Lithuania Philatelic Society

Lithuania Philatelic Society is a philatelic society dedicated to the collection and study of Lithuanian postage stamps and postal history.

History

The society was founded in 1946 in Chicago, Illinois. John Green served as the first president of the organization from 1946 to 1948.

Meetings

Meetings are held at least twice a year usually in the Chicago, Illinois area. Although the society has members in other countries, such as Lithuania, Germany, Canada, Japan, and Australia, most of the members live in the United States.

Publications

The society publishes an illustrated journal, containing from 40 to 100 pages, usually twice a year, which contains philatelic articles on Lithuania, as well as society news. It is written in both English and Lithuanian. In 1996, the Lithuania Philatelic Society celebrated its 50th anniversary and in 1997 issued a book entitled "50 Years", which provides a complete description of the history of the society. Currently, Dr. Audrius Brazdeikis serves as the Editor of the Lithuania Philatelic Society Journal.

LITHPEX

The society holds a philatelic exhibition, called LITHPEX, every other year, and provides cachets for the event. The Society designs special pictorial USPS cancels for LITHPEX shows.

Donation to Lithuania

From 1962 to 1975, members of the society worked to form a complete collection of stamps of Lithuania to be donated to the country of Lithuania once it again became a free country. The collection was entitled "The Representative Collection of Lithuanian and Klaipeda (Memel) Stamps". The collection contained 551 unused Lithuanian stamps, 4 souvenir sheets and 2 flight covers in addition to 292 unused Klaipeda stamps and was assembled by members E.Petrauskas (the initiator), K. Meskonis, L. Kairys, I. Sakalas, V. Urbonas and J. Adomenas. After the collection was first exhibited in 1975 at the Lithuanian Youth Center in Chicago, Illinois, it was donated to the country of Lithuania in a ceremony at the Lithuanian National Museum in Vilnius on June 26, 1999.

Membership

Membership in the society is open to all collectors and students of Lithuanian philately. Application should be directed to John Variakojis, 3715 West 68th Street, Chicago, IL 60629. Membership meetings are held twice a year.

Organization

The organization is governed by a set of by-laws. Officers are elected for two year periods and most reside in the Chicago, Illinois, area. Current president is John Variakojis. Previous presidents include Dr. Walter M. Eisin, Eve A.Lukas (Ieva Lukasiute), Ignatius Sakalas, John Green (Jonas Grinius), Kazys Meskonis, I.Sakalas, L. Kairys, Edmund Jasiunas, Juozas Zygas, K. Meskonis, and Jonas Adomenas.

See also

• Postage stamps and postal history of Lithuania
• List of people on stamps of Lithuania
• List of people on stamps of Central Lithuania

External links

• Lithuania Philatelic Society