Boston 2026 World Stamp Show

Yes Boston was chosen likely due to the connection with the founding of the USA.

However if you reread your comment you were espousing on Boston because 250 years ago was 1776. That simple fact is correct anywhere which uses the current calendar be it Boston, Antarctica or the Moon.

I felt my point was obvious to everyone simply by stating the 250. I assumed that anyone looking at it would know that is when the revolution occurred, and I would not have to write it as if 8 year olds were reading it.

Even an eight year old would understand that significance of Boston to the Revolution had zero to do with the current calendar date today or next year. Ironically postage stamps were not yet made for another 65-70 years after 1776. Revenue tax stamps, yes, postage, no. [Need I add the reminder that Boston 2026 is an international philatelic based activity, not an American Revolutionary history to 1776 international activity.]

The city was clearly chosen for the obvious reason of it's major importance in the specific history of the start of this nation. This International show is being held HERE, 250 years after the beginning of the revolution. The revolution Semiquincentennial was clearly was considered to be an important part of the planning; the stamps issued for the event clearly show this. And 250 years is a common enough timeline in philatelic issues over the years as well. When postage stamps began is totally irrelevant to this, the actual history is what matters.

Prexie3c
Sad that the uncertainty over the tariff situation is indeed making things very difficult for both exhibitors and dealers.

I've just returned from the Ulm Stamp Show and had a lot of talks with dealers (some of whom are booth holders at Boston 2026) and auction firms about the situation. To make a long story short:

The critical date seems to be November 4th when the courts decide whether Trump's tariffs are legal or not. Should Trump win, there will be a mass exodus of European dealers and exhibitors. In no uncertain terms: there will be a MASS EXODUS of European participants from the show. Should Trump lose, he'll obviously appeal so the whole problem will persist into December..

As of now, some dealers (who already paid for their booths) are unsure whether they get back the money or not should they cancel. One major auction firm has cancelled its booth for sure, two are sure they'll go and some are in a "wait and see and hope" limbo. Everybody I talked to expresses their hopes that American collectors start writing letters to their congresspeople/governors about the tariffs (on stamps). (Apparently there are constant behind-the-curtain talks between dealers all over Europe about what to do or not to do with Boston 2026, and the list of unwilling to participate any longer dealers/exhibitors is growing by the week).

This is in line with what I have been told by a US dealer who is aware of the situation. He will not be doing the show either. It's really a shame.

In the long term, non-participation won't be material to the economic performance of those dealers and auction houses, and there are plenty of US dealers and auction houses who can fill the gaps to serve attendees. The show can certainly go on and there are many positive public policy reasons to maintain the tariffs. Of course, it's always difficult for individual self-interests to yield to the national interest. And it's interesting and instructive that no part of the Europeans' response is about opening European markets that have long benefited from protectionism. Rather than exclusively complaining about the tariffs, they should reflect on what European behavior caused the tariffs to occur.

Two corrections: First, November 5th, 2025, not the 4th, is when:
Oral Arguments before the court (SCOTUS) will be heard on the consolidated cases, Trump v. V.O.S. Selections and Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump (Tariffs) [Docket of No. 24-1287] at 10-11:00 AM.

Second, Opinion Decisions are not made during oral argument. The Opinions are usually handed down before the end of the term (2025-26) June 30, 2026. In some cases not until the next term.

Here there was a request for the opinion to be expedited with December 2025 the target but SCOTUS rules at its time frame, no one else's.

SEE: https://www.supremecourt.gov/search...24-1287.html and for preconsolidation activity; https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.../25-250.html .


As I mentioned before, anyone expecting any decisive outcome on 11-4 or 11-5 is wrong. Furthermore as of that date, there will be no future date by which the decision can actually be expected.That said, my tea leaves indicate a decision between late November and the end of December 2025, with the likelihood growing as dates move closer to late November or first week of December due to the "rush" request.


Edit: Corrected ! to1. And to add:




Alas, there will be many more weeks than "11-4-25" for that non-attendance list to grow.

And also must add in the case of some of the tariffs' intent, to affect and influence international interests to keep humans alive.

The last major tariff negotiating round was the GATT round of the 1990s. That was a hugely complex negotiation with give and take across sectors. The US signed up to that and, by unilaterally raising tariffs, it is proving once again that it cannot be trusted in international negotiation. And the idea that this farrago is designed to "keep humans alive" is risible.

I think we can all agree with the first part of this, but I don't see how the second part is necessarily true. Are there a bunch of US dealers and auction houses who have been sitting on the sidelines and only now will announce that they're coming to Boston 2026?




I think the problem is that the those talking about tariffs (on both sides of the fence) tend to paint with a rather broad brush, which raises political hackles all around. I'd prefer to focus specifically on tariffs on philatelic material, as this is a stamp-focused forum and the topic at hand here is the Boston 2026 show.

Frankly, I don't want to know anyone's opinion on non-philatelic tariffs, and I don't want to share mine.

Are tariffs on philatelic material - the only ones that have any significant bearing on the Boston 2026 show - beneficial?

If yes, how so?

If not, could one condemn philatelic tariffs specifically without touching on the merits of all the other tariffs?

I will delete this post if you delete the quoted part below from yours gvol21. Your questions while spot on invite the very political commentary your state you wish to avoid.




1) As the tariffs on philatelic material is part of a whole and thus if beneficial, it must be considered as a whole.

2) Depend on the outcome for the entire whole before such can be determined for a single piece of the whole.

3) This cannot be determined until the out come of the tariffs as a whole is determined. Only then can a small fractional section outcome be determined.


One large benefit of the tariffs is the decreasing of the cost of philatelic material when purchase the same item not subject to tariff. The price paid for a single philatelic item has always been the core cost plus all related added costs. Example; If an item has a core value of $100 it does not suddenly jump in value to $120 because an auction firm add a 20% buyer's premium.No it the final value stays at $100 while to core value drops to $83.34. Shipping and the sales taxes which can apply under the various names used, further lowers the core value so the all totaled final price is still $100.

So when action is taken to lower one's personal shipping (pick up in person) sales taxes(live/ship to where there are none), buyer's commission (pick lower commission auction) give buyer an edge, but even for them top value remains $100. Tariffs is just another slice from the selling owner's net, but for the buyer, the value is still $100.

If I can buy in competition without the sales tax and tariffs (or any other add on) it give me a leg upon the competing buyers of material I want. Great for collectors (buyers) but sucks big time for sellers, especially those expecting to make money which are just the dealers. So it is a win, depends who you ask, collector or dealer.

And as I mentioned before, the costs associated in getting to the location (Here Boston 2026) are part and parcel of the overall cost for the philatelic purchase cost totals. Stamps shows are for philatelic transactions be they now or later, not local sightseeing.

I'm glad you all enjoy paying much higher taxes simply so that billionaires can pay even less taxes. And the poor can lose food stamps and children can suffer. And the White House can be illegally torn down at the same time. I will bet you are all proud of this.

This is the 'fallacy of composition': you're assuming that what's true of the whole must be true of each part.

Never mind if the broader tariff policy is beneficial or not, but please explain the logic of tariffs on philatelic material specifically and how philatelic tariffs are in the US national interest.

If for example the tariffs as a whole lead to a cure for cancer, but crushes the hobby of philately. That is a win for philatelists, except for those who prefer collecting stamp over being cured of their cancer.

Again, until the end result, what ever it might be, one can not measure the out come.

As to foreign philatelic item being sold into the USA, the tariff helps financially support the government and as I explained before, lowered my cost for obtaining philatelic material. As I never plan to sell while alive, any loss of dealers leaving the market is only part of the positive driving down the cost of stamps.

Elsewhere in SCF and other places, I have regularly stated most stamps have no 'core' value, their cost to purchase is a function of the labor and selling expenses, not the little piece of paper.

Just several years ago state and local sales taxes in the USA began to apply to internet purchases,even those purchases from anywhere in the world. That has forced me to bid 10% lees for items so the final price in my example above stays at $100. Again the sales tax come out of the amount being pocket by the seller of the item.

Of course, the foreign dealers could just pay the tariff fee and price material accordingly at Boston 2026.

Remember these tariffs are temporary, TEMPORARY, and will be gone by 2027, if not late 2026. If you just wait a few more months, you will not have emergency tariffs to worry about. Is that a problem for philately? No, not compared to what philately has survived in the last 185 years. Is it tough for Boston 2026? Yes, but life and the world is like that, stuff happens without explanation, e.g. why is my house standing when the one across the street was blown away by the tornado, or incinerated by the plane crash or lava flow?