The Royal Philatelic Society of Canada has just announced Neil Donen as the winner of the 2025 Geldert Medal.
Neil is a long-time member of the Victoria Stamp Club and this award recognizes his many years of philatelic experience. In his announcement, RPSC President Gregg Redner said that “Neil is well known for his detailed research and exhibits on postal history, particularly relating to the British Commonwealth during the 1930s.”
The article is titled The 21 Club and Madame Joseph Forged Postmarks and was published in the March/April edition of The Canadian Philatelist. It tells the story of Neil’s significant findings about forged cancellations after a chance conversation with another member of a philatelic club led to his review of previous studies, plus his own discovery of new evidence.
The Geldert Medal is awarded each year to the best article published in the RPSC’s journal, The Canadian Philatelist. President Redner went on to say, “Mr. Donen’s article demonstrates the value of personal contacts in the philatelic world, originating through the 21 Club of Vancouver. These relationships led to a trail of original research and discovery, re-examining earlier work on forged British Commonwealth cancellations. Neil added significant new information, including 19 previously unrecorded forged cancels.”
This is not the first time a VSC member has won the Geldert Medal. Larry Margetish, won in 2019 for his article “The Story Behind Canada’s 12¢ Parliament Stamp.” In 2005, Peter Newroth won for his series: “Philatelic Treasures: Queen Victoria Period Postage Stamps and Postal History of the Gold Coast.” In 2001, Gray Scrimgeour won for his articles: “Canadian Mail Across the Border Twice” and“The Hudson’s Bay Company Mails.” All of these members, including Neil Donen, have contributed much resource material to the VSC website.