Organizational Memberships

My current memberships:
American Philatelic Society (for magazine, library access, and circuits)
American Topical Association (love the magazine, checklists)
Haiti Philatelic Society (nice folks, AWESOME journal)
Nashville Philatelic Society (local club, girls and I support it)

Former Membership:
Scouts on Stamps Society

Considering:
Society of Israel Philatelists

Clay

I am a member of the APS and BNAPS.

Current memberships:
Precancel Stamp Society
International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors

May I ask how long some of you were collecting before you joined an organization and what prompted you to do so?

The first organization I joined was the APS after 17 years of collecting. I wanted to receive the sales circuits.

Don

oceanguy: I started collecting in 1960 at age 10. My father got me into it. I joined the APS in early 1974, after I had gotten out of college and was working. Back then, you needed a sponsor to join APS and a guy in my office did that for me. Told me I would learn a lot from APS, which I have over 42+ years of membership.

Also subscribed to Linn's Stamp News around the same time; dropped it after a while; and re-subscribed maybe 20 years ago. Still get Linn's.

I am not a member of any organisation / club.

Whenever I come across one that might be interesting, they make it difficult / expensive for foreigners to join. And then there are the ones who do things like the days before the Internet

My main interest is everything related to Germany 1933-1945.

Just one so far: Life Membership with Philatelic Congress of India..

Have to check on APS...

ClimberSteve, interesting you would have needed a sponsor to join a stamp club. Linn's seems to have a very nice website! You must have learned lots from your dad. Great you had that kind of mentorship.

ClassicalStamps, I am sure the evolution of stamp collecting in light of the internet has led to some pretty dramatic changes. Without it, I do not think I would be able to really get into collecting given that I am in a very rural area. I am sure it has made it much harder for brick and mortar stores in all but larger cities, which is somewhat of a shame, as it would be nice to see all the great stuff in person.