About This Stamp
The 22-cent commemorative stamp honoring AMERIPEX '86, the 1986 international Philatelic exhibition hosted by the United States, was issued May 25, 1985, in Rosemont, Illinois. The dedication ceremony was held in conjunction with COMPLEX '85, the Combined Philatelic Exhibition of Chicago, at the Chicago O'Hare Holiday Inn in Rosemont.
AMERIPEX '86 took place May 22 through June 1, 1986, in the Chicago area. It was expected to be the largest philatelic exhibition ever held in this country. The United States hosts a major international stamp show each decade. Ten years earlier, INTERPHIL '76 was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The AMERIPEX stamp design features a stamp-on-stamp motif, with a reproduction of a portion of the 1-cent Benjamin Franklin regular stamp in use 100 years earlier.
The stamp was designed by Richard D. Sheaff of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Art director was Jack Williams; modeler was Esther Porter; engravers were Gary Chaconas (vignette) and Robert G. Culin, Sr. (lettering and numerals). The offset/intaglio process was used. The stamps were issued in panes of 48.