Introduction to The Philatelic Foundation’s Certificate Archive and PF Search Program
The Philatelic Foundation’s PF Search Program allows you to easily find information about the stamps and covers the
PF has examined and our final opinions about each item. At present 325,000 images of stamps and covers examined
by the PF between June 1984 and June 2011 are in our searchable Certificate Archive. You can find both an image of the
stamp or cover and the PF’s final opinion for each stamp or cover. The PFSearch program allows you easy
access to a variety of information, including grades of stamps we have expertized. For information about how to
use the PFSearch Program, click this link Help with PF Search or at the top of the
PFSearch page.
The David T. Beals III Charitable Trust, Bank of America Trustee, has provided a very generous grant which
funded most of the cost of the first three years of the PF Search project. David Beals had a great interest in classic
U.S. stamps and postal history. This PF Search program and the on-line Stamp Image Library is an ongoing part of
his legacy to his hobby. Prior to this project, several current and former Foundation Trustees were instrumental
in creating and funding the image data base used for this project. These Trustees include Harvey Bennett, Alan
Cohen, George Kramer, Larry Lyons, Michael Perlman, Charles Shreve, Scott Trepel and Steven Walske. There is still
more work to be done to complete this project.
The Philatelic Foundation is a not-for-profit educational institution chartered in 1945 to encourage and
advance philately. All of the information in PFSearch is being made available for free as part of the PF’s
educational services and to further our goal of promoting philately. This information is subject to the
Foundation’s copyright but can be used for non-commercial purposes if the PF is credited as the source.
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