Strait Stamp Society members gather Aug. 2 in the Sequim Library for their monthly meeting. There they discussed logistics for their 24th annual show Saturday and some of their recent discoveries while collecting. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Strait Stamp Society members gather Aug. 2 in the Sequim Library for their monthly meeting. There they discussed logistics for their 24th annual show Saturday and some of their recent discoveries while collecting. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Strait Stamp Society hosts annual show Saturday at Sequim Masonic Lodge

SEQUIM — Like the back of stamps, there’s something that makes collecting postage for enthusiasts in the Strait Stamp Society stick. 

There’s a story behind many of their collections and individual stamps. They’ve either searched for years for one elusive stamp or uncovered a rabbit trail into a new world of collecting.

Each month, collectors gather at the Sequim Library to share what’s new in the world of stamps and their collections.

‘Show and tell’

At their Aug. 3 meeting, their “show and tell” centered on the letter “D” and despite not every piece being directly linked to the letter or even stamps, club members didn’t mind.

Collectors spoke about researching Swiss stamps, awaiting letters from friends out of the country with unique postage, working on the Port Townsend ferry and many other things.

They ended the meeting with the opportunity to swap stamps, magazines and sort through penny stamps, which will go toward the club’s annual show Saturday in the Sequim Masonic Lodge, 700 S. Fifth Ave.

Strait Stamp Society’s 24th annual show will be from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The stories begin anew or continue at the show as collectors look for more missing pieces or find a new rabbit trail to collect.

Show chairman Cathie Osborne of Sequim anticipates 15-plus vendors selling stamps of all kinds who continue to appraise collections of all ages and sizes for free, she said.

Collectors also share their stories through visual displays with 40-plus exhibits about stamps from club members including a focus on different countries, states, animals and much more.

As is tradition, the show brings in a contingent of Canadian visitors and to celebrate the country’s 150th anniversary, Sequim club members offer an anniversary cancel and cachet.

While the show features collections and exhibits from an array of people, members of the Strait Stamp Society range from newcomers to experts to hobbyists rekindling their interest such as Dan Brooks of Port Angeles.

Brooks, a retired school teacher from southern Oregon, said he’s been collecting U.S. stamps and pre-cancels for about a year now after finding his stamp collection from junior high school.

“And it’s still interesting,” he said.

He and many other collectors find sifting through a bag of random stamps for lost treasures to be a lot of fun.

“It’s almost therapeutic going through a bag of stamps in a morning,” Brooks said.

Collectors of all ages can sort through the penny table, as club members call it, looking for rarities or fun oddities such as cartoon characters or dignitaries from other countries.

Those stamps are free for children and entry is free for all. The U.S. Postal Service will be at the show, too.

For more information on the club and/or show, visit www.straitstamp.org.

The club meets next at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, at the Sequim Library, 630 N. Sequim Ave.

________

Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach him at mnash@sequimgazette.com.

Stamp collectors, from left, Jan Schultz of Port Angeles, June Mennell of Sequim and John Plantinga of Victoria, B.C., search for stamps in the penny pile at the Strait Stamp Show in 2015 in the Sequim Masonic Lodge. This year’s 24th annual show is Saturday with 15-plus vendors and plenty of stamps to go around. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Stamp collectors, from left, Jan Schultz of Port Angeles, June Mennell of Sequim and John Plantinga of Victoria, B.C., search for stamps in the penny pile at the Strait Stamp Show in 2015 in the Sequim Masonic Lodge. This year’s 24th annual show is Saturday with 15-plus vendors and plenty of stamps to go around. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Henry Jones of the Strait Stamp Society said he creates stamp kits to donate and/or auction off so that people can have stamps to help beautify their mail because today’s stamps can be boring. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Henry Jones of the Strait Stamp Society said he creates stamp kits to donate and/or auction off so that people can have stamps to help beautify their mail because today’s stamps can be boring. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

This year’s Strait Stamp Society show Saturday features 15-plus vendors and tens of thousands of stamps sold individually and in collections. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

This year’s Strait Stamp Society show Saturday features 15-plus vendors and tens of thousands of stamps sold individually and in collections. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Dan Brooks of Port Angeles points out a precanceled stamp, a stamp that was canceled before being placed on mail, in a small collection for the Strait Stamp Society’s annual show Saturday. He began collecting these stamps again in the past year after discovering his junior high stamp collection. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Dan Brooks of Port Angeles points out a precanceled stamp, a stamp that was canceled before being placed on mail, in a small collection for the Strait Stamp Society’s annual show Saturday. He began collecting these stamps again in the past year after discovering his junior high stamp collection. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

This year the Strait Stamp Society’s cancellation stamp honors Canada’s 150th anniversary. (Submitted photo)

This year the Strait Stamp Society’s cancellation stamp honors Canada’s 150th anniversary. (Submitted photo)

More in Life

Matthew Nash / Olympic Peninsula News Group
Jennifer Scott of the Hudson Valley region in New York with her niece Calliope Scott of Denver walk the lavender fields of Jardin du Soleil. Scott said she loves lavender. Last week was their first time visiting a lavender farm.
Lavender weekend to bring concerts, food and music

Festivities set across Peninsula from Friday through Sunday

John Goar speaks to a group of visitors before leading them on a moonlit hike up Hurricane Hill for a tour of the constellations. Goar is a volunteer who leads the full moon hikes and dark sky telescope tours that are part of the astronomy program at Hurricane Ridge. (Paula Hunt/Peninsula Daily News)
Hurricane Ridge astronomy program reveals treasures

Volunteer-run tour guides visitors at Hurricane Ridge

Karen Griffiths
Rainshadow Equine Sanctuary Team’s Debi Pavlich-Boaz leads Paliday calmly over a blue tarp as part of his daily training routine. She worked with the Yakima Sheriff’s Department to capture the mini stallion when he was running alongside a freeway, deftly evading capture. Without her help, and an offer to take him home, the sheriff’s department planned on taking the then-untrained pony to a local holding pen to await transport to a slaughter house in Canada. Instead, Paliday is now happily living the rest of days out as a gelding at the sanctuary.
HORSEPLAY: Peninsula animal rescue, shelters need our help

DID YOU KNOW that most of our local horse, dog and cat… Continue reading

A GROWING CONCERN: Get your garden schooled on Nutrients 101

AS WE MOVE through July and our yard and gardens are flourishing,… Continue reading

ISSUES OF FAITH: Truth and honesty important in leadership

THROUGHOUT THE TORAH, we are taught the importance of honesty and justice.… Continue reading

Doug Benecke will be joined by Sallie Harrison for special music at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
Program set for weekend service

Doug Benecke will present “Play Ball!” at 10:30 a.m.… Continue reading

The Rev Craig Vocelka will present “Listening for the Whisper” at 10:00 am this Sunday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1020 Jefferson Street.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church plans service

The Rev. Craig Vocelka will present “A Thankful, Generous… Continue reading

The Rev. Pam Douglas-Smith.
Speaker set at Unity in Port Townsend for weekend service

The Rev. Pam Douglas-Smith will present “Divine Feeding of… Continue reading

Suzan Mannisto, co-manager of Pioneer Memorial Park, introduces the “Pathway Accessible to All Project” as Sequim Irrigation Festival Prince Malachi Byrne looks on. (Sequim Prairie Garden Club)
Garden Club launches path at Pioneer Memorial Park

Organization seeking additional grants, fundraising

Map of lots available in Port Angeles from 1890.
BACK WHEN: Port Angeles celebrating 135 years on July 4

HERE IT IS. July 5, and we celebrated the 249th anniversary of… Continue reading

KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Zane Rensen, 6, of Port Angeles receives patriotic face paint from Port Angeles High School cheerleader Madison Bishop in the children's activity tent at Port Angeles City Pier during Friday's Independence Day celebration.
Independence celebration

Port Angeles celebrated Independence Day with sights and sounds of America on… Continue reading