LPS expertizing service

The Lithuania Philatelic Society is now offering stamp certification service for all it’s members. The LPS Expertizing Service is a FREE service to the LPS members. There is a fee for issuing printed certificates. Any profits potentially generated by the LPS Expertizing Service will be used by the society to promote its purpose, deliver more events and services to its members. We welcome your comments and suggestions on how to better improve the service. Auction houses are encouraged to seek expertization from other Expertizers.

The LPS committee of examiners

The certification service is provided by an expertizing committee consisting of the number of leading specialists in the different fields of Lithuanian philately. Stamps and postal history items accepted for expertization from the following areas: Lithuania 1918 – 1941, Local (Raseiniai, Grodno/Gardinas, Telsiai) and provisional issues, Memel/Klaipeda, Central Lithuania, Warwiszki, WWII German occupation of Lithuania, Modern Lithuania stamps 1991-present.

How to Submit an Item

1. There is no cost for expertization – it is done for free but only to the members of the Lithuania Philatelic Society. Cost of membership in the Society is $20 per year and application can be found here. Information about other LPS membership benefits can be found here.
2. The cost of certificates: $20 for a large certificate and $10 for a small certificate. Members of the expertizing committee will decide on which certificate is to be issued for an individual item submitted. The stamps will not be marked on reverse unless they are found to be forgeries.
3. All items submitted but found to be forgeries are to be marked as “FORGERY” on the back of the item. Requests to not mark forgeries as such will not be accepted. There will be no charge for examining forged material.
4. Postage will be paid by the submitting party and the costs will be as follows:

   
   $5 for regular airmail outside the US and
   $2 for regular mail within the US
   $20 for Registered mail abroad and
   $15 For Registered/Certified mail within the US
   $100 for FedEx shipment outside United States.

   LPS is not responsible for lost or stolen mail.

5. Submission of the items for expertization should be performed by contacting the Expertizing Committee via online submission form or by mailing the items directly to the following address:

   
   LPS Expertizing Service
   c/o Dr. Vitaly Geyfman
   8 Elmhurst Blvd.
   Scranton, PA 18505, USA

6. Payment can be done via PayPal (use payment button located in the upper right corner). Please always wait for our invoice before making a payment
7. Because LPS Expertizing Service is a FREE service to the LPS members, no rigid timeframes for expertization are guaranteed. Although we will strive to avoid unnecessary delays, longer expertizing times are common and to be expected. If time is of the absolute essence and possibility of even small delays are unacceptable, we encourage our members to submit their material to other Expertizers and Expertizing Committees, but please be mindful that additional charges will apply. Click here for the list of alternative experts for Lithuania and area.
8. The expertization committee reserves the right to refuse expertizing to any LPS member at the committee’s own discretion and without an obligation to explain the circumstances leading to refusal.

If you have any questions or comments about the LPS Expertizing Service, please post here.