Sarasota Philatelic Club
Explore Stamp Collecting
The Sarasota Philatelic Club is an active community of collectors who have been celebrating the "hobby of kings" for over 70 years. Whether you're a seasoned philatelist or just starting your stamp collecting journey, our club offers a welcoming environment to learn, share, and explore the fascinating world of postal history and beyond.
About the Club
The Sarasota Philatelic Club was founded by five collectors in late 1952. The club held its first exhibition in 1953. At the time, the stamp show was known as SAREX, which the newspapers described as a clever contraction of the Sarasota Philatelic Exhibition.
In 1966, the name of the stamp show was revised to SARAPEX. In 1970 the show moved to the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, and APS accreditation process was initiated. In 1975 SARAPEX achieved “National” status as a member of the World Series of Philatelic Exhibitions.
In an attempt to eliminate confusion between SARAPEX and other similarly named exhibitions, the name was changed to Sarasota National Stamp Exhibition in 1991.
