Simon Carson presents at the Philatelic Congress of Great Britain
Are you afraid of the philatelic trade?
By Simon Carson, Chairman of the Philatelic Traders’ Society (PTS), 5th September 2026
"For those who were not able to attend the presentation, here are my presentation notes."
The philatelic trade has always been an important part of the overall philatelic ecosystem. The PTS is now 98 years old and our Shield is as strong today as it has ever been.
But what’s the trade’s motivation to get up every morning and serve collectors around the world? Of course there is a commercial motivation. Many in the trade have invested their entire career in philately so the business must pay. And as with any enterprise, growth and profits allow for investment to be pumped back in to make improvements like building a new website, hiring a new describer or social media manager, buying better material, enhancing the shipping process etc.. But in an environment such as this, where, as I say, many in the trade have invested their entire career in philately, or have chosen to leave another career to commit to serving the hobby, it’s about more than the business, it’s life.
“cut me and I bleed stamps”
I often say “cut me and I bleed stamps”. And I mean it. My life is stamps. Don’t get me wrong, I love my wife, my kids, I have great mates and I like to attend gigs, travel, try new restaurants, but I’m always thinking about stamps. And I’m lucky to not just follow my passion through my own business, Philangles, but I also have the opportunity to make a difference to hundreds of philatelic businesses around the world, and positively impacts hundreds of thousands of collectors around the world through my role as Chairman of the PTS.
That’s my motivation, to make a difference to this hobby – the one which has given me so much in my life. And one of the main ways the PTS engages with it’s 300+Members around the world is to support our Members who are also going above and beyond the core commercials, and engage our community to keep developing their wider contribution, all for the greater good of philately.
The philatelic ecosystem might be seen as complex, but most of that perceived complexity comes from external factors and, in my opinion, a lack of understanding and appreciation of the interdependencies (and opportunities) within the system.
There are parts of the ecosystem which are strong, and parts which are weaker. There are parts of the ecosystem which are under pressure from external factors as I say e.g. new issues in certain markets, local stamp clubs in decline, print magazines. Factors might be about “saturated markets”, ageing populations, print costs, areas of specialism going “out of fashion” but I truly believe many of these factors can be offset against an optimistic yet realistic, ambitious yet carefully resourced, collaborative yet strongly led strategy and plan for global philately.
We can turn the tide, we can invest in the strongest areas, we can let go of the parts of the ecosystem which no longer serve the collector, and we can be proud that we didn’t “give up”.
Unfortunately in my time as Chairman of the PTS, I have seen some behaviours which are not conducive to the strengthening of the ecosystem. I’ve seen some individuals with important leadership roles look backwards instead of forwards, fear innovation and technology, prefer to work alone than with others, cut costs and accept decline rather than invest and set a new course. I know from the PTS and Stampex’s experience, that collaboration isn’t always easy and it can feel like progress could be better made alone, but the reality is that we need all leading organisations, influential philatelists (including you!) to be pointing in the same direction. A direction that when we look back in 10 or 30 years time, we will be proud that we stepped up, stepped out of our comfort zone, and stepped forward together to ensure people all around the world can benefit from the love of philately as we have done.
Here are some of things the PTS is delivering to better serve philately:
A diverse, committed and passionate Board.
We don’t always agree but that is good! Our Board is Global which represents our global membership. We have a “young” Board compared to many philatelic committees out there. This keeps us fresh, relevant, ambitious, and future orientated. We recruit new Council Members based on experience and the skills we need. Our Board volunteer their own time and where possible, commit resources from their own businesses to support the PTS & Stampex. Our Board continues to successfully navigate the PTS and Stampex through the ever evolving philatelic landscape. For example, since the pandemic, the PTS has successfully maintained it's financial position including a six-figure reserve fund.
We have implemented a more agile decision making process with Directors meeting Quarterly and along with both face to face and Zoom Council Meetings, the PTS communicates real time via WhatsApp and email. We are working together, for philately, 365 days a year.
Membership growth.
Our Membership continues to grow and to reshape as businesses adapt to evolving collecting community needs. Our Membership is truly Global, again representing the communities we serve - there are boundaries to where and how collectors collect! Our Members not only comply with our Code of Conduct – ensuring the PTS Shield protects you, the collector, but our Members are also passionate about investing in the future of the hobby.
A good chunk of membership subscriptions go towards projects to boost philately. Gold PTS Members pay a more in membership fees and all of these fees go towards projects to safeguard philately and ensure the hobby thrives, not just survives. Thanks to our Gold Members, we even plant hundreds of trees every year as a way of recognising the environmental impact of the philatelic trade. I am proud to say Gold PTS Membership is growing every year. Our Membership also includes Youth Charities like Stamp Active, Postcrossing and StampIT.
Hundreds of Thousands of Happy Collector Moments a Year
With 300 PTS Members worldwide, from auction houses selling hundreds and thousands of lots per month, to dealers selling at fairs, online, on platforms like eBay, Delcampe, B1D, and HipStamp, to accessories suppliers, expertisers, to postal operators, to magazine publishers, to software providers, to stamp producers, PTS Members are creating “Happy Collector Moments” every week in the thousands!
Social Media and e-News reaching 20k+ Collectors Direct with 1m+ Views each year.
The PTS uses social media to communicate about society and Stampex initiatives, promote our Members AND to educate, build community, inspire, stimulate buying and selling activity, attract new audiences, and to share fantastic philatelic news.
We post over 1,000 content pieces a year and are seeing organic growth across all of our channels. We are proud to engage with such a wide audience from around the world.
We have:
184 Videos on YouTube
Reels with 200,000+ Views on Facebook
3,000+ Followers on Instagram
77.7% Growth in Facebook Followers since January 2026
We have also developed our Newsletter from just being about Stampex to covering many aspects of philately, again to inspire, build community, educate, and ensure great stamp news is getting out there to as many people as possible.
Sign up to our Newsletter at stampexinternational.com/signup
Stampex
Stampex celebrates 70 years this year. What a milestone!
This year Stampex is sponsored by BB Stamps Ltd. and Bill Barrell Ltd. We are continually innovating and testing new concepts (or bring back old concepts) to better serve show visitors. We want every visitor to Stampex to come away feeling energised by philately.
Physical shows are so important – they are about the human connection, having a day out, seeing philatelic material in real life, the hunt for something new.
In recent years, we have develop a new Court of Honour wall, and our digital touch-screen Display Your Way style of presenting exhibits and collections. We host a Postcrossing Meetup, have a piXPost Badge, free postcards (designed by a member of the public!) and other takeaways, Talks, physical Displays, Society Meetings, a Patron drinks reception, Youth Zone, and of course, 60+ trusted PTS Members for you to meet in person in London. Where you can also visit the Royal, the Postal Museum, the British Library, Mail Rail, and other fantastic attractions in the capital city.
Stampex is the most important show in the UK. It benefits thousands of people within the philatelic ecosystem every year. The question for the wider ecosystem is “What could you do to ensure this show continues to serve collectors – old and new?”
You might submit a Display, become a Patron, host a Society Meeting, visit!, share news about Stampex on your Facebook and with your stamp friends, encourage your grandchildren to attend, provide feedback or a testimonial.
Virtual Stampex now in its 7th Year
We started Virtual Stampex in 2020 as a replacement for our physical event in London during the COVID pandemic. But we always had this concept in the plan – a concept to engage new audiences and show off how fantastic stamp shows are. The “immersive” and interactive Virtual Stampex now includes a Booth Hall, Talks Auditorium, Online Shop, Reading Room, Exhibits/ Display Hall, Society Booths, Roundtable / Panel Sessions, Collector Chatrooms, a Virtual Briefcase to take away catalogues, price lists etc., Competitions… Virtual Stampex, hosted by the PTS with PTS Members and Associates participating, is a safe place for collectors to meet and engage without the need for travel. But the mission is to encourage virtual attendees to one day visit a show near them.
The PTS Awards celebrate the very best in philately
We receive thousands of votes in our PTS Awards each year giving us the opportunity to recognise those who are pushing the boundaries, trying new things, and going above and beyond to serve philately. We can’t wait to see who is nominated this year.
Our Mission
Our Mission is clear. The philatelic future is in our hands, and the PTS takes its responsibilities seriously.
We:
Serve every aspect of the trade and the hobby and aims to support all collectors as they develop in their own personal philatelic journey.
Are global.
Understand that collaboration with societies and key philatelic institutions is key to delivering a holistic and impactful approach to boosting the hobby.
Recognise the importance of Stampex and other world-class events around the world in providing a live experience for thousands of collectors, old and new.
Embrace the digital world.
Ensure the integrity of the PTS Shield to protect the collector through our robust referencing process and complaints process.
Manages our activities professionally, with full funding and resource plans.
In the past, some people have said that the trade is only interested in themselves. The fact is, if the hobby grows, the trade grows, and if the trade innovates and anticipates the future, the hobby benefits. The PTS is accountable to deliver for its members, its team is accountable to deliver. PTS Council Members and Team Members are “out there” every day listing, talking, exploring, learning. PTS Members are interacting with thousands of collectors every day. When it comes to “an ear to the ground” of what is happening in philately, as well as having an “army” to fight for the future of philately, the PTS and its network has it. So, don’t be afraid of the philatelic trade. Feel the energy, trust the mission, and work with us and support us to do what we do best. Promote philately.
I trust I have helped you understand how passionate the PTS is about strengthening the hobby and I welcome you to think about how you or your society might work with us on projects and events.
I am always open for your questions and comments below or via social media @ptsandstampex or come see me at Stampex in London or chat to one of the team at a show near you soon.
Thank you to all of you who are with us on the journey - to grow this hobby, today and for the future.
Simon
What do you think the PTS should do more of? Let us know in the comments below.
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