Boston 2026 World Stamp Show

Apples and oranges. The allocation of discretionary hobby dollars and time is not the same as international trade deals, tariffs, etc. To your point, perhaps other countries cave on trade policy because they have no other option.

This is not that. We're talking about an international stamp show here, where the 'other option' is to just stay home and not deal with the nonsense. Which is what a fair number of international would-be visitors will elect to do.

Since the answer to this would be called "political", and would have to be by necessity, this discussion will continue to go around in circles. And a lot of people who would like to come will not because of it. And a lot of dealers both here and overseas will not be there selling as well. And what might have been a great and memorable event might go down as a case of "what it might have been". Sad.

You mean such as barring Israel gymnasts to a country in which there is a competition. On the scale of general interest, where does Israel gymnasts rank?

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What is needed for those on the fence is actual rules, decisions and hard information set and published so those on the fence can make a decision. The longer the show waits to declare that the more on the fence group will jump off into the I'm skipping it group.The I am going heck or high water, group will not increase.

Are you actually comparing world class gymnastics with stamp collecting as something that millions will sit in front of a TV to watch????? Or something that happened in the 70's around the Olympics with what might happen in Boston in May of 2026 at an only important to stamp collectors event??? That paranoia is in overdrive.

The gymnasts were denied visas to attend. The event will continue, just with out them and will be watched. As to the 70s reference, that predates the current unrest with in the USA. The Boston Marathon Bombing did occur in Boston however.

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When the dust settles, the Boston 2026 Show will be able to determine if it was a financial success (did not lose money) or failure (lost money). Who attends, who wins awards and how dealers did will no longer matter. However the fact the dealers are not staying the entire show was the first canary to drop.

I think you miss the point. If you want to sell to the largest consumer market for stamps or anything else in the World you will show up. If you want to exclude the US market that is your choice. My bet is that most people selling or exhibiting for exposure in order to sell at some point realize the value of attending and will come.

I'm afraid that you are wrong this time. You are underestimating the current feelings about this country in other parts of the world. And the real potential for serious financial losses due to the current situation. This is a very serious problem right now as far as Boston is concerned.

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Most of which the show committee has zero control over.

The first mistake was selecting an now extremely expensive location for folks attending. When selected, Boston was not cheap, but post covid, hotels and entertainment venues are still trying to make up for lost years. In 2016 it could not be foreseen, but by 2023 there was enough indication a pivot could have been made "on stay expenses." As to recent world unrest since 2022, that too could not be predicted, nor is a pivot possible. Only event failure insurance handles that if a cancellation s forced or needed.

Recent world unrest goes back to 2016, but it has gotten much worse over time. The Boston show is just one small symptom, important to us but there is so much more at stake.

If that was truly the case, then entire board needs to be fire and the event cancelled. If they could not in 10 years prepare to handle the unrest, they sure can't do anything now. Take the high road, cancel the event and blame 2016.

Cancellation of the event means zero to the average collector here or worldwide.

Though my date selection of 2022 was the beginning date for the many wars which started and mostly ended since then.

And yes, I would support the cancellation. When Boston was selected all those years ago, this international became mostly dead to me.

Perhaps the board did not have your crystal ball. It's very easy to use hindsight and pretend it was easy to see the future. And wars are not the problem. That's just gaslighting; the tariffs and their cause are the problem here. They are the reason that so many are loath to commit to the show.

I believe this explains the persistent negativity regarding the show, then.



I doubt many European dealers will want to deal with the hassle, but I sure hope you're right and they show up!

If you want exposure, go exhibit in China, Thailand, the UAE. As an added bonus, there is certainty about customs.

Wars causing protests, street crime, safety, and the mayor's and governor's policies on them, indeed are separate concerns in terms of show attendance than tariffs and their impact on exhibitors or dealers, but mentioning them is not "gaslighting" or "paranoia" as suggested earlier. For many potential attendees living between the coasts, these are sincerely held concerns. You may disagree with them, but delegitimizing them is inappropriate and not productive for this conversation. It would be better for show leaders to tell prospects how to manage these concerns.

Sorry, but wars, crime, and protests are as old as humanity. They are always around. Yet shows were well attended. Did GASS posts have this? No. Did WESTPEX have posts like this? No. And there were Israeli stamps there, and they had plenty of publicity. Using it for Boston is gaslighting, the problem is still tariffs and the reasons behind them, both personal and thought wise.