John Van Emden, Inc., is owned and operated by John and Ursula Van Emden with assistance from Charlie and Jake, Office Canine Managers.

John has been a stamp collector since childhood, specializing in the stamps of the Dutch Indies during and after the Japanese Occupation.  He started dealing in stamps in school, selling MNH Dutch stamps in the Stamp Club.  Later, he started his first direct mail with classified ads for French Colony long sets in Linn’s Stamp News.

In 1963, he joined the Gimbel’s Stamp Department in Paramus, N.J., where he worked for 5 years for the Minkus organization while earning a B.A. degree at Montclair University, certified to teach History and Geography.

After combat service in Viet Nam, John joined the advertising staff at Linn’s Stamp News in Sydney, Ohio, where he was responsible for creating the new Classified Ad categories, expanding the section to be the largest in philately. He created and managed Linn’s Trends of Stamp Values and established Linn’s Philatelic Library.

Next Van Emden joined Greg Manning Company as General Manager, responsible for advertising and for establishing the new Australian Stamp Bureau.  He started the full page 5 Manning ad campaign that ran for over 30 years.

Recruited to join the just re-organized USPS, John was appointed the first Philatelic Product Manager during a time of tremendous expansion in the Post Office’s philatelic activities.  Developing and distributing new products, opening 10,000 sales centers in local Post Offices, working on new TV advertising and representing the USPS in overseas marketing, oversight of the FDC and Sale Units and representing the USPS at the Basle UPU meeting were among his activities.

John returned to the Greg Manning Organization as President of IPM (International Postal Marketing). Focused on promoting stamps to the general public through non-traditional efforts, IPM created and managed the world’s largest US First Day Cover program for Readers’ Digest.  IPM also established full marketing operations for the British Royal Mint representing over 40 nations, the Royal Australian Mint and the Dutch Mint.  Managing the Australian Stamp Bureau, IPM added agencies for the Cocos Islands, Norfolk Island, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.  This led to the formation of CAPC (Crown Agents Philatelic Agency) representing over 50 nations.  By its third year, IPM was #5 on the INC 500 list.

Next came a period as President of Consumer’s Coin Reserve and two years as Marketing Director at The Franklin Mint.  Among other projects, John was responsible for all stamp and coin programs and Introduced Roman coin, USA Gold coin and Ancient Coin programs to markets in the US, Japan and Germany.  In addition to travel to all the Mint’s markets, John was sent to Moscow and Madagascar to establish new world wide programs.

Recruited to join the new International Collector’s Society(ICS) in Maryland, John grew the company from 72,000 to over 2 million customers through direct response marketing in a wide range of channels.  A leader in Celebrity marketing, ICS advertised celebrity stamps in local and national newspapers, national Sunday comics, on TV and cable.  When ICS was acquired by Sterling Capital in 1998, Van Emden stayed as President for a one-year transition.

“Retirement” from national marketing activities has meant returning to direct mail philatelic sales with some modern twists.  Starting out as Alexander’s Trading Company, what is now John Van Emden, Inc., originally devoted time as consultants to other direct marketing companies, developing and furnishing products in the stamp and coin area for other companies.  By 2005, we decided to focus on providing worldwide philatelic material to our own collectors.

With over 50 years in the stamp business, John Van Emden has a wide range of experience in the philatelic market at all levels.  An active supporter of the hobby, he is a Life Member of the APS (American Philatelic Society) and AFDCS (American First Day Cover Society).  Also a dealer member of APS, John is a member of the FSDA (Florida Stamp Dealer’s Association) and a past Secretary of the SPA (Society of Philatelic Americans) and past Director of the ASDA (American Stamp Dealers Association).

Today, we focus entirely on stamps, covers and unusual lots which we offer through our Newsletters and on our web site.   We also appraise and purchase collections of all sizes.  With hundreds of steady customers and over 50 years in philately, we enjoy stamp collecting….and hope you do too.