The Elizabeth Miller Trophy for Social Philately
Social Philately is a relatively new class which aims to present an historical story or to illustrate the relevance or impact of the postal system upon society. It shall represent a study of the development of social systems and of products derived from the postal service.
Because of the nature of the material which falls within the scope of Social Philately, it may be necessary to display exhibits using a method other than that of display frames, but otherwise the General rules shall apply.
Principles of Exhibit Composition:
A Social Exhibit consists of material which can be included in other classes of philately, as well as non-philatelic items, which are directly related to the operations and to the products of a postal system, either as post office equipment or as material developed by commerce to use or to reflect post office services and products.
This non-philatelic material shall not represent more than 50% of the total exhibit. Examples which fall into this category are:
Telegrams; Greeting cards; Valentines; Illustrated and pictorial envelopes (including patriotic covers); Post office and official office stationary without imprinted stamps; Philatelic history other than literature – this can include albums, hinges, perforation gauges; Philatelic libraries; Officially issued documents bearing illustrations of postage stamps; PHQ cards.
Non-philatelic material which is not linked to the postal system can be included, provided that it is linked to the social aspects of the exhibit, but should not comprise more than 10% of the material.
Aspects of the effect of the postal system on commerce and industry, locality studies based on postal and social history using the material of Social Philately.
Objects associated with postage stamps and their use (letter balances, stamp boxes, model post impedimenta) etc.
Post Office equipment such as mail bags, uniforms and postal tools.
Material associated with a postal service or with postal stamps which is concerned with: (a) the illustration of routes, rates, or markings; (b) postage stamps or items of postal stationery (including essays, proofs, or varieties); or (c) philatelic books or journals SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED.