The Elizabeth C. Pope Award for Lifetime Contributions to Philately
The Pope Award was established in 2001 to honor local and national philatelists who throughout a lifetime have contributed to the good of philately. The first recipient was Elizabeth C. Pope (1925-2007), a local and nationally known philatelist who exhibited all the characteristics of a true leader. In addition to being a major force in St. Louis stamp collecting, she was also vice-president of Robert Siegel Auctions in New York after 1994.
In the male-dominated world of organized philately, Elizabeth first established herself as an accomplished collector and organizational leader in the 1940s. She became the first woman president of the Tulsa Stamp Club around 1950. In 1954 she published a scholarly study of Spain’s first postage stamp in the “American Philatelic Congress Book.”
Alan Barasch has been the administrator of the award since 2010.
Eligibility/Process:
- Anyone in philately is potentially eligible for consideration to receive the Pope Award. Gender, race, creed, age, and/or religious beliefs shall not be factors in the selection of an award nominee.
- Nominees must be living when selected by the committee.
- The Pope Award recognizes voluntary contributions to the hobby. Those who hold paid positions within philately are eligible for consideration only in light of their contributions above and beyond the duties of their paid position(s) within philately.
- Winners of the award are chosen by previous recipients of the Pope Award.