Collectors Club of Chicago


The origins of the Collectors Club of Chicago are traced to the informal meetings during the 1920s of specialized collectors residing in the local area.
The CCC was incorporated in accordance with the General Not For Profit Corporation Act on 13 October 1928 in the State of Illinois, with nine members being named directors and with meetings being conducted in members' homes.
Meetings continued at members' homes until World War II, at which time the meetings lapsed. On Sunday, 26 November 1944, a reorganization meeting of the then-charter-named "Chicago Collectors Club" was held at the home of Maj. Max G. Johl. Today's CCC is the result of that reorganization effort.
In 1967, CCC member Richard McPherren Cabeen offered the Collectors Club of Chicago his four-level brownstone home, located in Chicago's downtown "Gold Coast" area at 1029 North Dearborn Street. The Cabeen offer was accepted, and the building has served as the CCC Clubhouse since that time.
Because of the foresight of the Chicago-area's philatelic fraternity during the formative years, the current CCC membership enjoys the privileges and benefits of a permanent clubhouse building, a comprehensive philatelic library: and the opportunity to socialize monthly or more frequently with fellow collectors having similar interests.
Membership in the Collectors Club of Chicago is by invitation only and is ratified by current membership.

Publications

In late 2017, the Collectors Club of Chicago and author Hugh Feldman were awarded top honors for "U.S. Contract Mail Routes by Railroad " at the Auktionshaus Christoph Gaertner awards ceremony held at MonacoPhil. It was the 5th Annual C.G. International Philatelic Promotion Awards competition.
In summer 2019 in Omaha, author Dr. Yamil Kouri, Jr., won the Literature Grand and Large Gold awards in the American Philatelic Society's StampShow Literature Competition for his book Under Three Flags - The Postal History of the Spanish-Cuban / American War. The book was published by the Collectors Club of Chicago.
Since 1968, the Collectors Club of Chicago, has published 33 original research specialized philatelic handbooks, compendia, and anthologies
CCC Award of Excellence. This award is given at the discretion of the jury for an exhibit judged to be the most excellent with respect to content, presentation and completion. On an annual basis, it is available for the American Philatelic Society / American Topical Assocation / American First Day Cover Society Great American Stamp Show and internationally to select FIP and FIAF sponsored exhibitions. The made-in-the-USA award is a borosilucate glass crystal with high-definition, three-dimensional hand engraving.
CCC Gold Medallion Award. This award is given to a multi-frame Large Gold or very deserving Gold Medal exhibit for particular merit in:
1. Originality in concept;
2. Strong integration of research;
3. A new approach to exhibiting;
4. Exceptionally clear and informative exhibit write-up;
5. Visual appeal to the public. CCC allows for the Gold Medallion Award to be given to a single-frame exhibit in exceptional circumstances. Judges may designate the award to the Grand or Reserve Grand exhibit in a stamp show, but CCC asks that the award not be bestowed upon exhibits of lower merit.
CCC Robert Pratt Award. The CCC Pratt Award is named for Col. Robert H. Pratt, the pre-eminent Newfoundland stamp and postal history collector, researcher, and author. The award consists of a $US1,000 honorarium awarded annually in its entirety to one or more author for articles or other publications related to the philately of Newfoundland as judged by the CCC Pratt Award Committee.

Landmarked Clubhouse

In a letter to the Club dated 29 August 1967, CCC member Richard McPherren Cabeen and his wife, Blema, formally offered the Collectors Club of Chicago their stately four-level brownstone home, located in Chicago's "Gold Coast" area. On 13 September 1967, at a special meeting of the CCC Board of Directors, the Cabeen house gift was accepted.
The Cabeen House at 1029 N. Dearborn St. attained a Chicago Landmark Status on 10 July 2002 as part of the Washington Square Historic District and achieved listing on the United States National Register of Historic Places on 21 August 2003.
The Cabeen House hosts monthly social and general meetings for its members, accompanied by formal dinners and invited guest speakers.