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Visitors admire exhibits at the 7th Annual Stamp Show at the new building of Barclays Bank, Road Town, Tortola		The 7th Annual Stamp Show at the new Barclays Bank building last weekend was a huge success; this was quite apparent especially on Saturday 20 June when hundreds of visitors crowded the exhibition hall. Stamp and phone card collectors from St Croix, St Eustatius, St Barths, St Martin, St Thomas, Martinique, Barcelona (Spain), the USA, France and Britain spent the weekend at Barclays admiring the many interesting exhibits and buying and trading stamps, coins, and most of all, phone cards. Even Barclays General Manager, Mr Charles Crane couldn't help but remark publicly at the closing ceremony that he had seen "serious" money changing hands. On Saturday visitors were greeted by the Shooting Stars steel band and this added a "special touch" to the well organised event
The exhibit from the Liechtenstein Postal Museum and Sports on Stamps (the exhibition's theme) were the main attractions, but the addition of ten beautiful frames facilitated the organisers in attracting impressive displays of phone cards, thematic collections, and specialised studies, including early BVI and Victorian stamps.		Dr. Urs Stirnimann (manager of VP Bank, BVI) receiving participation diploma from Education Minister Hon Eileene Parsons on behalf of the Postal Museum of the Principality of Liechtenstein. The Museum presented a much admired 10-frame exhibit.

His Excellency, Governor David Mackilligin, CMG, cuts the inaugural ribbon [photo by Astrid Wenzke]

Chief Minister Hon Ralph T. O'Neal had words of praise for the organisers of the stamp show

Education, Health & Welfare Minister, Hon. Eileene Parsons in a jolly mood after presenting diploma to BVI Philatelic Society president Dr Giorgio Migliavacca

Ms Ione Cox was one of four honourees receiving a special award for meritorious service to the BVI Philatelic Society. The other honourees were Astrid Wenzke, Thelma Swain and Jo Warner. Ms Cox is the head chef at Government House and a keen stamp collector, she is also the Philatelic Society's librarian

Astrid Wenzke receives diploma from Hon. Parsons

Jo Warner receives meritorious service award from House Speaker Hon Reuben Vanterpool

The flow of public was less intense on Sunday but despite Father's Day activities and World Cup telecasts a few hundreds visited the exhibition.

At the closing ceremony the results of the BVI Stamp Popularity Poll were announced with the 1997 Definitive Series featuring Game Fish (Most Important issue of the Year) and the Sir Francis Drake souvenir sheet (Best Design of the Year) securing the top positions. Two students from Cedar School in Road Town (Rebecca Peck and Rebecca MacKenzie) and one student from the British Virgin Islands High School (Jehiah Maduro) were declared winners of the "Design a Stamp" competition and their designs are now being utilised for 1998 Festival stamps which will be issued in July. Each winner not only earned a $75 Savings Account at Barclays but also $300 cheque from Barclays for his/her school. In fact Barclays is the sponsor of this territory-wide competition since its inception in 1995; in that year four students designed the winning entries for the Christmas set. According to Barclays Gen. Manager, Mr Charles Crane, it is hoped that the "Design a Stamp" competition will become a yearly affair with greater participation from all the local schools. He also urged Hon. Angel Smith to ensure a larger participation from BVI schools, especially the outer islands such as Jost Van Dyke, Anegada, and Virgin Gorda.

British Virgin Islands Philatelic Society president Dr Giorgio Migliavacca

BVI Stamp Popularity Poll: Mrs Vanterpool, wife of House Speaker Hon Reuben Vanterpool [far right] drawing raffle ticket from the bag presented by BVI Philatelic Society president Giorgio Migliavacca

The closing ceremony was attended by Education Ministry Private Secretary Hon Angel Smith and Speaker of the House Hon Reuben Vanterpool. Hon. Smith presented the prizes to the students and to the schools' principals.

The date for the 1999 stamp show is already set for 1 and 2 May when members of the Italy and Colonies Study Circle will converge on the BVI to hold their International Meeting and celebrate their 25th Anniversary. The '99 show will not necessarily focus on Italian stamps since the visiting group, which is expected to range from 40 to 60, will exhibit stamps from a variety of countries. Vice-president of the BVI Philatelic Society, Mr Roger Downing said that next year's show will benefit from an extra large format to accommodate the visiting group while allowing local members to exhibit.

BVI PS vice president Roger Downing receives three diplomas from Hon Parsons

Mrs Thelma Swain receives diploma from Hon Parsons

A lavish booklet of some 64 pages was published for the 98 show; it includes interesting articles on Liechtenstein stamps and postal history, Coats of Arms of the British West Indies, Falconry on Stamps, and Pavarotti & Friends on Stamps. It can be obtained by sending US$5 to the BVI Philatelic Society.

Ms Dorcas Rogers receives diploma for her phone cards exhibit

Roseanne Vanterpool is really proud of her Montserrat collection

Programmes with valuable articles from earlier shows are also available at the same price. A special postmark saluting France 98 World Cup was used for the two-day event; cacheted covers are available from the Society at US$3 each. Overseas members are most welcome and, in fact, the Society already has over thirty of them.