THE ROYAL PHILATELIC SOCIETY OF CANADA (RPSC) ANNOUNCES RECIPIENT OF THE 2025 GELDERT MEDAL

The Geldert Committee of The Royal Philatelic Society of Canada is pleased to announce their unanimous selection for the best article or series of articles in The Canadian Philatelist (TCP) of 2025. The Geldert Medal can be presented only to a new author who has not won the award before. Winning articles must reflect research and have appropriate footnotes and/or other references. Originality is also a consideration for eligible articles

The Geldert Medal winner is Neil Donen of Victoria, BC. Neil is well known for his detailed research and exhibits on postal history, particularly relating to the British Commonwealth during the 1930s.

Mr. Donen’s article proves the value of personal contacts in the philatelic world that took place at the 21 Club of Vancouver. These contacts led to a trail of original research and discovery to review the previous work on forged British Commonwealth cancellations. Neil has added significant new information including 19 new examples of forged cancels. The article is well illustrated and contains an innovative diagram showing relationships between various parties responsible for the forgeries and their distribution.

The winning article can be found in the March/April issue of TCP, pages 66-71.

The Geldert Medal was established in 1967 by Phyllis Geldert in memory of her husband Dr. George M. “Mac” Geldert, FRPSC and The RPSC President (1958-1967). A notable stamp collector herself, Mrs. Geldert was prominent in many facets of RPSC work, including a directorship from 1967 to 1978. She also served as executive director for three years. She was elected as a Fellow (FRPSC) of the Royal in 1968. Mrs. Geldert died on August 23, 2000.

The members of the Geldert Committee of The RPSC are Kevin O'Reilly FRPSC, Ed Kroft FRPSC and George Pepall FRPSC.

Information on The RPSC can be had by e-mail at info@rpsc.org or by visiting the Society's website at rpsc.org