The 2025 CWPS Annual Meeting was conducted March 14-16 at the Garfield-Perry March Party. The Society was well represented at the show with 6 exhibitors totaling 33 frames. Below is a complete listing of the awards presented at the show.

Awards presented to CWPS members at the Awards Banquet on Saturday evening

Multi-Frame Exhibits (Large Gold)

John Lighthouse – “Using the Documents of Commerce to Fund the Civil War 1862-1872″ (92 pts)

• • APS Medal of Excellence for Pre-1900 Material
  • United States Philatelic Classics Society Medal

Leonard Hartmann – “Confederate States of America:  The Lithographed General Issues” (92 pts)

• • APS Research Medal

Multi-Frame Exhibits (Gold)

Richard Calhoun – “Civil War Postal History of the Virginia Peninsula” (88 pts)

Wayne Farley – “West Virginia in the Confederacy” (88 pts)

Randolph Smith – “Civil War Washington as Seen Through the Drawings of Charles Magnus, Lithographer” (86 pts)

• • AAPE Creativity Award

Single Frame Exhibits (Gold)

Leonard Hartmann – “Jean de Sperati: Fake Stamps and Cancellations of the Confederate States of America Stamps” (88 pts)

James Montich – “Mississippi 1861: Post-Secession Use of U.S. Postage” (89 pts)

• • AAPE Novice Award

“CWPS Exhibit Awards” presented at the Society dinner on Friday evening

Civil War Philatelic Society Trophy: Awarded to the member exhibiting the best and most comprehensive collection of Civil War stamps and/or covers at the exhibition.

John Lighthouse – “Using the Documents of Commerce to Fund the Civil War 1862-1872”

President’s Trophy: Awarded for the best exhibit of Civil War stamps and/or covers, in any classification, exhibited by a member who has never previously been awarded any trophy at a Civil War Philatelic Society Exhibition

Jim Montich –  “Mississippi 1861: Post Secession Use of US Postage”

CWPS Trustees’ Research Trophy: Awarded for the best exhibit, single frame, or multi-frame, which illustrates new knowledge/understanding of Civil War stamps, covers or postal history, or an extension to existing knowledge.

Leonard Hartmann – “Confederate States of America – The Lithographed General Issues “

The Generals Award at discretion of the judges

Richard Calhoun – “Civil War Postal History of the Virginia Peninsula”

Robert A. Siegel Memorial Award at discretion of the judges

Leonard Hartmann – “Jean de Sperati Fake Stamps and Cancellations of the Confederate States of America Stamps”

William G. Bogg Memorial Award for best exhibit on the Evolution of Civil War Postal History

Wayne Farley – “West Virginia In The Confederacy”

Conrad L. Bush Award for best One-Frame Exhibit of Civil War Material

James Montich – “Mississippi 1861: Post Secession Use of US Postage”

John W. Kaufmann Memorial Award for best exhibit of Civil War Patriotic Covers

Randolph Smith – “Civil War Washington as Seen Through the Drawings of Charles Magnus Lithographer”

“CWPS Service Awards” presented at the Annual Membership meeting on Saturday morning

Haydn Myer Award: for distinguished service to the CWPS during the past 12 months

Frank Crown – Provided in recognition of his support as the CWP Article Coordinator as well as his substantial efforts related to the numerous Provisional and stampless Censuses that he maintains on the CWPS website.

August Dietz Award: for distinguished research and writing in the field of Civil War philately

Kevin Dudley – “A Tale Of Two Postmasters: The Winchester, VA., Post Office During The Civil War 1861-64”

CWP Writers Award: for the best article appearing in the Civil War Philatelist since the last annual meeting

Frank Crown – “The Memphis Due Markings” in the CWP 2024 Q1 issue

The CWPS recently won three times at the 2024 Chicagopex Literature Awards.

Two Large Gold Medals were awarded for our website and the Civil War Philatelist, and a Gold Medal for Frank Crown’s submission “Edward H. Cushing: His Express and the Mail”.

Many thanks to everyone who contributed!

Click here to visit the Society Awards page for more details…

The CWPS recently won a Gold Medal for our website from the 2024 APS Star Route Awards. Our score was 135 out of 148. Many thanks to everyone who contributed!

Please see the Q4 CWP for a description of what can be found on Website prepared by Frank Crown.  We expect that you will find things that you previously did not know were available.  We are always open to questions or suggestions at contact@civilwarphilatelicsociety.org.

In a ceremony held May 11, 2024, the Collectors Club (NY) presented the Alfred F. Lichtenstein Memorial Award for Distinguished Service to Philately to Patricia A. Kaufmann (Trish). This award is given annually for outstanding service to philately.   APS President Cheryl Ganz introduced Trish and presented the award. Congratulations to Trish for this prestigious honor covering her time as a collector, exhibitor, dealer, auctioneer, prolific writer, and most of all “leader” in support of this hobby. This is a well-deserved recognition.

The festivities began with a reception at the new home of the Collectors Club in the heart of New York City (just opposite of Bryant Park). As part of the dinner ceremony, the Collectors Club also presented awards associated with their Single Frame Competition held in November 2023.  CWPS members who received awards included:

• Daniel M. Knowles received an Award of Merit for his exhibit entitled “United States Demonetization and Transition to the 1861 Design Stamps”
• Daniel J. Ryterband received the Holyoake Friendship Cup (for most popular Exhibit) for his exhibit entitled “United States Free Frank Covers”

Daniel Knowles also received the Collectors Club Multi-Frame Exhibit Award (US Classics Period) for 2023 for his exhibit “Mail Handling in the Confederate States of America by the Confederate Government and Private Individuals from Secession to Appomattox.” 

A special thanks to the Collectors Club who allowed the CWPS to use this opportunity to make a special presentation of our Haydn Myer Award for 2023 to Randy Neil who passed away in March of this year.  On hand to receive the award was Randy’s daughter, Merritt.  Trish Kaufmann presented the award in recognition of Randy’s 54 years of service to the CWPS.  Randy was loved by all and his generosity and support for the hobby was unmatched. Randy was also the recipient of the Alfred F. Lichtenstein Memorial Award for Distinguished Service to Philately given by the Collectors Club.

For a list of past Lichtenstein Award winners along with their citations click here.