SUN CITY – Boasting a global collection of stamps, yet hosting only a small amount of members, the Sun City Stamp Club is opening its doors to more postage enthusiasts.
The Sun City Stamp Club, which formed in 2008, is not well-known, but it is well-loved. Club founder Lou Schutt established the group when he moved to Sun City, having previously belonged to a stamp club in Schaumberg.
“When I moved out to Huntley, there was no stamp club. I thought it’d be nice if we had one, so I ran an article in the Daily Herald. I got some responses, about five of us met in my home, and we went on from there,” Schutt said.
Lou Schutt (left) founded the stamp club in 2008. Today, Mort Hibel is president. (Photo by Chris LaPelusa/Sun Day)
The Sun City Stamp Club expanded due to Schutt’s and other members’ passions for stamp collecting. They meet twice per month at the Heartland Community Bank in Huntley. They also host auctions, attend local stamp shows, and will feature a series of lectures in the fall.
“There will be a three-part session on collecting stamps. There will be beginning, intermediate, and advanced stamp collecting. Included in the advanced session will be free appraisals of collections,” said Mort Hibel, the club’s current president.
The types of collections that the members of the Stamp Club have are wide and varied. Hibel’s highlights include “Number 1” and “Number 2” stamps produced in 1848 as well as a stamp dating back to the opening of the Tel Aviv post office in the late 1940s. Other members boast similar items.
“I probably have about 10,000 stamps in my collection,” said Schutt, who began the hobby in his childhood when the family’s postman would gift him with the latest stamps. “I think I have every stamp issued since 1927.”
Even so, the Stamp Club accomplishes more than just collecting postage, according to Hibel.
“It’s a wonderful social thing,” he said. “All of the people have different knowledge levels, and we share our stories together. It’s educational and it builds personal relationships.”
While Schutt still considers the group a “small club,” he encourages those who are interested to attend a meeting and become a part of the fun. The cost of membership is $5 per year, and anybody interested is welcome to attend an upcoming meeting.
“The more the merrier,” he said.
The Sun City Stamp Club meets at the Heartland Community Bank at 12101 Regency Parkway, Huntley, IL.
Upcoming lectures held by the club for beginning, intermediate, and advanced stamp collecting will be October 7, October 21, and November 4th, respectively. Advanced lectures include a free stamp collection appraisal.
