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General Philatelic/Supplies, Literature & Software : What catalog do you use?

 

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Purrfin

16 Sep 2010
01:10:40pm
Sadly, Scott rules in the US of A, along with actual "sellers ~ like Brookman, etc.".

But I also use Domfil for my Europa Collection, and an actual "catalog of sorts" from United Nations and buy an an occasional USPS cat, and almost always get an updated one from Mystic (my oldest one is from the 40s). I definitely use Unitrade for Canada.

So, what do you go by? Which one do you prefer?
I'm afraid of buying yet another from Scott, geez, their costs are out beyond Jupiter now... so am considering another source (mr. wonderful says I have too many now, but what does he know?)
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amsd
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Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads

17 Sep 2010
12:01:07am

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re: What catalog do you use?

I use Scott for all my US stamps and generally for most of the other countries as well. Occasionally I supplement it with Michel for Germany and Trojan for Hungary, but only when I have an oddity or I think it's a variety.

For my seals, I use mostly Green's (simplified 2006 edition) and Hixon's Santa Claus Post. My Green's is autographed by the editor. Occasionally i'll open up Mosbaugh, but most of that's outside my area.

David Teisler

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Jansimon
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17 Sep 2010
03:10:48am

Auctions - Approvals
re: What catalog do you use?

I use Michel for Europe and have older Michels for North America and South America as well. Mostly for convenience I also have a complete set of Scott 2008 (in a digital version).
Where I can, or when I want detailed information, I use Michel. For many overseas countries I am forced to use Scott as I do not have anything else.
I do have a Sakura catalogue for Japan, Unitrade for Canada, Facit for the Scandinavian countries, Vlastos for Greece, LAPE for Finland, OBP/COB for Belgium and more.
These are all versions that are a few years old, as I cannot afford to buy the latest ones every year.
Jan-Simon

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Bobstamp
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17 Sep 2010
09:26:05am
re: What catalog do you use?

I collect mainly older stamps and covers, pre-1960 for the most part, so I don't need new catalogues, at least for stamp values, and older catalogues that are often out-of-print may contain useful information that is not available anywhere else.

I use:

• Scott for modern worldwide and the Scott Classic catalogue for pre-1940 worldwide and Elizabeth II era Commonwealth;

• Scott U.S. Specialized (a must-have for the U.S. collector;

• Unitrade Canada Specialized catalogue for Canada and British North America;

• Sanabria's Air Post Catalogue (which is no longer published, mine was pubished in 1948;

• North Viet Nam Specialized Postage Stamps Catalogue. I bought mine on eBay (go to http://stores.ebay.com/MEKONG-MEMORABILIA/North-Vietnam-Stamp-Catalogue.html) for a description). The catalogue is not currently being offered on eBay, but you can contact the seller, Drawtan (#389), whom I believe has an inventory that includes Indochina and Vietnam stamps as well as the catalogue and specialized albums.

One useful "catalogue" I have is recent pages for Vietnam cut from a Scott Catalogue. No, I didn't cut them out of a library copy! :-) I bought them on eBay, cheap, put them in page protectors in a ringbook, and presto, a stand-alone Vietnam catalogue!

Bob

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Michael78651
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17 Sep 2010
01:06:29pm
re: What catalog do you use?

I use Scott Standard Catalog set, US Specialized and Classic catalogs. I also use Michel for Europe, Germany Specialized and Gulf States. Then I have Gibbons for the World (simplified) and British Commonwealth.

I believe Scott is losing marketshare in the US as Gibbons and Michel are gaining favor. Scott just puts out annual catalogs and doesn't conduct proper reviews of the stamp values for most countries. Gibbons and Michel at least put out catalogs when they have full updates. Scott's game that it plays to sell annual catalogs (2009 saw big increases in Europe, British and French area but nothing in German, Spanish or Portuguese. 2010 saw increases in Germany - wouldn't that have seen changes in 2009 with the rest of European issues? 2011 is seeing increases in South America and some Asia, but little elsewhere except for French colonies) is catching up with it as people are not willing to plunk down all that money for a set of catalogs that is not properly updated. I have conducted two analysis of the Scott valuations covering 2007 through 2011 editions. These are available in the BidStart (formerly StampWants) Forum. You do not need to be a member there to read the Forum.

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Malcolm197

01 Nov 2010
01:08:50pm
re: What catalog do you use?

In general the catalogues of the country of origin of the stamp are best - scott for the USA,Unitrade for Canada, Gibbons for GB and Commonwealth, Sassone for Italy etc etc. I think Gibbons specialised parts is better than Scott for most general purposes world wide but neither is really adequate - even for an all-world collector like me. If you collect Machin stamps of the UK Deegam is essential."Simplified" catalogues are useless.

Using catalogues to "value" stamps is not a policy to be recommended - the best it can do is give an idea of relative scarcity - but even here it is not foolproof. A common stamp of a popular country can be "worth" more than a rare stamp of an unpopular one - and minimum value stamps cannot be compared. There are a number of minimum value stamps which are annoyingly elusive,and only experience of sorting large numbers of accumulations can give you a feel for this.

I personally use catalogues as a basis for what exists - but even the most specialised catalogue does not include every variation. Remember that philately starts where the catalogue ends.

Malcolm

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Capestampman
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Mike

01 Nov 2010
01:37:27pm
re: What catalog do you use?

I can certainly agree with Malcolm in using the courtry of origin catalogues, plus using them to value stamps being a folly.
I use Scott's digital for the USA & WW, plus have a specialized for items like the JLP's, FDC's, plate blocks, etc. Then use the Unitrade and van Dam for Canada, a Krause-Minkus for Australia, an older Minkus for Britain and colonies, Ceres for France, Facit for Scandinavia, JSDA for Japan, Zumstein for Switzerland, 5 volumes of Michel for different European countries and finally a Scott(?) for China. Obviously, I am not fluent in any of these languages, but the pictures of complete sets make finding stamps easier to reference back to the issue date, making it a fairly simple task to find them in the Scott's catalogues. Plus, as a bonus, most of my foreign catalogues are in color.

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Cdj1122
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..

03 Dec 2010
11:49:50am
re: What catalog do you use?

I haven't bought a new Scott set since the early 1970s. I usually seek out a recent used set in presentable condition at stamp shows, our stamp club borse or from on-line auctions. I also do the same for a dozen or so "Foreign" countries.

I try not to even use the terms impying "catalog prices" prefering "catalog listings" and that as an indication of comparative rarety only.
The Foreign catalogs provide far more detailed information about varieties than Scott or even Gibbons do, or could.

For my special collectiopn of the Queen Elizabeth Machins, I use the Complete Deegam Machin Handbook which besides listing every currently known variety of that neverending series provides a detailed philatelic education in all aspects of the stamp printing process.

As too those catalogs that are not in a dual language, I had always found it reasonably easy to figure out the details between the introductory explanations, which are often in English anyway, and a quick look at Scotts or Gibbons to set me in the right direction.
I was fortunate in that I took some French and Spanish courses in High School along with several years of Latin, which is the base of so many Romance languages. In fact Latin is very useful in mastering English as well.

But today, with the availability to just type almost any sentence into the nearest computer with a few keystrokes and a flick of the wrist, like a magician with a fabled wand, dozens of languages can be translated, into understandable English.

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Bobstamp
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03 Dec 2010
01:17:24pm
re: What catalog do you use?

I recently stumbled on to Google Translate, which I think is superior to any other on-line translation services I've used. Unlike Babelfish, you don't have to jump back to the previous window to translate something else, and it remembers what you last translated as well as the languages involved.

Bob

(Message edited by Bobstamp on December 03, 2010)

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John_macco

03 Dec 2010
04:24:20pm
re: What catalog do you use?

I use Stanley Gibbons for my Russia and the independent republics stamps as this catalog is more detailed as to varieties.

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Bulldog
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03 Dec 2010
05:26:19pm

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re: What catalog do you use?

Besides Scott and Michel, which is much more detailed than Scott, I also use speciality catalogs Maxwell for Nicaragua and Bertossa for Ecuador. Both of these are available through the APS Library.
It is truly amazing the wealth of information that can be found in specialized catalogs such as maxwell and Bertossa. They add an entire new dimension to collecting.
Terry

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Patches

Liz

03 Dec 2010
07:01:31pm

Auctions - Approvals
re: What catalog do you use?

I use Scott's catalogues but also use Sakura for Japan, Michel for Germany, SG for Channel Islands & Isle of Man & Unitrade for Canada.

I really dislike Scott's catalogues, but most people in North America use their catalogue numbering system when preparing want lists and quote their values.

I buy one complete Scott volume per year and like Bobstamp I purchase just the pages for the countries I collect from a dealer on eBay who cuts out the pages from catalogues. This is a smart marketing move in my opinion as many collectors collect only a few countries that are scattered out throughout the different volumes that Scott publishes and the cost of purchasing new Scott catalogues every year for those of us who live in Canada is very costly.

I update my Michel catalogue about once every 5 years, Sakura once every 3 years, Unitrade every year, and SG once every 2-3 years and the pages cut from catalogues once every two years. I also subscribe to the Scott Monthly publication which gives me acess to Linn's & Scott's Monthly plus other publications on their website. This way I have the catalogue numbers & values for all new issues just as soon as Scott assigns a number to the stamps.

The collection of catalogues, catalogue pages, etc. printing of pages for albums, stockbooks, glassines, 102 cards, etc. end up being worth more than the stamps in my albums.

We do not have a library here that stocks stamp catalogues, nor do we have a stamp dealer store, so most things I purchase for my hobby has shipping costs added to the purchase price.

Occasionally, but not often, I also depend on a few of my stamp collecting friends to dig information out for me from their current catalogues if I cannot find what I need for one or two stamps that are fairly new issues. :-)

Liz

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Dhm100

05 Dec 2010
04:49:51am
re: What catalog do you use?

Just to add my 2 cents worth--I use Yvert & Tellier for the Congo-Brazzaville. I use the COB catalog from Belgium for Congo-Kinshasa and Burundi. I also use Scott, but I also buy the pages for the individual countries. I hope to buy the Michel catalogs one day for them. As I had Latin in high school and college, French is no barrier for me. I also had a 9 week intensive German reading course in college. Also learned Classical Greek. So the language barrier isn't so bad for me. In general I find the catalogs published abroad much better that Scott.
Best Regards,
Dean

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Stampaholic
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07 Dec 2010
02:30:21pm

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re: What catalog do you use?

been using Scott for 53+ years (liked'em better before when they were Scott Publishing). I like
numbering system and the fact they don't list
stamps issued by non-exsting postal entities.
I personally wish some countries were blacklisted
myself but most collectors tend to be apolitical
so there'ye go. I bought an SG GB catalog but it's too much work to cordinate the numbers to Scott.
Would like to have some of specialized country cats. but would just as soon buy stamps.

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Michael78651
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07 Dec 2010
03:26:26pm
re: What catalog do you use?

There are so many stamps that Scott doesn't list that are legitimate. I use Gibbons and Michel to help fill in the blanks.

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Joshtanski
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07 Dec 2010
05:56:17pm
re: What catalog do you use?

What else is interesting is Scott lists all the topical issues of St. Vincent & its Grenadines even though according to articles in one of the stamp magazines (APS I think) only the definitives are accepted for postage at the local post offices.

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Stampaholic
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07 Dec 2010
08:52:05pm

Auctions
re: What catalog do you use?

Josh-Yes, there are many of the these island countries where 50% income is from tourism & 40% from sales of postage stamps. Ain't crazy about the wallpaper stuff either. As far as that goes, the UN, Mongolia, & others belong in that boat.
Also neglected to mention Scott seems to make a lot of mistakes.
Michael or anyone; just curious, what legitmate issues are they not listing?

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Michael78651
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07 Dec 2010
10:25:51pm
re: What catalog do you use?

For example there are many booklet singles that are not listed, except for Sweden, British postal strike issues, many back-of-the book items. Scott is using the Classic catalog to slowly add some of these, like the French railroad parcel post stamps.

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Cdj1122
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..

08 Dec 2010
05:03:04pm
re: What catalog do you use?

One of our frequent contributers to the Machin Index recently bought the latest Gibbons Specialized volume handling a part of that series and found several errors and ommissions.
We were discussing them and several other collectors found additional problem with the SG Specialized Volume Four, part Two.
\link{http://stamp-collector.co.uk/MachinForum/viewtopic.php?t=602}
It might be a good idea to glance at that discussion before spending good money in that area.

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Purrfin

31 Dec 2010
04:36:44pm
re: What catalog do you use?

I've been toying with the idea of purchasing the Stanley Gibbons on Germany, and their bird cat as well.

After having read all the above, I'm still not sure as to whether spending US$50+ is going to solve my "hunt" esp. with Germany...

Any better suggestions out there? Really need some input.

Most of my hoard of Germany would be the older issues, btw, I wonder if I could find an older issue IN COLOR, lots of thoughts here... Scott just doesn't do it for me as you know they list one of 10 and one never knows what the others look like... would the SG list all in color, varieties, info, etc.?

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Michael78651
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31 Dec 2010
07:24:17pm
re: What catalog do you use?

Michel German Specialized would be the way to go if you want to collect heavily in that area.

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Rhinelander
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31 Dec 2010
07:40:38pm
re: What catalog do you use?

Well, that is easy: why don't you buy the German Michel catalog. Not even necessarily the two volume Michel Germany specialized (which is available in both English and German -- but very expensive new b/c of the unfavorable dollar/euro exchange rate), but the Michel "Deutschland" standard catalog. (Do not get the Michel "Junior" -- these are abbreviated listings for beginning collectors (kids)). The Germany "standard" is full color, easy to use, very detailed and older editions can be picked up quite inexpensively (check ebay.de). There exists an English language guide on how to use Michel catalogs and a working knowledge of German really is not needed. It is easy to get the hang of it, as the catalog listings are just so logical.

Arno

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Purrfin

31 Dec 2010
10:11:14pm
re: What catalog do you use?

Thanks, guys. Sounds like I'll do SG for the birds, and look on ebay for the Michel Germany in color edition.

Maybe you have an older edition, Michael? You have my email, let me know. Its not that I want to "collect" but more to "catalog" by year, price, etc. to sell. I have a shoe box brimming full waiting for me.

The last Michel catalog I bought was one on United Nations and I have to tell you their pictures were not a very good quality, I was very disappointed, not only in their images but their info as well.

Well, if anyone has what you might think will work here is my email:
diannestahlin@comast.net

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Patches

Liz

31 Dec 2010
11:15:04pm

Auctions - Approvals
re: What catalog do you use?

I have a 2001/2002 Michel Deutschland-Katalogue printed in colour that I would give someone for free if they pay the postage costs, plus $1.50 for a padded envelope. It is written in German (no English).

It weighs 800 grams and the cost of regular parcel post postage would be quite high. I think it would be about $15 in postage to either Canada or the USA, but would not know the exact rate until I took the packet to the post office for mailing. I'm estimating the postage from the Canada Post website.

If interested, email me lizjones@telus.net

Liz

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Michael78651
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01 Jan 2011
12:49:52am
re: What catalog do you use?

Dianne, I only have one Michel Germany catalog. Sorry. I agree that the older Michel catalogs are not so great in quality, but the newer ones with the color pictures are, because they needed to use a better quality paper in order to get the color to print correctly.

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Rhinelander
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Support the Hobby -- Join the American Philatelic Society

01 Jan 2011
03:47:48am
re: What catalog do you use?

Dianne,

My advice was based on the assumption that you are an intermediate/advanced collector. I am sorry, I mistook you in my response, but indeed in other posts you had already indicated you are really interested in selling your results of 50+ years of 'hoarding.' So, my apologies.

Well, this all is very easy. There is a direct relationship of what you get out with what you put in. On average, you should get back approx. one third of what you spend on your collection. Of course, this percentage could be lower if you initally overpaid. And if you paid nothing, just kept clippings from envelopes over 50 years, that's what you have, nothing.

I recommend you use the Scott catalog for selling. Yes the shortage of illustrations makes the Scott catalog difficult to use at times, but there is a learning curve. We all complain about Scott, but all of us (Americans) still use it. I am not conviced, though, that the time expense of cataloging is worth your effort. I guess we all would have to see some pictures of what you want to sell to give you more specific advise on how to go about it.

(Message edited by rhinelander on January 01, 2011)

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Purrfin

01 Jan 2011
04:39:15pm
re: What catalog do you use?

Well, hard to say where I fit in as "intermediate/advanced" etc... and no need to apologize. I get great pleasure from providing my customers with even the low, low value stamps so that they can fill “that hole”.

I have been selling since the early 90s on ebay and now have a store on another site so I'm privy to the fact that this hobby isn't "an investment"... my "hoard" is 98% inherited and saved off envelopes back when people actually mailed instead of emailed so I really don'’t have a money issue. I sell so that I can buy more, as I sure the rest of us do the same. My US duck stamps paid for my Europa, lol!

I believe that most "collectors" of stamps are pretty intelligent people as we glean quite a bit from just studying stamps. That is why I started this thread to begin with so that I could lead up to Germany. (I’ve read the other thread about Germany and thought to myself, very interesting, as my last name is Stahlin, and so many people pronounce it Stalin, it’s the people from Switzerland that know to pronounce it as “staylin”.)

Nigel and Michael#s are true-blue sources of oodles of info and I have learned quite a bit from those two, as I have reading the forum threads here…. Many “specialize” in certain areas and I truly appreciate all their input, questions and “all” that respond with the “solution”.

Back to the subject of catalogs, Germany is an area that I would really like to study and having a comprehensive "book" to go by that will give me the most info to further my knowledge behooves me. My 2008 set of Scott takes me so far and a lot of reading involved, which is ok as I am a book person. Scott just takes me so far, then the deep, deep reading, and I just thought that there might be a different catalog to go by. When I started (and completed) my Europa, Scott just didn’t cut it for me, so I bought the Domfil, and its filled with so much more info than Scott (they list 6 different catalogs for each), and they show each stamp issue in color, and so much more where Scott does not. I use Scott all the time but as they grow, its really impossible for them to list every image of every stamp. I have nothing against them or I wouldn’t have bought several sets over the years.

German Occupation stamps is just a lot of cross referencing and deep reading in Scott. So I hoping that Michel will provide better, or say quicker results. I don’t know until Liz and I hook up. I’m not looking for $$, I’m looking for “knowledge”, who knows I just might have that “great find” !!! The more modern German/DDR are a no-brainer and Scott does work quite well... to a certain point.

I have a true love for stamps and just want to learn more, they provide quite a bit of history, and I love the art, the engraving… ok, so I’m a chatty cathy about stamps. I’ll shut up… for now.

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Patches

Liz

01 Jan 2011
05:04:19pm

Auctions - Approvals
re: What catalog do you use?

The Michel catalogue I have has been spoken for.

Liz

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Purrfin

01 Jan 2011
05:30:52pm
re: What catalog do you use?

1846 214

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Purrfin

01 Jan 2011
05:32:49pm
re: What catalog do you use?

Meanwhile, what catalogs do you use?

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Michael78651
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02 Jan 2011
12:53:44am
re: What catalog do you use?

Dianne, the Michel German Specialized catalog will open your eyes to German-area philately. There is so much more that Scott doesn't even touch.

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Cdj1122
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..

02 Jan 2011
02:37:06pm
re: What catalog do you use?

" ... The Michel catalogue I have has been spoken for. ..."
Wow, fifteen hours ??? I am surprised it took that long although I suppose some collectors actually sleep at night.
In beds.
With their eyes closed.
.
Joking aside, I would have jumped at that offer if I had been on the ball.
.
The answer to the underlying question that I think is at the core of the discussion lies in the fact that almost any countries dedicated home catalog is likely to have a vast amount of detail that Scott simply cannot supply.
I have easily a dozen national catalogs to provide the interesting details about their stamps plus a generl Scott set that is sadly too many years old.
.
Imagine if Scott, or Gibbons for that matter, included all the details that are found in their respective specialized versions as well as Michel, Yvert, Unitrade, Ma, Sakura, Denmark's AFTA, Facit, Ceres, Postale Sellos dos Mexico, Zumstein, Bale and Vladstos, plus a few other national catalogs whose names have slipped my feeble mind for a moment. Perhaps the UK section would have to include the listing portion of the Deegam Complete Machin Handbook as well as the Famous Robson Lowe Encyclopedia of the British Empire catalog for the myraid of colonial issues.
.
I guess that would be quite a catalog, reaching 20 volumes easily and at the current price of about $60.00 apiece would set my stamp budget back for several years. I am sure that another five or six solid national volumes could be added by other collectors before the ink on this post is dry.
.
Then for amusement, after imagining that several of us have the full set in matching gilt lettered binding and someone, in a different forum, of course, complaining that the six hundred multi-colored issue set of Outer Thumbelina's "Fauna and Flora" set were not completely illustrated.

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Laeding
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08 May 2020
01:02:50am
re: What catalog do you use?

For Danish West Indies (and other Scandinavian countries), I use Facit, AFA Specialized, & DAKA (there hasn't been an update in years for DWI, but still useful).

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DannyS
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08 May 2020
10:36:43am
re: What catalog do you use?

I'm not really collecting anything recent so old catalogs are fine. I do try and keep an eye on GB (Machins)and Thai definitives up to the reign of the 9th king.

My main collection has to be Siam/Thailand up to 1983. For this I rely on two local catalogs, Hobby 2014 and my favorite the Sakserm Siriwong 1998. I have a SG Part 21 SE Asia 2nd edition from 1985 and an old Scott to cross reference. I have three very specialist catalogs, one on CD and two printed out by the late Richard (Dick) Blakeney and Derek Bingham.

For GB I have SG Concise 2015. For the old British Southern Africa countries I use an old SG British Commonwealth.

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larsdog
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APS #220693 ATA#57179

08 May 2020
12:12:04pm
re: What catalog do you use?

My main collection is US so I use Scott and Durland (I use plate number singles as much as possible). I use Dietz as a reference for CSA and Springer for Cinderellas.

For "One from Every Country" I start with the Scott World set, but there are many older stamps that I want more info on and the "native" catalog number. I have a Michel for Germany to cover the German States and the SG Commonwealth 1840-1952 covers Indian States, Early Canada, and a few other areas of interest. I also picked up "World History Stamp Atlas" at the suggestion of someone here. It has been quite useful as well, but that's more of a reference than a catalog.

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"Expanding your knowledge faster than your collection can save you a few bucks."

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ernieinjax
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08 May 2020
01:53:26pm
re: What catalog do you use?

"I use plate number singles as much as possible"




@Larsdog,

I can't remember when (it was some time back) you posted an image from your album page showing all plate number singles. I had never seen that approach taken and I thought it was really neat. It provides an added complexity to otherwise very easily obtained stamps. If you have time, and under an new thread, could you provide a couple of more scans and expand upon that? I think its really neat collecting approach.

I might take it a step further and say, plate numbered singles AND postally used! Thumbs Up

Please excuse the digression.



Ernie

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musicman
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APS #213005

08 May 2020
09:19:28pm
re: What catalog do you use?

Wow....

THIS is an old thread....


Surprise

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smauggie
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09 May 2020
12:00:01am
re: What catalog do you use?

Scott - US and worldwide
Durland - US Plate Blocks
Unitrade - Canada
Stanley Gibbons - Australia and GB Specialized for QV-KGVI
Facit
Michel - Specialized Germany only

I wouldn't mind getting my hands on a second-hand France or Spain specialized catalog.

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DaveSheridan
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09 May 2020
12:59:37am
re: What catalog do you use?

If you don't mind eBooks, check this out for France

https://www.booktopia.com.au/catalogue-de-timbres-de-france-2020-2021-spink-murray/ebook/9781912667154.html

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Pogopossum

09 May 2020
10:22:25am
re: What catalog do you use?

I use my catalogs for identification and reference, rarely for value - only to confirm the stamp I have is not the valuable one. I have a complete set of Scott from 2010/2012 which is fine since I generally do not collect beyond 2000 or any self-adhesives.

US: Scott Specialized
GB: Gibbons Concise plus the detailed separate catalogs by monarch (Most recent concise)
Germany: Michel Germany Volumes I and II. I'd like to get a hold of the English language version
Norway: Facit
Australia: Gibbons Australia
Hungary: Hungary Specialized
Canada and New Zealand: Unitrade and Len Jury (I am not actively collecting at the moment)

I really enjoy just browsing through the catalogs and reading the information at the beginning, and looking at the back of the book issues. With few exceptions I purchased all of the catalogs used or on significant sale.

Geoff


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musicman
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APS #213005

09 May 2020
01:01:57pm
re: What catalog do you use?

Okay, I'll jump in!


1. Scott 6-volume WW plus US Specialized

2. Scott 1840-1940 Classic Specialized

3. A homemade work-in-progress WW revenue catalog

4. The State Revenue Catalog by the State Revenue Society

5. Durland Standard Plate Number Catalog

6. Precancel Stamp Society of U.S. Bureau Precancels

7. Comprehensive Listing Of Artcraft Covers; Varieties And Values (1939-1996) by Martin Severe

8. Unitrade Specialized Catalog Of Canadian Stamps

9. The Streamside Catalog of Fish And Game Stamps

10. Facit Catalog for Sverige - Norge - Danmark - Faroarna - Gronland - Danska Vastindien - Island - Finland - Aland

11. Japanese Stamp Specialized Catalog by Japan Philatelic Publications, Inc.

12. Specialized Catalog of The Netherlands

13. Minkus Catalog of Trucial States

14. various Mosbaugh's All Funds catalogs (Seals and Stamps)

15. A dozen or so specialized US revenue catalogs of various publishers/authors (i.e. Beer stamps, etc...)



....didn't realize I had this many until I started looking for them....Surprise

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BermudaSailor
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09 May 2020
02:21:02pm
re: What catalog do you use?

As a narrowly focused collector, I basically used specialized catalogs, and / or I purchase Scott pages (from that guy on eBay) for the countries I'm interested in.

Stanley Gibbons Northern Caribbean, Bahamas & Bermuda
Bermuda Specialized Catalogue Stamps and Postal History 1812 - 1970
Stanley Gibbons Falkland Islands
Specialized Catalogue of The Falkland Islands and Dependencies 1800 - 2013
Scott pages for Singapore and Canada

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larsdog
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APS #220693 ATA#57179

09 May 2020
07:24:00pm
re: What catalog do you use?

"Precancel Stamp Society of U.S. Bureau Precancels"



Oops, forgot that one! Good call Musicman!

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angore
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Collector, Moderator

10 May 2020
07:01:31am
re: What catalog do you use?

Most used sources for worldwide

2016-2017 Scott worldwide volumes
SG Commonwealth and Empire Stamps 1840-1970
Stampworld.com - used for image / year identification or issue
ebay - finding images

Specialized for Machins
2018 SG Concise
Adminware Machin website and album pages
Deegam Machin Handbook



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nigelc
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10 May 2020
08:33:00am
re: What catalog do you use?

Currently I use the following catalogues most often:

- SG Commonwealth & British Empire 1840 to 1970, as well as an old edition that covers all these countries up to around 1990

- Many other SG catalogues especially GB Concise, SG Southern Balkans and SG Central Asia

- Michel Germany Specialised, Europe West & Europe East, German Locals etc.

- Scott mainly to understand catalogue number references and to get a different perspective

- Barefoot revenue catalogues

- Hellas and Vlastos for Greece

- Maury/Spink France

- Facit Special for the Nordic countries

Most of these are old editions which still work very well for me. Happy

In any case I don't have much cash to spend on catalogues or stamps these days.

In the last two years my only additions have been Fischer Volume 1 for Poland, SG Poland, an updated Maury/Spink France and SG Southern Balkans.


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11 May 2020
08:18:43pm
re: What catalog do you use?

Scott (2007 edition) for identification. Bale, Yvert, SG as needed.

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Strider
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12 May 2020
02:35:02pm
re: What catalog do you use?

SG country specific for most of my stuff. Yvert for France (should I get a Maury?) And Facit for the Scandinavian countries. I also have a Michel 1991 for Germany - it shows the engraver's name. They stopped doing this by the 2004 edition.

But I struggle re Scott numbers. I have made lists of LA wants, but as I only have SG cats and as the dealers in US always use Scott numbers, I need to check every want with Colnect to get the Scott number. Laborious.

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BrightonPete

12 May 2020
03:39:39pm
re: What catalog do you use?

I have a few...

Unitrade for Canada
Scott 2020 (pages) for USA, Germany, Ecuador, Albania
Scott 2019 (pages) for Luxembourg, Mauritania, Turkey
Scott 2009 volumes 1-6 pdf's
Prefix Michel 2017 for Luxembourg
DAKA GF 10 for Faroe Islands
SG 1st Edition for Belgium and Luxembourg
SG 1st Edition for Denmark and Norway (also includes Faröe Islands, Greenland and Iceland)
Stoneham 17th Edition for Great Britain

I also have a Unitrade 2016 to give away, but to mail it would be rather expensive, they are very heavy tomes!

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HockeyNut
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21 May 2020
09:35:01am
re: What catalog do you use?

Well that is the following list for me.

Michel special 1992 (one very thick catalog)
Michel special 2010 Part 1 ( till 1945 )
Michel special 2010 Part 2 ( from 1945 )

N.V.P.H. special 2013 ( only the Netherlands )

Michel special 2017 Part 1 ( till 1945 )
Michel special 2017 Part 2 ( from 1945 )
Michel Handbuch/Catalog Deutsche Feldpost 1937-1945
Michel Atlas zur deutschland philatelie

Host Landsmann Die zensur von zivilpost in deutschland im 2. weltkrieg
Karl-Heinz Riemer : Die überwachung des auslandsbriefverkehrs während der 2. weltkrieg
Norbert Kannapin Die deutsche Feldpostübersicht 1939-1945 Teil 1,2 und 3
Norbert Kannapin Die Deutsche Feldpost 1939-1945

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Purrfin

16 Sep 2010
01:10:40pm

Sadly, Scott rules in the US of A, along with actual "sellers ~ like Brookman, etc.".

But I also use Domfil for my Europa Collection, and an actual "catalog of sorts" from United Nations and buy an an occasional USPS cat, and almost always get an updated one from Mystic (my oldest one is from the 40s). I definitely use Unitrade for Canada.

So, what do you go by? Which one do you prefer?
I'm afraid of buying yet another from Scott, geez, their costs are out beyond Jupiter now... so am considering another source (mr. wonderful says I have too many now, but what does he know?)

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amsd

Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads
17 Sep 2010
12:01:07am

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re: What catalog do you use?

I use Scott for all my US stamps and generally for most of the other countries as well. Occasionally I supplement it with Michel for Germany and Trojan for Hungary, but only when I have an oddity or I think it's a variety.

For my seals, I use mostly Green's (simplified 2006 edition) and Hixon's Santa Claus Post. My Green's is autographed by the editor. Occasionally i'll open up Mosbaugh, but most of that's outside my area.

David Teisler

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Jansimon

17 Sep 2010
03:10:48am

Auctions - Approvals

re: What catalog do you use?

I use Michel for Europe and have older Michels for North America and South America as well. Mostly for convenience I also have a complete set of Scott 2008 (in a digital version).
Where I can, or when I want detailed information, I use Michel. For many overseas countries I am forced to use Scott as I do not have anything else.
I do have a Sakura catalogue for Japan, Unitrade for Canada, Facit for the Scandinavian countries, Vlastos for Greece, LAPE for Finland, OBP/COB for Belgium and more.
These are all versions that are a few years old, as I cannot afford to buy the latest ones every year.
Jan-Simon

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Bobstamp

17 Sep 2010
09:26:05am

re: What catalog do you use?

I collect mainly older stamps and covers, pre-1960 for the most part, so I don't need new catalogues, at least for stamp values, and older catalogues that are often out-of-print may contain useful information that is not available anywhere else.

I use:

• Scott for modern worldwide and the Scott Classic catalogue for pre-1940 worldwide and Elizabeth II era Commonwealth;

• Scott U.S. Specialized (a must-have for the U.S. collector;

• Unitrade Canada Specialized catalogue for Canada and British North America;

• Sanabria's Air Post Catalogue (which is no longer published, mine was pubished in 1948;

• North Viet Nam Specialized Postage Stamps Catalogue. I bought mine on eBay (go to http://stores.ebay.com/MEKONG-MEMORABILIA/North-Vietnam-Stamp-Catalogue.html) for a description). The catalogue is not currently being offered on eBay, but you can contact the seller, Drawtan (#389), whom I believe has an inventory that includes Indochina and Vietnam stamps as well as the catalogue and specialized albums.

One useful "catalogue" I have is recent pages for Vietnam cut from a Scott Catalogue. No, I didn't cut them out of a library copy! :-) I bought them on eBay, cheap, put them in page protectors in a ringbook, and presto, a stand-alone Vietnam catalogue!

Bob

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Michael78651

17 Sep 2010
01:06:29pm

re: What catalog do you use?

I use Scott Standard Catalog set, US Specialized and Classic catalogs. I also use Michel for Europe, Germany Specialized and Gulf States. Then I have Gibbons for the World (simplified) and British Commonwealth.

I believe Scott is losing marketshare in the US as Gibbons and Michel are gaining favor. Scott just puts out annual catalogs and doesn't conduct proper reviews of the stamp values for most countries. Gibbons and Michel at least put out catalogs when they have full updates. Scott's game that it plays to sell annual catalogs (2009 saw big increases in Europe, British and French area but nothing in German, Spanish or Portuguese. 2010 saw increases in Germany - wouldn't that have seen changes in 2009 with the rest of European issues? 2011 is seeing increases in South America and some Asia, but little elsewhere except for French colonies) is catching up with it as people are not willing to plunk down all that money for a set of catalogs that is not properly updated. I have conducted two analysis of the Scott valuations covering 2007 through 2011 editions. These are available in the BidStart (formerly StampWants) Forum. You do not need to be a member there to read the Forum.

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Malcolm197

01 Nov 2010
01:08:50pm

re: What catalog do you use?

In general the catalogues of the country of origin of the stamp are best - scott for the USA,Unitrade for Canada, Gibbons for GB and Commonwealth, Sassone for Italy etc etc. I think Gibbons specialised parts is better than Scott for most general purposes world wide but neither is really adequate - even for an all-world collector like me. If you collect Machin stamps of the UK Deegam is essential."Simplified" catalogues are useless.

Using catalogues to "value" stamps is not a policy to be recommended - the best it can do is give an idea of relative scarcity - but even here it is not foolproof. A common stamp of a popular country can be "worth" more than a rare stamp of an unpopular one - and minimum value stamps cannot be compared. There are a number of minimum value stamps which are annoyingly elusive,and only experience of sorting large numbers of accumulations can give you a feel for this.

I personally use catalogues as a basis for what exists - but even the most specialised catalogue does not include every variation. Remember that philately starts where the catalogue ends.

Malcolm

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Mike
01 Nov 2010
01:37:27pm

re: What catalog do you use?

I can certainly agree with Malcolm in using the courtry of origin catalogues, plus using them to value stamps being a folly.
I use Scott's digital for the USA & WW, plus have a specialized for items like the JLP's, FDC's, plate blocks, etc. Then use the Unitrade and van Dam for Canada, a Krause-Minkus for Australia, an older Minkus for Britain and colonies, Ceres for France, Facit for Scandinavia, JSDA for Japan, Zumstein for Switzerland, 5 volumes of Michel for different European countries and finally a Scott(?) for China. Obviously, I am not fluent in any of these languages, but the pictures of complete sets make finding stamps easier to reference back to the issue date, making it a fairly simple task to find them in the Scott's catalogues. Plus, as a bonus, most of my foreign catalogues are in color.

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03 Dec 2010
11:49:50am

re: What catalog do you use?

I haven't bought a new Scott set since the early 1970s. I usually seek out a recent used set in presentable condition at stamp shows, our stamp club borse or from on-line auctions. I also do the same for a dozen or so "Foreign" countries.

I try not to even use the terms impying "catalog prices" prefering "catalog listings" and that as an indication of comparative rarety only.
The Foreign catalogs provide far more detailed information about varieties than Scott or even Gibbons do, or could.

For my special collectiopn of the Queen Elizabeth Machins, I use the Complete Deegam Machin Handbook which besides listing every currently known variety of that neverending series provides a detailed philatelic education in all aspects of the stamp printing process.

As too those catalogs that are not in a dual language, I had always found it reasonably easy to figure out the details between the introductory explanations, which are often in English anyway, and a quick look at Scotts or Gibbons to set me in the right direction.
I was fortunate in that I took some French and Spanish courses in High School along with several years of Latin, which is the base of so many Romance languages. In fact Latin is very useful in mastering English as well.

But today, with the availability to just type almost any sentence into the nearest computer with a few keystrokes and a flick of the wrist, like a magician with a fabled wand, dozens of languages can be translated, into understandable English.

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Bobstamp

03 Dec 2010
01:17:24pm

re: What catalog do you use?

I recently stumbled on to Google Translate, which I think is superior to any other on-line translation services I've used. Unlike Babelfish, you don't have to jump back to the previous window to translate something else, and it remembers what you last translated as well as the languages involved.

Bob

(Message edited by Bobstamp on December 03, 2010)

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John_macco

03 Dec 2010
04:24:20pm

re: What catalog do you use?

I use Stanley Gibbons for my Russia and the independent republics stamps as this catalog is more detailed as to varieties.

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Bulldog

03 Dec 2010
05:26:19pm

Auctions

re: What catalog do you use?

Besides Scott and Michel, which is much more detailed than Scott, I also use speciality catalogs Maxwell for Nicaragua and Bertossa for Ecuador. Both of these are available through the APS Library.
It is truly amazing the wealth of information that can be found in specialized catalogs such as maxwell and Bertossa. They add an entire new dimension to collecting.
Terry

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Liz

03 Dec 2010
07:01:31pm

Auctions - Approvals

re: What catalog do you use?

I use Scott's catalogues but also use Sakura for Japan, Michel for Germany, SG for Channel Islands & Isle of Man & Unitrade for Canada.

I really dislike Scott's catalogues, but most people in North America use their catalogue numbering system when preparing want lists and quote their values.

I buy one complete Scott volume per year and like Bobstamp I purchase just the pages for the countries I collect from a dealer on eBay who cuts out the pages from catalogues. This is a smart marketing move in my opinion as many collectors collect only a few countries that are scattered out throughout the different volumes that Scott publishes and the cost of purchasing new Scott catalogues every year for those of us who live in Canada is very costly.

I update my Michel catalogue about once every 5 years, Sakura once every 3 years, Unitrade every year, and SG once every 2-3 years and the pages cut from catalogues once every two years. I also subscribe to the Scott Monthly publication which gives me acess to Linn's & Scott's Monthly plus other publications on their website. This way I have the catalogue numbers & values for all new issues just as soon as Scott assigns a number to the stamps.

The collection of catalogues, catalogue pages, etc. printing of pages for albums, stockbooks, glassines, 102 cards, etc. end up being worth more than the stamps in my albums.

We do not have a library here that stocks stamp catalogues, nor do we have a stamp dealer store, so most things I purchase for my hobby has shipping costs added to the purchase price.

Occasionally, but not often, I also depend on a few of my stamp collecting friends to dig information out for me from their current catalogues if I cannot find what I need for one or two stamps that are fairly new issues. :-)

Liz

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Dhm100

05 Dec 2010
04:49:51am

re: What catalog do you use?

Just to add my 2 cents worth--I use Yvert & Tellier for the Congo-Brazzaville. I use the COB catalog from Belgium for Congo-Kinshasa and Burundi. I also use Scott, but I also buy the pages for the individual countries. I hope to buy the Michel catalogs one day for them. As I had Latin in high school and college, French is no barrier for me. I also had a 9 week intensive German reading course in college. Also learned Classical Greek. So the language barrier isn't so bad for me. In general I find the catalogs published abroad much better that Scott.
Best Regards,
Dean

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Stampaholic

07 Dec 2010
02:30:21pm

Auctions

re: What catalog do you use?

been using Scott for 53+ years (liked'em better before when they were Scott Publishing). I like
numbering system and the fact they don't list
stamps issued by non-exsting postal entities.
I personally wish some countries were blacklisted
myself but most collectors tend to be apolitical
so there'ye go. I bought an SG GB catalog but it's too much work to cordinate the numbers to Scott.
Would like to have some of specialized country cats. but would just as soon buy stamps.

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Michael78651

07 Dec 2010
03:26:26pm

re: What catalog do you use?

There are so many stamps that Scott doesn't list that are legitimate. I use Gibbons and Michel to help fill in the blanks.

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Joshtanski

07 Dec 2010
05:56:17pm

re: What catalog do you use?

What else is interesting is Scott lists all the topical issues of St. Vincent & its Grenadines even though according to articles in one of the stamp magazines (APS I think) only the definitives are accepted for postage at the local post offices.

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Stampaholic

07 Dec 2010
08:52:05pm

Auctions

re: What catalog do you use?

Josh-Yes, there are many of the these island countries where 50% income is from tourism & 40% from sales of postage stamps. Ain't crazy about the wallpaper stuff either. As far as that goes, the UN, Mongolia, & others belong in that boat.
Also neglected to mention Scott seems to make a lot of mistakes.
Michael or anyone; just curious, what legitmate issues are they not listing?

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Michael78651

07 Dec 2010
10:25:51pm

re: What catalog do you use?

For example there are many booklet singles that are not listed, except for Sweden, British postal strike issues, many back-of-the book items. Scott is using the Classic catalog to slowly add some of these, like the French railroad parcel post stamps.

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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
08 Dec 2010
05:03:04pm

re: What catalog do you use?

One of our frequent contributers to the Machin Index recently bought the latest Gibbons Specialized volume handling a part of that series and found several errors and ommissions.
We were discussing them and several other collectors found additional problem with the SG Specialized Volume Four, part Two.
\link{http://stamp-collector.co.uk/MachinForum/viewtopic.php?t=602}
It might be a good idea to glance at that discussion before spending good money in that area.

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Purrfin

31 Dec 2010
04:36:44pm

re: What catalog do you use?

I've been toying with the idea of purchasing the Stanley Gibbons on Germany, and their bird cat as well.

After having read all the above, I'm still not sure as to whether spending US$50+ is going to solve my "hunt" esp. with Germany...

Any better suggestions out there? Really need some input.

Most of my hoard of Germany would be the older issues, btw, I wonder if I could find an older issue IN COLOR, lots of thoughts here... Scott just doesn't do it for me as you know they list one of 10 and one never knows what the others look like... would the SG list all in color, varieties, info, etc.?

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Michael78651

31 Dec 2010
07:24:17pm

re: What catalog do you use?

Michel German Specialized would be the way to go if you want to collect heavily in that area.

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Rhinelander

Support the Hobby -- Join the American Philatelic Society
31 Dec 2010
07:40:38pm

re: What catalog do you use?

Well, that is easy: why don't you buy the German Michel catalog. Not even necessarily the two volume Michel Germany specialized (which is available in both English and German -- but very expensive new b/c of the unfavorable dollar/euro exchange rate), but the Michel "Deutschland" standard catalog. (Do not get the Michel "Junior" -- these are abbreviated listings for beginning collectors (kids)). The Germany "standard" is full color, easy to use, very detailed and older editions can be picked up quite inexpensively (check ebay.de). There exists an English language guide on how to use Michel catalogs and a working knowledge of German really is not needed. It is easy to get the hang of it, as the catalog listings are just so logical.

Arno

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Purrfin

31 Dec 2010
10:11:14pm

re: What catalog do you use?

Thanks, guys. Sounds like I'll do SG for the birds, and look on ebay for the Michel Germany in color edition.

Maybe you have an older edition, Michael? You have my email, let me know. Its not that I want to "collect" but more to "catalog" by year, price, etc. to sell. I have a shoe box brimming full waiting for me.

The last Michel catalog I bought was one on United Nations and I have to tell you their pictures were not a very good quality, I was very disappointed, not only in their images but their info as well.

Well, if anyone has what you might think will work here is my email:
diannestahlin@comast.net

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Liz

31 Dec 2010
11:15:04pm

Auctions - Approvals

re: What catalog do you use?

I have a 2001/2002 Michel Deutschland-Katalogue printed in colour that I would give someone for free if they pay the postage costs, plus $1.50 for a padded envelope. It is written in German (no English).

It weighs 800 grams and the cost of regular parcel post postage would be quite high. I think it would be about $15 in postage to either Canada or the USA, but would not know the exact rate until I took the packet to the post office for mailing. I'm estimating the postage from the Canada Post website.

If interested, email me lizjones@telus.net

Liz

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Michael78651

01 Jan 2011
12:49:52am

re: What catalog do you use?

Dianne, I only have one Michel Germany catalog. Sorry. I agree that the older Michel catalogs are not so great in quality, but the newer ones with the color pictures are, because they needed to use a better quality paper in order to get the color to print correctly.

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Rhinelander

Support the Hobby -- Join the American Philatelic Society
01 Jan 2011
03:47:48am

re: What catalog do you use?

Dianne,

My advice was based on the assumption that you are an intermediate/advanced collector. I am sorry, I mistook you in my response, but indeed in other posts you had already indicated you are really interested in selling your results of 50+ years of 'hoarding.' So, my apologies.

Well, this all is very easy. There is a direct relationship of what you get out with what you put in. On average, you should get back approx. one third of what you spend on your collection. Of course, this percentage could be lower if you initally overpaid. And if you paid nothing, just kept clippings from envelopes over 50 years, that's what you have, nothing.

I recommend you use the Scott catalog for selling. Yes the shortage of illustrations makes the Scott catalog difficult to use at times, but there is a learning curve. We all complain about Scott, but all of us (Americans) still use it. I am not conviced, though, that the time expense of cataloging is worth your effort. I guess we all would have to see some pictures of what you want to sell to give you more specific advise on how to go about it.

(Message edited by rhinelander on January 01, 2011)

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Purrfin

01 Jan 2011
04:39:15pm

re: What catalog do you use?

Well, hard to say where I fit in as "intermediate/advanced" etc... and no need to apologize. I get great pleasure from providing my customers with even the low, low value stamps so that they can fill “that hole”.

I have been selling since the early 90s on ebay and now have a store on another site so I'm privy to the fact that this hobby isn't "an investment"... my "hoard" is 98% inherited and saved off envelopes back when people actually mailed instead of emailed so I really don'’t have a money issue. I sell so that I can buy more, as I sure the rest of us do the same. My US duck stamps paid for my Europa, lol!

I believe that most "collectors" of stamps are pretty intelligent people as we glean quite a bit from just studying stamps. That is why I started this thread to begin with so that I could lead up to Germany. (I’ve read the other thread about Germany and thought to myself, very interesting, as my last name is Stahlin, and so many people pronounce it Stalin, it’s the people from Switzerland that know to pronounce it as “staylin”.)

Nigel and Michael#s are true-blue sources of oodles of info and I have learned quite a bit from those two, as I have reading the forum threads here…. Many “specialize” in certain areas and I truly appreciate all their input, questions and “all” that respond with the “solution”.

Back to the subject of catalogs, Germany is an area that I would really like to study and having a comprehensive "book" to go by that will give me the most info to further my knowledge behooves me. My 2008 set of Scott takes me so far and a lot of reading involved, which is ok as I am a book person. Scott just takes me so far, then the deep, deep reading, and I just thought that there might be a different catalog to go by. When I started (and completed) my Europa, Scott just didn’t cut it for me, so I bought the Domfil, and its filled with so much more info than Scott (they list 6 different catalogs for each), and they show each stamp issue in color, and so much more where Scott does not. I use Scott all the time but as they grow, its really impossible for them to list every image of every stamp. I have nothing against them or I wouldn’t have bought several sets over the years.

German Occupation stamps is just a lot of cross referencing and deep reading in Scott. So I hoping that Michel will provide better, or say quicker results. I don’t know until Liz and I hook up. I’m not looking for $$, I’m looking for “knowledge”, who knows I just might have that “great find” !!! The more modern German/DDR are a no-brainer and Scott does work quite well... to a certain point.

I have a true love for stamps and just want to learn more, they provide quite a bit of history, and I love the art, the engraving… ok, so I’m a chatty cathy about stamps. I’ll shut up… for now.

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Liz

01 Jan 2011
05:04:19pm

Auctions - Approvals

re: What catalog do you use?

The Michel catalogue I have has been spoken for.

Liz

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Purrfin

01 Jan 2011
05:30:52pm

re: What catalog do you use?

1846 214

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Purrfin

01 Jan 2011
05:32:49pm

re: What catalog do you use?

Meanwhile, what catalogs do you use?

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Michael78651

02 Jan 2011
12:53:44am

re: What catalog do you use?

Dianne, the Michel German Specialized catalog will open your eyes to German-area philately. There is so much more that Scott doesn't even touch.

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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
02 Jan 2011
02:37:06pm

re: What catalog do you use?

" ... The Michel catalogue I have has been spoken for. ..."
Wow, fifteen hours ??? I am surprised it took that long although I suppose some collectors actually sleep at night.
In beds.
With their eyes closed.
.
Joking aside, I would have jumped at that offer if I had been on the ball.
.
The answer to the underlying question that I think is at the core of the discussion lies in the fact that almost any countries dedicated home catalog is likely to have a vast amount of detail that Scott simply cannot supply.
I have easily a dozen national catalogs to provide the interesting details about their stamps plus a generl Scott set that is sadly too many years old.
.
Imagine if Scott, or Gibbons for that matter, included all the details that are found in their respective specialized versions as well as Michel, Yvert, Unitrade, Ma, Sakura, Denmark's AFTA, Facit, Ceres, Postale Sellos dos Mexico, Zumstein, Bale and Vladstos, plus a few other national catalogs whose names have slipped my feeble mind for a moment. Perhaps the UK section would have to include the listing portion of the Deegam Complete Machin Handbook as well as the Famous Robson Lowe Encyclopedia of the British Empire catalog for the myraid of colonial issues.
.
I guess that would be quite a catalog, reaching 20 volumes easily and at the current price of about $60.00 apiece would set my stamp budget back for several years. I am sure that another five or six solid national volumes could be added by other collectors before the ink on this post is dry.
.
Then for amusement, after imagining that several of us have the full set in matching gilt lettered binding and someone, in a different forum, of course, complaining that the six hundred multi-colored issue set of Outer Thumbelina's "Fauna and Flora" set were not completely illustrated.

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Laeding

08 May 2020
01:02:50am

re: What catalog do you use?

For Danish West Indies (and other Scandinavian countries), I use Facit, AFA Specialized, & DAKA (there hasn't been an update in years for DWI, but still useful).

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DannyS

08 May 2020
10:36:43am

re: What catalog do you use?

I'm not really collecting anything recent so old catalogs are fine. I do try and keep an eye on GB (Machins)and Thai definitives up to the reign of the 9th king.

My main collection has to be Siam/Thailand up to 1983. For this I rely on two local catalogs, Hobby 2014 and my favorite the Sakserm Siriwong 1998. I have a SG Part 21 SE Asia 2nd edition from 1985 and an old Scott to cross reference. I have three very specialist catalogs, one on CD and two printed out by the late Richard (Dick) Blakeney and Derek Bingham.

For GB I have SG Concise 2015. For the old British Southern Africa countries I use an old SG British Commonwealth.

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larsdog

APS #220693 ATA#57179
08 May 2020
12:12:04pm

re: What catalog do you use?

My main collection is US so I use Scott and Durland (I use plate number singles as much as possible). I use Dietz as a reference for CSA and Springer for Cinderellas.

For "One from Every Country" I start with the Scott World set, but there are many older stamps that I want more info on and the "native" catalog number. I have a Michel for Germany to cover the German States and the SG Commonwealth 1840-1952 covers Indian States, Early Canada, and a few other areas of interest. I also picked up "World History Stamp Atlas" at the suggestion of someone here. It has been quite useful as well, but that's more of a reference than a catalog.

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"Expanding your knowledge faster than your collection can save you a few bucks."

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ernieinjax

08 May 2020
01:53:26pm

re: What catalog do you use?

"I use plate number singles as much as possible"




@Larsdog,

I can't remember when (it was some time back) you posted an image from your album page showing all plate number singles. I had never seen that approach taken and I thought it was really neat. It provides an added complexity to otherwise very easily obtained stamps. If you have time, and under an new thread, could you provide a couple of more scans and expand upon that? I think its really neat collecting approach.

I might take it a step further and say, plate numbered singles AND postally used! Thumbs Up

Please excuse the digression.



Ernie

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musicman

APS #213005
08 May 2020
09:19:28pm

re: What catalog do you use?

Wow....

THIS is an old thread....


Surprise

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smauggie

09 May 2020
12:00:01am

re: What catalog do you use?

Scott - US and worldwide
Durland - US Plate Blocks
Unitrade - Canada
Stanley Gibbons - Australia and GB Specialized for QV-KGVI
Facit
Michel - Specialized Germany only

I wouldn't mind getting my hands on a second-hand France or Spain specialized catalog.

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DaveSheridan

09 May 2020
12:59:37am

re: What catalog do you use?

If you don't mind eBooks, check this out for France

https://www.booktopia.com.au/catalogue-de-timbres-de-france-2020-2021-spink-murray/ebook/9781912667154.html

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Pogopossum

09 May 2020
10:22:25am

re: What catalog do you use?

I use my catalogs for identification and reference, rarely for value - only to confirm the stamp I have is not the valuable one. I have a complete set of Scott from 2010/2012 which is fine since I generally do not collect beyond 2000 or any self-adhesives.

US: Scott Specialized
GB: Gibbons Concise plus the detailed separate catalogs by monarch (Most recent concise)
Germany: Michel Germany Volumes I and II. I'd like to get a hold of the English language version
Norway: Facit
Australia: Gibbons Australia
Hungary: Hungary Specialized
Canada and New Zealand: Unitrade and Len Jury (I am not actively collecting at the moment)

I really enjoy just browsing through the catalogs and reading the information at the beginning, and looking at the back of the book issues. With few exceptions I purchased all of the catalogs used or on significant sale.

Geoff


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musicman

APS #213005
09 May 2020
01:01:57pm

re: What catalog do you use?

Okay, I'll jump in!


1. Scott 6-volume WW plus US Specialized

2. Scott 1840-1940 Classic Specialized

3. A homemade work-in-progress WW revenue catalog

4. The State Revenue Catalog by the State Revenue Society

5. Durland Standard Plate Number Catalog

6. Precancel Stamp Society of U.S. Bureau Precancels

7. Comprehensive Listing Of Artcraft Covers; Varieties And Values (1939-1996) by Martin Severe

8. Unitrade Specialized Catalog Of Canadian Stamps

9. The Streamside Catalog of Fish And Game Stamps

10. Facit Catalog for Sverige - Norge - Danmark - Faroarna - Gronland - Danska Vastindien - Island - Finland - Aland

11. Japanese Stamp Specialized Catalog by Japan Philatelic Publications, Inc.

12. Specialized Catalog of The Netherlands

13. Minkus Catalog of Trucial States

14. various Mosbaugh's All Funds catalogs (Seals and Stamps)

15. A dozen or so specialized US revenue catalogs of various publishers/authors (i.e. Beer stamps, etc...)



....didn't realize I had this many until I started looking for them....Surprise

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BermudaSailor

09 May 2020
02:21:02pm

re: What catalog do you use?

As a narrowly focused collector, I basically used specialized catalogs, and / or I purchase Scott pages (from that guy on eBay) for the countries I'm interested in.

Stanley Gibbons Northern Caribbean, Bahamas & Bermuda
Bermuda Specialized Catalogue Stamps and Postal History 1812 - 1970
Stanley Gibbons Falkland Islands
Specialized Catalogue of The Falkland Islands and Dependencies 1800 - 2013
Scott pages for Singapore and Canada

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larsdog

APS #220693 ATA#57179
09 May 2020
07:24:00pm

re: What catalog do you use?

"Precancel Stamp Society of U.S. Bureau Precancels"



Oops, forgot that one! Good call Musicman!

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angore

Collector, Moderator
10 May 2020
07:01:31am

re: What catalog do you use?

Most used sources for worldwide

2016-2017 Scott worldwide volumes
SG Commonwealth and Empire Stamps 1840-1970
Stampworld.com - used for image / year identification or issue
ebay - finding images

Specialized for Machins
2018 SG Concise
Adminware Machin website and album pages
Deegam Machin Handbook



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nigelc

10 May 2020
08:33:00am

re: What catalog do you use?

Currently I use the following catalogues most often:

- SG Commonwealth & British Empire 1840 to 1970, as well as an old edition that covers all these countries up to around 1990

- Many other SG catalogues especially GB Concise, SG Southern Balkans and SG Central Asia

- Michel Germany Specialised, Europe West & Europe East, German Locals etc.

- Scott mainly to understand catalogue number references and to get a different perspective

- Barefoot revenue catalogues

- Hellas and Vlastos for Greece

- Maury/Spink France

- Facit Special for the Nordic countries

Most of these are old editions which still work very well for me. Happy

In any case I don't have much cash to spend on catalogues or stamps these days.

In the last two years my only additions have been Fischer Volume 1 for Poland, SG Poland, an updated Maury/Spink France and SG Southern Balkans.


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ClayMorgan

Member APS.
11 May 2020
08:18:43pm

re: What catalog do you use?

Scott (2007 edition) for identification. Bale, Yvert, SG as needed.

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Strider

12 May 2020
02:35:02pm

re: What catalog do you use?

SG country specific for most of my stuff. Yvert for France (should I get a Maury?) And Facit for the Scandinavian countries. I also have a Michel 1991 for Germany - it shows the engraver's name. They stopped doing this by the 2004 edition.

But I struggle re Scott numbers. I have made lists of LA wants, but as I only have SG cats and as the dealers in US always use Scott numbers, I need to check every want with Colnect to get the Scott number. Laborious.

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BrightonPete

12 May 2020
03:39:39pm

re: What catalog do you use?

I have a few...

Unitrade for Canada
Scott 2020 (pages) for USA, Germany, Ecuador, Albania
Scott 2019 (pages) for Luxembourg, Mauritania, Turkey
Scott 2009 volumes 1-6 pdf's
Prefix Michel 2017 for Luxembourg
DAKA GF 10 for Faroe Islands
SG 1st Edition for Belgium and Luxembourg
SG 1st Edition for Denmark and Norway (also includes Faröe Islands, Greenland and Iceland)
Stoneham 17th Edition for Great Britain

I also have a Unitrade 2016 to give away, but to mail it would be rather expensive, they are very heavy tomes!

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HockeyNut

21 May 2020
09:35:01am

re: What catalog do you use?

Well that is the following list for me.

Michel special 1992 (one very thick catalog)
Michel special 2010 Part 1 ( till 1945 )
Michel special 2010 Part 2 ( from 1945 )

N.V.P.H. special 2013 ( only the Netherlands )

Michel special 2017 Part 1 ( till 1945 )
Michel special 2017 Part 2 ( from 1945 )
Michel Handbuch/Catalog Deutsche Feldpost 1937-1945
Michel Atlas zur deutschland philatelie

Host Landsmann Die zensur von zivilpost in deutschland im 2. weltkrieg
Karl-Heinz Riemer : Die überwachung des auslandsbriefverkehrs während der 2. weltkrieg
Norbert Kannapin Die deutsche Feldpostübersicht 1939-1945 Teil 1,2 und 3
Norbert Kannapin Die Deutsche Feldpost 1939-1945

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