By Joe O'Donnell

It’s time to catch up on the week that was in stamp-collecting insights and news.

Linn's Stamp News is looking back at its five most-read stories of the week, according to reader metrics.

Click the links to read the stories. Here they are, in reverse order:

5. New APS executive director has ties with APS vice president Mick Zais: On July 24, the APS announced that Scott English, chief of staff to a controversial South Carolina lawmaker, had won the executive director’s job without being a member of the hobby.

4. Harmer-Schau auction at APS Stampshow Aug. 20-22: The sale offers a broad array of United States and worldwide stamps and covers, as well as collections that highlight selected material from a number of specialist collectors.

3. Priority No. 1 for new APS director: increase membership: It didn’t take long for the doom-and-gloomers to weigh in with their prognostications following the July 24 announcement of the hiring of former political aide Scott English.

2. Largest U.S. national stamp show Aug. 20-23 in Grand Rapids, Mich.: Stampshow, the nation’s largest annual postage stamp event, Thursday, Aug. 20, through Sunday, Aug. 23, at the DeVos Place Convention Center.

1. PRC ruling keeps 49¢ stamp around for eight more months: The cash-hungry United States Postal Service has won what is described as an eight-month extension on its current stamp prices.

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