In April 1947, Vincent G. Greene donated a trophy to be presented annually to the author of the best article or series of articles appearing in BNA Topics [Yearbook for 1947, May 1947, pp. 12-13].

A Committee was formed to select each year's winner. Initially, the committee consisted of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, the members of the Board of Governors, and the Donor [BNA Topics, March 1948, p. 35]. Each Committee member selected the best, second, and third best article or series of articles authored by a member or members of BNAPS and published in BNA Topics during the year. Points were awarded for each ranking, and the article with the most points won.

In 1988, the process of selecting a winner was streamlined. The BNA Topics Editorial Board reviewed all articles published during the year and made a selection of those eligible. This list was circulated to the members of the Board of Directors who voted for the winning article or series.

Today the selection committee consists of the members of the Publications Committee, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, and the Past President. Each committee member ranks the article(s) by his or her first, second, and third choice. The first choice is awarded five points, the second three point, and the third one point. The article(s) receiving the highest number of points is the winner. The winner receives a pewter stein adorned with the BNAPS seal on which the year of the award and the recipient’s name are engraved. The award is funded by the Vincent Graves Greene Philatelic Research Foundation.

Members of the selection committee use their own judgment in evaluating the article(s). There are no specific criteria. Factors that may enter into the ranking may include the original research contained in the article, the appeal of the article to a wide range of readers, and the importance and significance of the article to BNA philately.

The winners of the award are listed below. The year listed is the year in which the winning entry appeared in Topics. The award is announced at the BNAPEX convention the following year.

Year	Author	Article(s) in BNA Topics
2023	Dean Mario	“Newfoundland Postal Censorship during the Great War”, BNA Topics, Vol. 80, No. 3, July-Sept. 2023
2022	Anthony Thompson and John Wiseman	“Canada’s 7¢ ‘bistre’ Admiral and its shades, Part II: Analytical description”, BNA Topics, Vol. 79, No. 4, Oct.-Dec. 2022
2021	Anthony B. Thompson	“Newfoundland’s Moiré Patterned Bookend Paper 1937–1940”, BNA Topics, Vol. 78, No. 1, Jan.–Mar. 2021
2020	Jon Johnson	“WWII Ocean-going Canadian Merchant Navy Postal History” – Part 2, BNA Topics, Vol. 77, No. 1, Jan.-Mar. 2020.
2019	Alexander Globe	“Canada’s Post Office in the 1850s, and its multiple 4-ring stamp obliterators featuring the same number”, BNA Topics, Vol. 76, No. 1, Jan.-Mar. 2019, and “Canada’s Post Office in 1869, and its multiple 2-ring stamp obliterators with the same number”, BNA Topics, Vol. 76, No. 3, July-Sept. 2019
2018	Chris Ellis	The mysterious postal stationery card Webb Catalogue #P18b: New discoveries and insights. Part I
2017	Rick Parama	Returned for War Tax: A second look (Parts I and II)
****	William Wilson	Special award presented at BNAPEX 2018 for writing 93 “New Issues” columns in BNA Topics between 1991 and 2018
2016	David Piercey	The “St John’s East” Post Office
2015	Larry Margetish	Researching the Caricature and Landscape Issues at Library and Archives Canada, parts 1, 2, and 3
2014	Chris Hargreaves	Update on the “D.w.” Covers, parts 1 and 2
2013	Anthony B. Thompson	Two articles: The Intaglio printing of Newfoundland's 1932-1941 Industrial issue by Perkins Bacon Intaglio printings of the Newfoundland 1¢ “Pile of Cod” stamps
2012	Paul Binney	A Re-examination and Classification of the GPO Triangles on Naval Mail from HMCS Avalon, St. John's Newfoundland
2011	Christopher D. Ryan	Semi-official Distribution of Federal Revenue Stamps in the 1890s
2010	Brian T. Stalker, H. M. (Mike) Street	Labrador Winter Mail - Challenges & Heroics - Mail Courier Ernest B. Doane's Crossings of the Strait of Belle Isle, 1910 & 1911 - A Centennial Tribute
2009	Charles G. Firby, George B. Arfken	The Twelve-Penny Black Covers
2008	C. Ronald McGuire	Communications Across the Atlantic
2007	Norris (Bob) Dyer	The Man from Sandy Point
2006	P. Charles Livermore	Thanks for the Smokes
2005	Christopher D. Ryan	The Excise Tax on Cheques & Other Commercial Paper, 1915-53
2004	Colin Lewis	Newfoundland Oporto
2003	Jean Walton, Lola Caron	Magdalen Islands Postal History II. Post Offices
2002	C. Ronald McGuire	Canadian Postal Guide Illustrated
2001	Dean Mario	Newfoundland's Paid-All and Postage-Paid Markings: 1897-1948
2000	Christopher D. Ryan	Law Stamps of Ontario and the Province of Canada
1999	Brian Murphy	Covers Between British North America and Africa / British West Indies (series)
1998	David Whiteley	The Foreign Exchange Control Board and the Canadian Post Office: 1939-51
1997	William Pekonen	Map Stamp Chronology
1996	Norris (Bob) Dyer	Newfoundland's 'Missing Three' Provisional - a Mirage?
1995	Jeff Switt	Those PASSED FOR, APPROVED FOR, and AUTHORIZED FOR EXPORT Markings
1994	Christopher D. Ryan	The Nature of, and Circumstances Surrounding the Printing of the First Issue of Canada's Bill Stamps
1993	George B. Arfken	Several articles on different topics
1992	Melvin L. Baron, Stan Lum	First Day Covers of the Classic Issues of Canada: Part 2 - First Day Covers
1991	Walter Plomish	Various articles on airmail
1990	Robert S. Parsons	Canada - West Indies Mail Service (three-part series)
1989	William C. Walton	Newfoundland Postal Stationery: Some Additions and Corrections to the Pratt Article
1988	George B. Arfken	A 2¢ Small Queen Bisect - Philatelic?
1987	E. R. (Ritch) Toop	The Canadian Airgraph Service (multi-part series)
1986	Harry W. Lussey	Various articles on different topics
1985	Robert H. Pratt	Newfoundland Postal Stationery and Other Stamped Paper
1984	There were two winners this year.
	Lewis M. Ludlow Jr	The RPO Cowcatcher (series)
	James C. Lehr	Two articles on PEI philately
1983	Edward A. Richardson	Canadian Military Postal History (series)
1982	C. Ronald McGuire	Mail Transportation in Nineteenth Century Ontario (six-part series)
1981	Robert H. Pratt	Newfoundland - The Postage Stamps of 1897 - A Tale of Two Secretaries (series)
1980	Maggie Toms	Letters Exchanged via England between British North American and France
1979	Charles deVolpi	Canada Domestic Rates and Postmarks (six-part series)
1978	Wally G. Gutzman	Patriotic Post Card Series
1977	Allan L. Steinhart	Various articles on different topics
1976	Allan L. Steinhart	Various articles on different topics
1975	William G. Moffatt	Rounding Up Squared Circles (series)
1974	Lewis M. Ludlow Jr	The RPO Cowcatcher (series)
1973	Lewis M. Ludlow Jr	The RPO Cowcatcher (series)
1972	Kenneth G. Rose	Tagging Along (series)
1971	Horace W. Harrison	Postal Stationery and the CPR (six-part series)
1970	There were two winners this year.
	Fred Stulberg	Toronto Branch and Street Post Offices (three-part series)
	Max Rosenthal	Series on early post offices
1969	Max Rosenthal	Series on early post offices
1968	Max Rosenthal	Series on early post offices
1967	A. Graham Fairbanks	A Centennial Article (multi-part series)
1966	Max Rosenthal	Series on early post offices
1965	Max Rosenthal	Series on early post offices
1964	Max Rosenthal	Series on early post offices
1963	Max Rosenthal	Series on early post offices
1962	Lloyd W. Sharpe	Various articles on different topics
1961	Stanley Cohen, Horace W. Harrison	Numeral Cancels on Canada's Large Queens
1960	Edward A. Richardson	Various articles on different topics
1959	Lloyd W. Sharpe	The Origin, History and Postal History of the Canadian National Exhibition (series)
1958	E. A. Smythies	Series of articles on cancellations
1957	Alfred Whitehead	Rounding Up Squared Circles (series)
1956	Edward A. Richardson	Various articles on different topics
1955	Daniel C. Meyerson	Trail of the Caribou
1954	The Perfin Study Group	Series of articles on perfins written by the Study Group
1953	Lloyd W. Sharpe	Prisoner of War Mail - Canada (series)
1952	James C. Goodwin	The Post Horn and Saddle Bag (series)
1951	William S. & Daniel C. Meyerson	Various articles on Newfoundland material
1950	Murray Campbell	Postal History of Red River, British North America
1949	William S. & Daniel C. Meyerson	Pre-Adhesive Postal History and Postal Markings of Newfoundland
1948	Richard P. Hedley	Early Canadian Railroad (series)
1947	William S. & Daniel C. Meyerson