Lugano, 18th–22nd May 2022
The World Stamp Exhibition
It is always a pleasure to be at stamp exhibitions, giving us the chance to see wonderful collections and to meet old and new friends.
This year HELVETIA 2022 was held in Lugano, a city in southern Switzerland’s Italian-speaking canton of Ticino. The breath-taking panoramic views, the warm weather and the good food made our stay in Lugano very enjoyable indeed.
The precise organisation of the Swiss Federation of Philatelic Societies in cooperation with the Philatelic Society of Lugano, under the patronage of the FIP (Fédération Internationale de Philatélie) and recognition of the FEPA (Federation of European Philatelic Associations), facilitated the gathering of collectors, dealers, philatelic experts and Post Offices.
The exhibition was well attended and people joined from all over the World with the usual felicity to admire that particular stamp, to acquire that missing example for their collection, to search for the hidden treasure that could be sleeping in some of the numerous dealers’ stands, or just to be there again after two years of Covid restrictions.
The exhibition was crowned by the superb Palmares dinner, the friendly atmosphere enhanced by Michelin starred chef Davittorio who managed to prepare and serve his best specialities with perfect timing between the ceremony awards
Here are the results of the HELVETIA GRAND PRIX:
WORLD STAMP CHAMPION
1st place: Bergamini, Adriano (Postal relations between TICINO [Switzerland] and foreign countries before the UPU)
2nd place: Britz, Walter (Uruguay: Early Issues of the XIX Century [1856-1862])
3rd place: Morani, Vittorio (Tuscany 1836 to GPU [up to 30th June 1875] letter mail in, from and to Tuscany: routes, rates and charges)
GRAND PRIX INTERNATIONAL
1st place: Martin-Redman, Simon (Sarawak – the first forty years 1858-1898)
2nd place: Mouritsen, Henrik (Danish Postal History)
3rd place: Krauss, Karlfried (Prussia as the Main Link of the Russian Polish Mail with the West [from the beginning until 1875].
4th place: Baschwitz, German (Spain postal stationery of general use [1873-1938]).
GRAND PRIX NATIONAL
1st place: Hackmey, Joseph (Classic Switzerland)
2nd place: Schaefer, Richard (Swiss Letter Mail During the First Federal Period 1849 – 1854
