The American First Day Cover Society will give a lucky new member and whoever proposes that member each a $300 credit — the equivalent of 30,000 pennies — to welcome member #30,000.
The winners can spend their prizes on the AFDCS.org website, buying FDCs, catalogues and handbooks; joining, renewing or upgrading their memberships; paying for successful AFDCS auction bids; and more. The complete rules are on our website. (No, you cannot join, quit, and join again to try to hit #30,000! And your dog is not eligible.)
The AFDCS today does not have 30,000 members: It is closer to 1,200. Some numbers may have been skipped; some people may have received more than one number over the years; and, of course, some former members no longer collect.
Member #1 was Richard S. Bohn, who was one of the philatelic leaders who came up with the idea of a national society for first day cover collectors. Unfortunately, he passed away within a year after the founding in 1955. The earliest still active membership number is 10, Gerald Strauss, the first editor of First Days.
