The Omaha Philatelic Society had the pleasure of hosting guest speakers Alexander Haimann, Winston Haimann, and David Beech at our August 8th meeting!
Philatelist Alexander Haimann made a stop in Omaha on August 8th as part of his American Philatelic Society 50-State Challenge as reported in the American Philatelist magazine. He was joined by special guest David Beech, and Alex’ son Winston. They are traveling to meet club members across the U.S., explore fun ways to enjoy philately, and tell great stories of rare and interesting stamps in the British Library’s collection.
Alex is the American Philatelic Society’s 2025 Kehr Award winner “for enduring contributions that help guarantee the future of the hobby.”
In 2019 Alex met Queen Elizabeth II while attending the official opening of the Royal Philatelic Society’s new headquarters building.
In 2012 David Beech was awarded Britain’s Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to philately.
The trio gave an enjoyable presentation to members of the Omaha Philatelic Society on a variety of obscure and fascinating ways to enjoy philately.
Alex demonstrated the concept of Extreme Philately, a modern, visually-driven approach to stamp collecting where individuals explore the locations depicted on stamps in real life, often taking photos of those locations alongside the corresponding stamps. It’s a way to connect physical stamps with the world they represent, blending the hobby with travel and exploration.
Alex also discussed 3D Philately; collecting unusual items either made of stamps or sent through the mail, preferably in their original postal packaging. Some examples he brought with him included books of matches sent in foil-lined packaging and a model train in its postmarked box. He also showed stamps on paper from the 1860s to 1880s sewn together and cut in the shape of a snake.
David Beech, a Fellow and Past President of the Royal Philatelic Society London (RPSL), discussed Context Philately, the practice of enriching philatelic studies by viewing stamps and postal history in a broader historical, social, and cultural context. It goes beyond simply collecting stamps and delves into the stories they tell about the past.
Alex’ presentation included an example of Context Philately where postal history items from the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War were on display along with other Anglo-Zulu War artifacts during the July 2023 Clash of Empires Exhibition at the RPSL Museum.
David shared his experience in expertizing Grinnell Missionary stamps for the RPSL from 2002 to 2004. He showed examples of the forgeries, and explained how the RPSL arrived at their counterfeit declaration.