Judging Philatelic Exhibits

The jury's path

Four steps, from the title page to the feedback.

1. 1

   Before the show

   Judges receive the title page and the synopsis ahead of the show, study both and do any research they need.

2. 2

   The walk-through

   At the frames, judges check the rules, the frame count, the class, the mounting and any missing pages.

3. 3

   Judging by criteria

   Each exhibit is scored point by point against the criteria, not against the other exhibits.

4. 4

   Feedback

   Comments, spoken or written, come in addition to the points and the medal level.

The six criteria

In the order judges assess them, with the questions they ask.

• 1

  Presentation

  5

  Seen first

  • •Is it attractive, with no distractions?
  • •Are the material and the write-up balanced?
  • •Are the pages and frames well filled?
• 2

  Importance

  10

  Before Treatment

  • •How significant is the subject in philately or postal history?
  • •Can the exhibit be easily replicated?
  • •Is it the best it can be, and innovative?
• 3

  Treatment

  20

  Depends on the class

  • •Is the title clear, and does it match the pages?
  • •Are the purpose, scope and plan logical?
  • •Does the exhibit do what it promises?
• 4

  Knowledge and research

  35

  The largest share

  Philatelic and related knowledge, with personal study and research.

  • •Is every item properly identified and described?
  • •Are new conclusions or discoveries highlighted?
  • •Is the research cited, and built on the literature?
• 5

  Condition

  10

  Allowing for age

  • •Are stamps fresh, with good color and centering?
  • •Are markings clear and stamps tied to the cover?
  • •Is any repair shown? Is authenticity in question?
• 6

  Rarity

  20

  Not retail value

  • •Is rarity treated as difficulty of acquisition?
  • •Are rare items highlighted?
  • •Are the rarity statements objective and quantified?

From points to medals

Medals follow the points. Special prizes and the Grand Prix compare exhibits with each other.

• LG95 - 100Large Gold
• G90 - 94Gold
• LV85 - 89Large Vermeil
• V80 - 84Vermeil
• LS75 - 79Large Silver
• S70 - 74Silver
• SB65 - 69Silver Bronze
• B60 - 64Bronze
• CPUp to 59Certificate of participation

• Special prizes

  At the jury's discretion, for exhibits with at least Large Vermeil, in appreciation of outstanding merit or exceptional material. Not given at the marginal scores 85, 90 and 95.

• Felicitations

  The jury may add them for outstanding philatelic research or originality. Not given to the same exhibit twice, unless a totally new aspect of research is introduced.

• Grand Prix

  The best of the exhibition. A Grand Prix candidate is chosen by comparing exhibits with each other, while medals are decided against the criteria.

Say how rare, with a number

Words like uncommon, scarce and rare are opinions. Judges look for an objective fact they can check. Rarity is difficulty of acquisition, not price.

• Vague

  A rare cover.

  An opinion with nothing to check.

• Objective

  One of 3 recorded examples (census, source).

  A count, with where it comes from.

After the judging

What the jury tells you, and how to ask for more.

• What to expect

  Comments come with the points and the medal. Expect them mostly on treatment and knowledge. Judges do not chase typos.

• At international shows

  Time at the frames is short, so feedback is rarely written or detailed. You can usually ask for more by email.

• Scores vary

  Scores differ a little from jury to jury, and a medal can move one level. Use the points to see where to improve.

Sources

Where to read more about judging and exhibiting. Links open in a new tab.

Online

• APS judging manualManual of Philatelic Judging and Exhibiting, seventh edition↗
• AAPEAmerican Association of Philatelic Exhibitors↗
• FIPFédération Internationale de Philatélie↗

In print

• The Philatelic Exhibitors HandbookRandy Neil, revised third edition by Ada Prill
• The Path to Gold175 proven exhibiting tips, Steven Zwillinger, AAPE
• The Philatelic ExhibitorThe quarterly magazine of the AAPE
• The Best of TPEA CD from the AAPE