Emrick takes top prize in AFDCS cachetmakers contest

Bob Emrick’s hand-painted and hand-drawn first-day cover for the United States 2020 Arnold Palmer stamp took top honors as the best cachet of the year in the American First Day Cover Society’s annual cachetmakers contest.

Emrick’s design also won in the hand-painted and hand-drawn category.

For the first time, a junior member of the AFDCS, 17-year-old Arianna Calle, won an adult category. Calle won both first place and second place in the hand-painted/non-original art category.

The results were announced at the AFDCS president’s banquet during Great American Stamp Show held Aug. 12-15 in Rosemont, Ill.

Emrick also creates hand-drawn pencil-sketch and printed cachets, all from original art.

Arianna Calle is the daughter of professional artist Chris Calle, who has designed numerous U.S. stamps. Chris’ father, Paul Calle (1928-2010), was also a U.S. stamp designer.

Arianna’s covers have won first place or second place in the junior categories of the cachetmakers contest more than a dozen times previously, dating back to 2009.

The AFDCS cachetmakers contest isForever Stamps held annually for the previous year’s issues. Among the contest’s categories are media and production methods, foreign, events, esoteric and rookie of the year.

Three anonymous judges representing collectors, dealers and artists judge each category, then choose the best of the best for the top cachet honor. The winner of the top cachet is not eligible for the award the following year.

The AFDCS publishes its award-winning journal, First Days, six times a year, as well as handbooks and directories.

The society sponsors philatelic exhibit awards, advocates for FDC collecting and co-hosts Great American Stamp Show with the American Philatelic Society and the American Topical Association.

For more information on the AFDCS, visit its website, email afdcs@afdcs.orgor write to AFDCS, Box 246, Colonial Beach, VA 22443-0246.

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