H.E. Harris & Co. History
Starting at just 14 years old, Henry Ellis Harris placed a free ad in the Washington Post in June 1916 offering a risk-free deal—a packet of 10 postage stamps at a $2 catalog value for 50 cents—and steadily grew his customer base from there. By 1931, “Harris” had become the biggest name in stamp collecting, with ads in popular magazines like Boys’ Life, Popular Mechanics, and King Comics, and even on matchbook covers. In 1935, Harris published the first 64-page Harris US/BNA catalog, covering United States and British North American stamps. This catalog has since won seven international awards, and it continues to be published today as America’s best-selling stamp price guide. Now, over 100 years after that first free ad, H.E. Harris remains dedicated to providing quality postage stamps, beautifully crafted stamp albums, and the renowned Harris US/BNA Postage Stamp Catalog to collectors.
H.E. Harris Today
Since 2003, Whitman Publishing and H.E. Harris & Co. have together been top suppliers of coin and stamp products. In November 2023, Whitman Publishing and its product brands were acquired by CDN Publishing, LLC, consolidating two longtime leaders in numismatic and philatelic publications. Now known as Whitman Brands, the company unites the distinct brands CDN, Whitman, H.E. Harris, Cowens, and Whitman Expos under one umbrella, aiming to serve the entire collecting community.