Eubanks, King, Maselis to receive Smithsonian Philatelic Achievement Award

May 27, 2025, 12 PM

By Linn’s Staff

The National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C., announced May 8 that Gordon Eubanks, Christopher King and Patrick Maselis are the 2025 recipients of the Smithsonian Philatelic Achievement Award.

The awardees will be honored at a gala at the museum on Saturday, Nov. 8.

Gordon Eubanks is one of the foremost students of classic United States stamps. He assembled and exhibited some of the finest collections of the 1847 through 1861 Federal issues ever formed that are recognized for their depth of research and presentation quality. He won the American Philatelic Society’s multiframe Champion of Champions twice, in 2012 and 2014, for two separate exhibits.

At the World Stamp Show-New York 2016, Eubanks received the Grand Prix National for his exhibit, “The United States Imperforate Issues of 1851–1856 and Their Importance in an Expanding Postal System.”

Eubanks is a board member of the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society, where he supports research, publication and digitization efforts as chairman of the society’s website committee and the 1847 Issue section editor for its publication, Chronicle of the Classic U.S. Postal Issues. He received the society’s Distinguished Philatelist Award in 2019 and its Tracy Simpson Cup for outstanding service in 2022.

In addition to his philatelic accomplishments, Eubanks had a distinguished career in the military and corporate sectors. He served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy’s nuclear submarine force during the Cold War and later became a pioneer in software development during the early personal computing era.

Christopher King is a prolific collector, researcher and exhibitor specializing in the philately of Denmark, the Duchy of Schleswig, Lubeck and Napoleonic Europe as well as illustrated, propaganda and censored mail. His exhibits have won numerous international gold and large gold medals, especially “Schleswig, From Danish Duchy to Prussian Province: Early Mail to 1867.”

King joined the Royal Philatelic Society London (RPSL) in 2005 and advanced quickly through its ranks. He became a member of council in 2007, was elected a fellow in 2008 and served as a vice president from 2009-12. As president from 2013-15, he focused on positioning the society’s library, building and membership for the future.

His record of service to international philately includes keeper of the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists (2009-15), chairman of the British Philatelic Trust (2010-15), executive board member of the Association of British Philatelic Societies (2009-12) and board member of the Club de Monte-Carlo (2016-24).

King was invited to sign the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 2014. He received the RPSL’s Bacon Medal and was named an Honorary Fellow in 2018. He received the Collectors Club of New York’s Alfred F. Lichtenstein Memorial Award for Distinguished Service to Philately in 2019.

Patrick Maselis is an industrial chemist, managing director and passionate collector internationally recognized for his many contributions to philately. A fourth-generation philatelist, Maselis has created gold and large gold medal-winning exhibits of Belgium and Colonies stamps and postal history. His scholarly approach is marked by meticulous research into rare postal documents, rates and markings. He regularly shares his expertise and collections through publications, exhibitions and lectures.

As president of the Club de Monte-Carlo (2009-22), he organized and promoted the biennial MonacoPhil exhibition, an exceptional showcase of the world’s greatest philatelic rarities, attracting leading collectors, scholars and dealers from across the globe.

Maselis served as president of the RPSL (2017-19), the only non-British individual ever elected to that position. During his tenure, he emphasized international outreach leading up to the society’s 150th anniversary and tirelessly promoted the Tomorrow’s Royal committee that helped the society relocate to new premises.

In 2012, he was invited to sign the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists and to join the National Postal Museum’s council of philatelists. He received the Alfred F. Lichtenstein Memorial Award for Distinguished Service to Philately in 2021.

The Smithsonian Philatelic Achievement Award was established in 2002 to honor and celebrate living individuals for outstanding lifetime achievement in the field of philately. This achievement may include original research that significantly advances the understanding of philately, exceptional service to the philatelic community or sustained promotion of philately to the benefit of current and future collectors.

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