‘Niche and interesting’: Edmonton Stamp Club sees collectors of all ages at national spring show

Some of the largest, oldest and rarest collections of stamps in western Canada were in Edmonton for the Stamp Club Show over the weekend.

An annual stamp show this weekend expects to bring in 600 to 800 collectors of all ages.

The Edmonton Spring National Stamp Show is the only national-level exhibition of its kind in Western Canada this year.

The event is hosted by the Edmonton Stamp Club at the Central Lions Recreation Centre at 113 Street and 111 Avenue. It features 20 Canadian dealers with competitive exhibits showcasing stamps from various countries and time periods. There are also free stamp appraisals available for collectors.

The show has generated interest even among younger generations, according to club president David Pattison.

“We have just over 200 members of the Edmonton Stamp Club. We’ve got about 38 members that are high school students,” he said on Saturday. Outside of shows, the club meets at St. Joseph High School twice a month.

“It’s not just sitting and looking at random stamps of old people and stuff. You can collect stamps of something you’re interested in, like if there’s a country you’re from, or a certain person, or certain historical event,” Allison Morris, a student at Paul Kane High School, said on Saturday.

“It’s just something kind of niche and interesting,” said fellow high schooler Kali Daum.

A juniors table at the show is for young people to start their collections with free stamps. There is, indeed, something for everyone, Pattison says – such as pieces of history, religion, tropical flowers or even penguins.

Competitors this weekend will be vying to qualify for a spot at the American Philatelic Society’s championships, a U.S. national level show for stamp collectors.

Admission to the show is $2 plus a non-perishable food donation to Edmonton’s Food Bank, which can be dropped off at the door.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Galen McDougall