National Museum of American History (U.S.). National Philatelic Collection.

While the Smithsonian acquired elements of a philately collection in the nineteenth century, systematic work began with the appointment of Joseph Britton Leavy as Philatelist in 1913.

Until 1947 the Philatelist was a staff member of the Division of History. In 1947 a Section of Philately was created and then upgraded to a division in 1949. In 1957, the Division was renamed Philately and Postal History (changing again to Postal History in 1969). It was affiliated with the Departments of Civil History, 1957-1968, Applied Arts, 1969-1977, and National History, 1978-1979, as a result of museum reorganizations. In 1980, the Division was organized as the National Philatelic Collection in the National Museum of American History, reporting to the Director. In 1990, the National Philatelic Collection became the National Postal Museum, an independent entity, in consequence of an agreement between the Smithsonian Institution and the United States Postal Service.

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