• What can stamp clubs provide?
• Meetings
• Displays or speakers
• Newsletters
• Exchange books or sales
• Reference library
• Junior clubs
• Specialised clubs

What can stamp clubs provide?

Above all stamp clubs offer the friendship, knowledge and experience of their members who can advise you on all aspects of collecting including:
– Identifying stamps
– Where to get stamps
– How to store and mount your collection
– Ideas on new collecting areas

Most stamp clubs offer:
– Displays or visiting speakers
– Newsletters or magazines
– Opportunity to obtain stamps at reasonable prices through their exchange books or sales
– Access to catalogues and books on stamps
– Other special services such as purchasing schemes for books or accessories

Meetings

Clubs try to provide a wide range of interesting subjects for meetings to suit the large spread of interests of their members. There are sure to be meetings of interest to you.

Displays or speakers

Stamp club meetings often include displays of stamps which can range from a few items from a number of members to an extensive collection by one speaker. To ensure a full range of topics over time many clubs invite speakers from other clubs to display material.

Special club competitions are sometimes held and assessed by popular vote or by a trained judge. In either case those who display or observe gain useful insights on how collections can be mounted and obtain information of use for their collecting.

Newsletters

Most clubs produce newsletters of a high standard for their members. These provide information about club activities and stamp happenings in the region and provide articles of interest to members. Some larger and specialist clubs produce world-renowned newsletters providing a major benefit in belonging.

Exchange books or sales

Most clubs have exchange books which enable members to sell their duplicate stamps or to buy stamps at reasonable prices. For some collectors, particularly in remote areas, the books provide the only regular access to stamps they may want. Many clubs also provide the opportunity to sell and buy stamps through special sales. These could be held at regular meetings or at intervals throughout the year. Some clubs also provide 'dealers' meetings where a stamp dealer is invited to attend.

Reference library

Clubs frequently have a reference library. This may consist only of a few catalogues and some magazines or it may be an extensive collection of reference books and magazines. If the club library is not able to assist someone in the club will know where to seek help.

Junior clubs

Many stamp clubs exist specially for younger collectors. In addition, other clubs welcome younger collectors or provide special activities for them. For details please contact your local stamp club or:

Philatelic Youth Council of New Zealand
PO Box 2979
Shortland Street
AUCKLAND 1140

Specialised clubs

In addition to local clubs there are a number of specialised clubs which can help you enjoy new collecting interests. These include clubs for postal history, thematics and air mail.

For information on clubs, contact the NZ Philatelic Federation as described below:

NZ Philatelic Federation
PO Box 58 139
Whitby, Porirua 5245
Phone: 04 234 7218
Email: secretary@nzpf.org.nz
Website: www.nzpf.org.nz