Olivier Stocker, CEO of Spink and PTS Member was appointed the President of the most elite philatelic club, The Club de Monte-Carlo.  Here we find out more about the club and  MonacoPhil the biannual stamp show:

• Tell us what is the The Club de Monte-Carlo?

The Club de Monte Carlo was founded by sovereign decree of Prince Rainier III in 1998 on the encouragement of noted philatelist Alexander D. Kroo. Under the patronage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II, the club has flourished into the leading club of advanced philately.

• What does it mean to be made the president of this prestigious club?

It is of course a great honour. To be honest I never expected to even be considered for the role. It came as a beautiful surprise, and I immediately accepted (only after checking with my wife!). I have always supported the philatelic hobby as much as I could, and this was a great opportunity to do even more for the promotion of our favourite activity.

• What should we expect from the Club de Monte-Carlo whilst you are president?

I am succeeding Patrick Maselis, who has done a lot for the Club. Obviously my tenure will be different, as Patrick and I are different in style. One of my initial ideas is to promote further the social activities of the Club, with exclusive offerings to the members, and to elevate even further the quality of our flagship exhibition in Monte Carlo every two years. To achieve that, that I am looking at a prestigious venue, close to the hotels, to make Monacophil the unassailable Mecca of Philately.

• As the CEO of Spink how important is the Club de Monte-Carlo to the trade?

I am now the President of the Club, and will focus on that. Of course, the Club is the home of the top 100 collectors in the world, and therefore all major auction houses and dealers are in touch with its members regularly, and they are essential contacts for them. Monacophil itself is, of course, the number one event in the philatelic calendar, and a terrific showcase of the trade and the hobby at-large.

• How do you think the Club de Monte-Carlo can benefit the trade?

When we stage Monacophil, we aim to provide an event which is not only stylish, prestigious and fun for our members, but also a showcase to all of the importance of our hobby. Our unrivalled exhibition material, publications, and of course the backing of HSH Prince Albert II, makes us a major asset for the trade. We also provide a wonderful social environment for members, enthusiasts and members of the trade to meet and share material in a friendly, non-competitive setting.
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• How easy is it to become a member?

We have a numerus clausus, and hence a waiting list. To become a member you have to be proposed by current members, be vetted by a committee and most importantly be the owner of major rarities, or iconic stamps or covers. As part of your membership, you will be expected to exhibit a great rarity in the Monte Carlo Museum of Stamps and Coins once every two years.

• The Club de Monte-Carlo and MonacoPhil are closely connected. When is the next show?

The next show will be the last week end of Nov 2024 or first week end of December 2024, subject to the availability of HSH Prince Albert II. It will be again an amazing event and the theme for the non-competitive exhibition will be “The Far East”, one of the most exciting areas of philately.

• What should we expect from the next show?

A great exhibition as always: the Top 100 rarities in the Museum and the Far East exhibition in the new venue, a showcase of new philatelic publications, conferences in a world class amphitheatre, lots of philatelic exchanges and, most importantly, a lot of fun with our partners, so they can see that there can be glamour in philately.

• If we have dealers reading this, who haven’t attended the show before why should they think about taking a stand?

I for one want to have more dealers present, as they all say it is the best show in the world. I am looking at the possibility of having tables at a more attractive price for dealers, for more dealers to bring their exciting stock to Monaco. We hope to have a few super premium lounges, the usual 2x3m, or 2x2m booths and hopefully many tables. The hotels are amazing, and we get good discount prices from our local partners. The place is safe, and usually sunny at that time of the year, everybody is in a good mood, so it is the place to be in late November, early December. Since becoming a member 20 years or so ago, I have never missed the event. It has been my favourite event every year, and for sure, it shall be during my tenure as President and long into the future.

Recognised by some as the TED Talks of the philatelic world, The Philatelic Traders' Society & Virtual Stampex are excited to offer one lucky individual the opportunity to host a Stampex Talk at Virtual Stampex. ​
With just one slot left in the schedule, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. In order to have a chance to win, we ask that you fill in the form below.​
Things you'll want to think about before applying. 
1. Think of a topic. You must be able to talk about this subject for 40 minutes and host a Q&A.
2. All talks are hosted in an online webinar - similar to zoom. This means your computer must have a camera.
3. To apply you must fill out the form below and submit it before the 9th April.
4. The lucky winner will be sent the date and time for a talk slot between 4th -6th May.
5. All talks are recorded and uploaded onto YouTube after the show.
6. The winner will be contacted w/c 10th April. 
7. There is only one slot. The PTS MD and PTS Chairman will have the final say in who secures this space. Their decision is final.
8. Runners up may be contacted to conduct a Roundtable discussion at the event on their Talk topic.
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Enter here. 

This year, Virtual Stampex will be home to a number of Roundtables. In a dedicated room, Roundtables allow up to 16 people to connect via video in a fully integrated space to discuss key areas of interest, debate hot topics and meet in an informal session at the show.




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The 5 PTS hosted Roundtables are:

1. LEARN - a Roundtable schedule dedicated to education, including facilitated sessions on topics such as expertising, exhibiting, beginner guides and more.

2. CONNECT - a Roundtable schedule offering visitors a chance to meet key philatelic influencers and experts from around the world, as well as to meet Stampex Talks Auditorium speakers after a Talk.

3. EXPLORE - a Roundtable schedule focussed on the hot topics of the moment such as what philately looks like in 2035, the future of catalogue publishing, digital exhibiting, NFT/crypto stamps

4. SOCIETIES - a place for any philatelic society anywhere in the world to meet for a presentation, AGM or informal get together

5. MEET THE DEALER - any booth holder can book a 30 or 60 minute slot to present to a wider group of collectors together, or ask questions

​A full schedule can be found online here and will be finalised by 31st March. 

• Collectors just need to complete an online form to claim their free issue (with free delivery)
• Just complete your details at: https://stamp.cm/freebie
• Stamp Collector is quickly becoming the world’s favourite stamp magazine
• The May 2023 issue of Stamp Collector, published on 14 April, to be sent out free to claimants

 
We’re giving UK-based collectors the chance to receive the next issue of the hugely popular magazineStamp Collector in the post for free!
 
Editor Matt Hill said: “We’re so proud of the magazine and really want you to see it for yourself, so simply complete the form below, making sure you sign up to the free All About Stamps newsletter, and we’ll pop a copy in the post for you when it is published.”
 
“The May issue of Stamp Collector is packed full of collecting articles, news, tips and price guides. Features include a stamp tour of Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein; an in-depth examination of the Papua bi-colour issues of 1907-1911; an interview with Susanna Mills, the editor-in-chief of the American Philatelic Library; and a guide to Tonga’s 1953 definitives. Plus the usual mix of stamp news, new issues, opinion, and market updates.”
 
How to receive the free magazine
Simply complete the online form, making sure you sign up to the free All About Stamps newsletter, and we’ll pop a copy in the post for you when it is published (you should receive the magazine by 14 April). Please note, this offer is only open to UK residents who sign up to receive the free All About Stamps newsletter. The promotion closing date is 28 March 2023, so claim your copy today!