George E. Hargest of Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

, was a philatelist

Philately

Philately is the study of stamps and postal history and other related items. Philately involves more than just stamp collecting, which does not necessarily involve the study of stamps. It is possible to be a philatelist without owning any stamps...

 who specialized in the study of the overseas use of United States mails.

Collecting interests

Hargest collected and studied classic stamps of the United States as well as United States foreign mail.

Philatelic literature

He was an expert on the subject and wrote The History of Letter Post Communications Between the United States and Europe, 1845-1875 which was published by the Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Institution

The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...

 in 1971 and 1975.

Hargest was named editor-in chief of The Chronicle of U.S. Classic Postal Issues, a journal of the United States Philatelic Classics Society, and contributed articles to the transatlantic mails section.

Honors and awards

Hargest received numerous honors, including the Crawford Medal

Crawford Medal

The Crawford Medal is a vermeil medal awarded by the Royal Philatelic Society London for the most valuable and original contribution to the study and knowledge of philately published in book form during the relevant period....

 in 1972 and the Luff Award

Luff Award

The Luff Award is awarded by the American Philatelic Society for meritorious contributions to philately by living philatelists.-Established:...

 in 1980 for Distinguished Philatelic Research. He was named to the American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame

American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame

The American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame award honors deceased philatelists who have contributed significantly to the field of national and/or international philately.-History:...

in 1984.