Elizabeth C. Pope

Elizabeth Pope

There are times, when some of the more experienced philatelists and dealers gather for a social event and reminisce about some of the greats of our hobby who are no longer with us. Even to the uninitiated, some of the names that are generally mentioned are ones that clearly rank within the pantheon of world philately.

Among these would be Robert A. Siegel,Henry M. Goodkind, Harry L. Lindquist, Mortimer Neinken, Creighton Hart, Van Dyk Mac-Bride, August Dietz, and Stanley B. Ashbrook.

It might surprise some of those philatelists and dealers at such a social gathering that there is one living philatelist and dealer who knew, quite personally, all of these people and a whole lot more of them than those mentioned above. And even further: that each of those famous luminaries of philately not only knew this person, but respected her most profoundly. That person, of course, is Elizabeth C. Pope of St. Louis, Mo.

Liz Pope evolved from a serious stamp collector in her teens to one of the truly great figures in American commercial philately into the latter part of the 20th century. Not only do the great philatelic auction houses like that of Robert A. Siegel owe her a debt of gratitude, but she has mentored some of the authentic greats of modern day stamp dealing like Scott Trepel, president of the Siegel firm.
 
Her knowledge of world philately, and in particular 9th century U.S. and Confederate States issues, is legendary—but more than that, her circle of friends includes the owners of most of the important stamp collections assembled in this country over the past 40 years.

And if that isn’t enough, one must turn to the great things she has done for the philately of her hometown of St. Louis. For that we might ask Hans Stoltz, proprietor of their shop in Webster Groves, Mo., or any member of the famed Webster Groves Stamp Club. All of them, we know, would applaud her lifelong devotion.