Tony Shields - SPAN Award Recipient 2002

Tony Shields (Victoria) has contributed to, and had a long time association with our hobby as a collector, club president, exhibitor, author, and since 1979 as a stamp dealer.

He has given many years of valuable service to ASDA (now APTA) in many capacities including terms as President. The SPAN Award is in recognition of Tony's long, devoted and exemplary service to Australian philately in fostering close dealer-collector-Australia Post relationships.  Tony has served on ASDA / APTA committees on ethics, forgeries, fairs, marketing, stolen property and the GST; he has liaised with Australia Post, Leigh Marden, the Note Printing Branch and stamp magazines on security problems and dubious practices.

Tony has been an APMMAC Committee member since 1986, and the dealer organization's delegate on the Australian Philatelic Federation for the past 14 years.

   Tony Shields wins 2003 British Sir Roland Hill Award

The prestigious Sir Roland Hill Awards are now in their seventh year and are sponsored by Royal Mail, The British Philatelic Trust and the Philatelic Traders Society.

This year the awards were presented at a glittering ceremony and black tie dinner at Drapers Hall in Central London, which was previously the Palace of Oliver Cromwell. It is a spectacular venue with stately rooms displaying huge tapestries, hundreds of oil paintings, many by old masters, antique furniture and silver ware. The evening was compared by celebrity TV Chef, Ross Burden and organized by a major events company on behalf of Royal Mail.

Well known Australian dealer, Tony Shields, of Shields Stamps & Coins in Greensborough, Victoria, was presented with an Enterprise Award for Personal Contribution . This was a once up Special Award in recognition of Tony's 25 year contribution to stamp collectors and dealers within Australia and Overseas.  This is the fourth major award won by Tony in the last 12 months, after being voted Dealer of the Year and Show Dealer of the Year by the stamp trade and being given the inaugural SPAN award by the Australian Philatelic Federation for services to National Philately.

Tony is currently President of the Australasian Philatelic Traders Association, and Vice-President of 2005 Pacific Explorer International Stamp Exhibition in Melbourne.