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 Dr. Charles J. DiComo, PSLC President at charlesdicomo@gmail.com.
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.
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.
28 May: (Zoom) The Ivory Stamp Club with Captain Tim Healy, by Rick Barrett. Join us for a really fun, fast-paced talk on a man who likely brought more people into philately than anyone else in his day! Together we’ll get into a time machine with captivating storyteller Rick Barrett as he shares new pictures and information about the legendary Captain Tim Healy, a giant in our hobby, and a member of the APS Philatelic Hall of Fame!
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) “Everyone’s Servant”: The 1950s U.S. Post Office,” by Rick Barrett. Today’s postal service is an amazing, streamlined entity which serves America’s population as best it can with the use of automation and innovation. The post office of yesteryear also performed an absolutely incredible amount of services for our nation, primarily with the help of manpower alone. PLSC member Rick Barrett shares some fascinating images and information from 75 years ago in his usual exciting fashion, while showing the incredible feats our post office department accomplished and built upon to carry out its mission!
12 November: Society Open House and Single & Multi-Frame Exhibition. Members will put up their exhibit (one or more) on the wall. One goal is to get members to make up interesting exhibits, preferably but not necessarily to stand alone without verbal description. Exhibitors will have the opportunity to discuss their posted exhibits so that members can view the originals on the wall, as well as having their pages exhibited on the big screen. When we know more of each other’s collecting interests, it becomes much easier to share (buy, sell, trade, or give) items and interests. Remember, there are no rules for these exhibits.
That aside, for those interested, the formal and competitive aspect of one page exhibits follows for your information, as taught by Dick Osman. These rules are not required for our exhibition night. Here goes… A one page exhibit should tell a story and contain at least three different philatelic elements on the page. An element can be a stamp, postal card, cover, label, specific or auxiliary marking, and on and on. You want to tell a story by including both philatelic items and text. It can be a story of the philatelic items themselves or the story about a theme or topic using the items to illustrate the story. It is wide open. Try to have at least three (3) different elements in your exhibit. Cinderellas and other related ephemera are also welcome. Philatelic elements include definitives & commemoratives, coils, revenues, joint issues, encased postage, souvenir sheets, plate blocks, postal stationary, errors, forgeries, covers, air mail etiquettes, cancellations, auxiliary markings, and almost everything else. Because these exhibits won’t be judged, feel free to add related ephemera such as maps, letters, labels, and the kitchen sink as needed-as long as it fits on the page or pages.
Text is very important in telling the story. Text may be hand printed in fine black ink or done on
a computer or typewritten. Weave your text in and around your elements. Fill the page, but don’t let it get crowded. If it is crowded, remove the text and/or item(s) that least contribute(s) to your story or create a second (or more) page(s). Plan: Hard Copy-When you come to the meeting, your exhibit(s) will be taped to the wall, and other members will have the opportunity to view the originals of what you post. You’ll be able to take a few minutes to discuss your exhibit(s) including the items, subject matter, and/or the process of preparing it. Paper size for your exhibit proper should be the standard 8.5’’x11”, and these may be placed in plastic document holders, but they don’t necessarily have to. The green tape used to attach your pages to the wall is removable, so there should be no damage to your original exhibit(s). Some exhibitors find that using paper a little thicker than the standard copy paper works better. Digital submission. You may also send a PDF of your exhibit(s) to Dr. DiComo at charlesdicomo@gmail.com, and these will be projected on the big screen and you can talk about your images. You will have to email your PowerPoint to him in advance, as his laptop does not take a flash drive. Any questions? Please contact Paul Petersen at +1 (717) 299-5640 or pcpetersen@comcast.net.
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
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.
Storm Cancellation Policy: Should there be a storm or the forecast of such on our in-person meeting evening, the Board will determine the status of the 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.
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.