What Publications and Research Resources Does the Society for Hungarian Philately Offer?

Updated

The Society for Hungarian Philately (SHP, APS Affiliate #34) offers four main research resources: a monograph series, an English–Hungarian/Hungarian–English glossary of philatelic terms with pronunciation guidance, topical articles such as one on the 1945–1946 Hungarian hyperinflation, and a members-only area holding the SHP journal archives and member blog content. The first three are described on the public site; the journal archives and some blog content require a society membership login.

Monograph Series

SHP states that it was founded with education as one of its primary goals, and its monograph series is the main expression of that. The Publications section of the site links to the series with a "Read More" entry. The public page does not list individual titles, prices, or formats, so treat the series as the place to start for extended, book-length treatment of Hungarian philately rather than for quick reference.

Philatelic Terminology Glossary

The site publishes an English/Hungarian and Hungarian/English Cross Reference of Philatelic Terms and Pronunciation, plus a Glossary of English-Hungarian Terms. This is the most immediately usable resource for anyone working with Hungarian-language covers, cancellations, or auction descriptions, because it pairs terminology with pronunciation rather than offering a bare word list.

Topical Articles and Presentations

The "Article & News Highlights" and blog sections carry short, illustrated studies. Two examples visible on the site:

  • "The 'Magyar Tanácsköztársaság' Overprint Issue" (Philately in Action #51.2) — discusses both sides of an official post card from the treasury department of the City of Sopron, which entitled the recipient to a voucher for 2 cubic metres of firewood if presented between 9 and 11 a.m. on July 26, 1919, and notes the card is correctly franked.
  • "The First Debreczen Issue of the Romanian Occupation" (Philately in Action #52.4) — a newspaper and wrapper franked with a newspaper stamp printed from Plate I of the First Debreczen Issue, cancelled November 24, 1919 at Debreczen 1, with the expertization mark of Mihály Bodor visible below the stamp.

A glossary entry drawn from Robert B. Morgan's The Hungarian Hyperinflation of 1945–1946 is also listed, but the site marks it as restricted content.

Access Levels at a Glance

Resource Access
Monograph series listing Public page with link to details
Terminology cross-reference and glossary Public
Blog articles and presentations (e.g., #51.2, #52.4) Public
Glossary excerpt from Morgan's hyperinflation work Restricted
SHP journal archives, members-only blog content Society membership login required

Practical Notes for Researchers

  • The site does not state membership dues, journal frequency, or archive date ranges on the pages reviewed, so confirm those with the society before joining purely for archive access.
  • The society also runs quarterly online auctions for the club and member consignors; the current listing (Auction 2026C) is shown as closed to bids, which makes past lot descriptions a secondary research source for plating and cancellation types.
  • For terminology work, start with the cross-reference glossary; for a single-issue study, the numbered "Philately in Action" posts are the closest thing to a citable short article.