past the front desk on your right.
Below are the driving directions from the Landis Homes website www.landishomes.org.
From Lancaster: Take Route 501 North (Lititz Pike) through Neffsville. At traffic light, turn right onto East Oregon Road (Route 722 East). Continue 2 miles to Landis Homes entrances on the right.
From Lititz: Go south on Route 501. About one mile past the Lancaster Airport turn left at traffic light onto Route 722 East (also known as East Oregon Road) and continue 2 miles to Landis Homes entrances on the right.
From Harrisburg: Take Route 283 East, approximately 30 miles, which leads directly onto US Route 30 East. Follow Route 30 East to the Lititz Pike Exit (Route 501 North). At the stop light, turn left onto Route 501 North. Follow 501 North through Neffsville. At traffic light for East Oregon Road (Route 722 East) turn right. Continue 2 miles to Landis Homes entrances on the right.
From Philadelphia: Take Reading exit (Old exit # 21, at milepost 286) off the PA turnpike at US 222 South towards Lancaster. Continue south on US 222 to the Brownstown Exit. Go right (Route 772 West) a short distance to Rt. 272, which is at a traffic light. Turn left onto Rt. 272 South for 1.8 miles and turn right onto Rt. 722, East Oregon Road. (Speedway gas station is at the intersection.) Continue 1 mile to Landis Homes entrances on the left.