The American Topical Association’s 63rd annual National Topical Stamp Show (NTSS) will be held at the Lancaster, Pennsylvania’s Host Resort and Conference Center on June 22-24, 2012. This all-thematic exhibition will be judged, as always, by a panel with expertise in this area of philately and the winner will be eligible for the A.P.S. Champion of Champions competition. The NTSS now accepts Display Division, First Day Cover exhibits, Maximum Cards and Postcard class exhibits, as long as they are thematic in nature. The story should be based on the design elements of the material shown per the Manual of Philatelic Judging. Past NTSS grand award winners whose exhibits won during or before 2006 are also welcome to compete. Exhibitors are welcome to view the ATA website at www.americantopicalassn.org for a copy of the show prospectus. The Grand and Reserve Grand Awards and the Youth award will all feature Amish Fraktur Folk Art as developed by the Lancaster County Pennsylvania Dutch. The Best Display Award, the One Frame Grand Award, and the Most Popular Award will be Amish Quilted framed Wall hangings.

A new format of the Sailboat postal card will be issued at NTSS in Lancaster. The non-denominational (32c) forever card was originally issued on Jan. 22 in single (Scott UX627) and double reply card (Scott UY50) formats. The new format will be packs of ten sheets of four (40 cards) to be sold for $14.10. The packs will likely be broken up for philatelic purposes and sold as individual sheets of four cards for $1.41. We expect to have a USPS official for the card’s dedication. The first day ceremony will be on Friday, Jun 22 at 9 AM. It will be planned and led by the ATA.

There will be a second First Day of Issue postal stationery at the show.  The second set of Scenic American Landscape picture postal cards will be issued at NTSS in Lancaster on Saturday, June 23, at 9 a.m. How appropriate – one of the ten scenic cards depicts a Lancaster County scene with an Amish buggy. Ironically, ATA had been planning a non-first day ceremony for the Lancaster County stamp because there was no first day ceremony when it was issued in January. The new cards will be marked “FOREVER,” and be valid indefinitely at the postal card rate. They will not include the silver silhouette of an airplane which appears on the stamps. The set of cards will be issued in booklet format of 20 cards, two of each design, for $15.95.The ATA is planning the first day ceremony and producing the program.

A half day tour of the “Amish Experience” is set up for Thursday, June 21st in which visitors can experience the tranquility of life in this area, as shown on this stamp, for themselves.

36 dealer tables from all avenues of philately are expected. Additional information is available from Robert J. Mather at S56-W29562 Roanoke Dr. / Waukesha, WI 53189-9035 or burrobob@wi.rr.com.