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Europe/Great Britain : Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

 

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mbo1142
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I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.

26 Jul 2014
05:11:20pm

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I have just started collecting Great Britain stamps from 1840 to about 1970. I have the Scott catalogues and use Scott numbers for my albums. However, when looking to purchase stamps a great number of dealers use the Stanley Gibbons numbering system. So, I figured I had better just get an SG catalogue. I have noticed that there are basically two different types of catalogues that I believe would work for me, but do not know what the difference is. They are the Commonwealth & British Empire Stamps 1840 - (different dates)and Great Britain Concise Stamp Catalogue. I only need the basic information, particularly the SG numbering system. Suggestions from SOR members would be appreciated.

Thanks, Mel
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Jlav

26 Jul 2014
06:08:58pm
re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

There is the SG Collect British Stamps (a just the basics catalogue).

Jacques (jlav)

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mbo1142
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I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.

26 Jul 2014
06:27:19pm

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re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

Jacques,

Thanks, that sounds like what I am looking for. Will check the usual places.

Mel

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michael78651
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26 Jul 2014
07:26:37pm
re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

"the Commonwealth & British Empire Stamps 1840 -"



The catalog was been stopped at 1970 several years ago.

If you're collecting British Commonwealth, and only need the numbers and information, I'd recommend that catalog. There is some very good information in it that you may want as your collection grows. You will only need to buy it once.
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ThePhilatelist

Wish I was Engraved!

26 Jul 2014
09:00:25pm
re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

The Commonwealth & British Empire Stamps 1840 - 1970 is the catalogue you really want.

It is really good. And the 1970 stopping point ("pre-decimal" era for Great Britain) is also excellent.

However, if you are only into Great Britain stamps, then I suggest Great Britain Concise Catalogue which, despite it's name, is a "Comprehensive" catalogue. Collect British Stamps is actually a Simplified catalogue (varieties, both perforation and watermark, are conveniently skipped) and not worth the price. The Concise catalogue is more expensive, but has lot more detail.

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nigelc
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27 Jul 2014
04:39:22am
re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

I would also recommend the SG GB Concise catalogue.

However, Collect British Stamps is still useful. It does include both watermark and perforation details but not shades, paper types, booklets & booklet panes etc.

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mbo1142
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I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.

27 Jul 2014
01:34:28pm

Approvals
re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

Unless I win the lottery,Rolling On The Floor Laughing I have about reached the limits in my US collection, and since I have just come into a very large WW collection, I thought I would venture onto the DARK SIDE. I have already found out, (through Roy's excellent article on the Penny Reds), that there were 4 misplaced Reds in the Great Britain Album. Crying I do not plan to go into as much depth in the WW collection as I have in my US collection, but at the same time, I want to make sure proper ID us made. I have decided that I will purchase a Commonwealth & British Empire Stamps 1840 - 1970.

Thank everyone for your input, it is greatly appreciated. And if anyone has one for sale, Big Grincontact me through the SOR message system.

Mel

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TuskenRaider
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28 Jul 2014
01:19:00pm
re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

Hi Mel:

If you are here in the states and your dealer uses Stanley Gibbons, save your money for stamps, and just switch dealers, period. I would not buy from a US dealer who is so inflexible as to make me need to buy an expensive catalog just to buy from them. That's just plain stupid, not you, but the dealer. If they really want to sell they should be willing to give SG & Scott numbers. That is called good customer service.

I notice in your profile, that you state that you are not very computer savvy. I hope you don't mind, my snooping around in there. Have someone who is computer savvy, show you how to search Google, for on-line computer tutorials. And this really applies to everyone else on here too. We all sometimes are not sure how to do something. These computer tutorials are often free, and all that is required of you is to be able to read. Also print out the text of these tutorials, so when you are trying to do something new you have the info right there, handy in front of you. You can also put several tutorials in a small binder that you keep near your computer work station.

A while back, I noticed that my hard drive was getting really bloated whenever I did intensive image editing of large stamp scans for my on-line sales. So I googled that as a question, "why does editing large images load up a hard drive?". I found a page that explained how windows loads up a folder called "temp" inside of the "Windows" folder. I then learned that you can delete any files that are in the "temp" folder. I'm fairly computer literate, but didn't know this.

The only thing I find Stanley Gibbons really useful for is the King George V color varieties that Scott doesn't mention. My catalog is SG 1978, which is perfectly good for identifying varieties. If I want to buy British stamps, I just use Scott.

Happy colleting
Ken Tall Pines

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mbo1142
Members Picture


I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.

28 Jul 2014
03:26:39pm

Approvals
re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

Ken,

Thanks for the information. The closest stamp dealer to me is over 150 miles away, so I have to depend on the computer to find items that I am looking for. I know that I can contact dealers here in the US and as you suggest, use Scott numbers. I am not that eager to jump into WW collecting so I use various sites on the web. I am slowly working my way to using specific dealers and I am sure they will use Scott numbers. Many of the stamps I am currently looking for in the Great Britain area are from countries outside the US and most, if not all use the SG numbering system, so it is difficult to determine if the item I am looking at is the item I want. Does that make sense? I guess that I am lucky in the sense that I really don't have to Google computer applications. One of my daughters who lives near me is an IT Tech and has her degree in Computer Science. So you can guess what I do when I get stumped.Big Grin US stamps are my main area and have been for the past 15 years. I am not a novice collector, but I am no means an expert in any area. I appreciate your suggestions, as I need all the help I can get while venturing into the unknown world of WW collecting.

Mel

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ThePhilatelist

Wish I was Engraved!

28 Jul 2014
03:37:36pm
re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

"If you are here in the states and your dealer uses Stanley Gibbons, save your money for stamps, and just switch dealers, period. I would not buy from a US dealer who is so inflexible as to make me need to buy an expensive catalog just to buy from them. That's just plain stupid, not you, but the dealer. If they really want to sell they should be willing to give SG & Scott numbers. That is called good customer service."



Unfortunately, the Scott catalogues do not really do any justice to the earlier British Commonwealth stamps. Scott conveniently skips color varieties; watermark oddities (inverted, sideways, etc.) are many times skipped or provided with some footnote, with no pricing guide. Another point to note is that the entire "classical" Commonwealth period is available in one volume (costs under USD 110 on Book Depository) and is way more convenient and cheaper than handling six volumes of Scott.

The fact remains that Scott is a great catalogue for United States stamps. For the rest of the world, it is an average catalogue at best (don't get me wrong, I use Scott a lot because I can find the latest editions in my local library). Unfortunately, the Commonwealth market is pretty global (in fact, on eBay, it is much more common to find non-American traders peddling Commonwealth stamps), and the Stanley Gibbons' resources are a standard there. As much as Stanley Gibbons might be expensive in the US, Scott is outright unavailable in the rest of the world.
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Jansimon
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28 Jul 2014
03:57:43pm

Auctions - Approvals
re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

"Scott is outright unavailable in the rest of the world."



That is correct. I have never seen it in any stampshop or library over here (in the Netherlands that is). I think as far as international catalogues are concerned the marketshare in the Netherlands is 80% Michel, 10% Yvert (mostly older collectors and libraries, because back in the 80s it was the choice catalogue, before everybody switched to Michel) and 9% SG (the British Commonwealth collectors). 1% uses other catalogues including Scott. I have used all of them, including Scott and as has been said already Scott is just not that good when it comes to identifying varieties, watermarks, perforations etc.
As a matter of fact, I find the Michel North America volume a lot better and easier to use than Scott. It has the information that Scott only lists in its specialized catalogue...


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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..

29 Jul 2014
03:47:30pm
re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues


I'll not repeat what Jan or our Philatelist friend wrote, but they are far more aware of the need to use, or at least have access to Gibbons, Facit, Michel, NVPH and Yvert than most US collectors who appear wed to the not so comprehensive Scott world wide catalog set.
The more specialized one becomes the more interesting other specialized catalogs become and Scott's cumbersome set's obvious omissions become more glaring.

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".... You may think you understood what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you think you heard is not what I thought I meant. .... "
Strider
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20 Feb 2018
06:11:06pm
re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

Does anyone know if the Stanley Gibbons (Part 7) Germany catalogue 9th edition is in colour? I don't know the date when the 9th edition appeared.

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nigelc
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20 Feb 2018
06:19:13pm
re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

Hi Strider,

Yes the 9th Edition is in colour. It's dated 2011.

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nigelc
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20 Feb 2018
06:22:15pm
re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

I see the 12th Edition is scheduled for the 2nd quarter this year.

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phos45
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21 Feb 2018
12:33:33am
re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

this house offers SG/SC numbering ...

https://www.stampsforsale.co.uk/

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machinstudygroup.blogspot.ca
Strider
Members Picture


21 Feb 2018
12:13:03pm
re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

Thanks, Nigel, for the info on SG Germany 9th edition. I've been thinking about getting a Germany catalogue for a while, and one has just appeared on eBay at a very good price. So armed with this knowledge, I've snapped it up. I just hope it isn't full of heavy notes and ticks etc.

Since I became interested in engraved stamps, I've slowly acquired copies of all the SG European cats, except for the Balkans. But SOR approval buys have already given me a headstart with the German engravers.

Cheers - Neville

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Author/Postings
Members Picture
mbo1142

I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.
26 Jul 2014
05:11:20pm

Approvals

I have just started collecting Great Britain stamps from 1840 to about 1970. I have the Scott catalogues and use Scott numbers for my albums. However, when looking to purchase stamps a great number of dealers use the Stanley Gibbons numbering system. So, I figured I had better just get an SG catalogue. I have noticed that there are basically two different types of catalogues that I believe would work for me, but do not know what the difference is. They are the Commonwealth & British Empire Stamps 1840 - (different dates)and Great Britain Concise Stamp Catalogue. I only need the basic information, particularly the SG numbering system. Suggestions from SOR members would be appreciated.

Thanks, Mel

Like
Login to Like
this post
Jlav

26 Jul 2014
06:08:58pm

re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

There is the SG Collect British Stamps (a just the basics catalogue).

Jacques (jlav)

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mbo1142

I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.
26 Jul 2014
06:27:19pm

Approvals

re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

Jacques,

Thanks, that sounds like what I am looking for. Will check the usual places.

Mel

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this post
Members Picture
michael78651

26 Jul 2014
07:26:37pm

re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

"the Commonwealth & British Empire Stamps 1840 -"



The catalog was been stopped at 1970 several years ago.

If you're collecting British Commonwealth, and only need the numbers and information, I'd recommend that catalog. There is some very good information in it that you may want as your collection grows. You will only need to buy it once.
Like
Login to Like
this post

www.hipstamp.com/sto ...
ThePhilatelist

Wish I was Engraved!

26 Jul 2014
09:00:25pm

re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

The Commonwealth & British Empire Stamps 1840 - 1970 is the catalogue you really want.

It is really good. And the 1970 stopping point ("pre-decimal" era for Great Britain) is also excellent.

However, if you are only into Great Britain stamps, then I suggest Great Britain Concise Catalogue which, despite it's name, is a "Comprehensive" catalogue. Collect British Stamps is actually a Simplified catalogue (varieties, both perforation and watermark, are conveniently skipped) and not worth the price. The Concise catalogue is more expensive, but has lot more detail.

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this post
Members Picture
nigelc

27 Jul 2014
04:39:22am

re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

I would also recommend the SG GB Concise catalogue.

However, Collect British Stamps is still useful. It does include both watermark and perforation details but not shades, paper types, booklets & booklet panes etc.

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
mbo1142

I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.
27 Jul 2014
01:34:28pm

Approvals

re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

Unless I win the lottery,Rolling On The Floor Laughing I have about reached the limits in my US collection, and since I have just come into a very large WW collection, I thought I would venture onto the DARK SIDE. I have already found out, (through Roy's excellent article on the Penny Reds), that there were 4 misplaced Reds in the Great Britain Album. Crying I do not plan to go into as much depth in the WW collection as I have in my US collection, but at the same time, I want to make sure proper ID us made. I have decided that I will purchase a Commonwealth & British Empire Stamps 1840 - 1970.

Thank everyone for your input, it is greatly appreciated. And if anyone has one for sale, Big Grincontact me through the SOR message system.

Mel

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
TuskenRaider

28 Jul 2014
01:19:00pm

re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

Hi Mel:

If you are here in the states and your dealer uses Stanley Gibbons, save your money for stamps, and just switch dealers, period. I would not buy from a US dealer who is so inflexible as to make me need to buy an expensive catalog just to buy from them. That's just plain stupid, not you, but the dealer. If they really want to sell they should be willing to give SG & Scott numbers. That is called good customer service.

I notice in your profile, that you state that you are not very computer savvy. I hope you don't mind, my snooping around in there. Have someone who is computer savvy, show you how to search Google, for on-line computer tutorials. And this really applies to everyone else on here too. We all sometimes are not sure how to do something. These computer tutorials are often free, and all that is required of you is to be able to read. Also print out the text of these tutorials, so when you are trying to do something new you have the info right there, handy in front of you. You can also put several tutorials in a small binder that you keep near your computer work station.

A while back, I noticed that my hard drive was getting really bloated whenever I did intensive image editing of large stamp scans for my on-line sales. So I googled that as a question, "why does editing large images load up a hard drive?". I found a page that explained how windows loads up a folder called "temp" inside of the "Windows" folder. I then learned that you can delete any files that are in the "temp" folder. I'm fairly computer literate, but didn't know this.

The only thing I find Stanley Gibbons really useful for is the King George V color varieties that Scott doesn't mention. My catalog is SG 1978, which is perfectly good for identifying varieties. If I want to buy British stamps, I just use Scott.

Happy colleting
Ken Tall Pines

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1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.

www.webstore.com/sto ...
Members Picture
mbo1142

I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.
28 Jul 2014
03:26:39pm

Approvals

re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

Ken,

Thanks for the information. The closest stamp dealer to me is over 150 miles away, so I have to depend on the computer to find items that I am looking for. I know that I can contact dealers here in the US and as you suggest, use Scott numbers. I am not that eager to jump into WW collecting so I use various sites on the web. I am slowly working my way to using specific dealers and I am sure they will use Scott numbers. Many of the stamps I am currently looking for in the Great Britain area are from countries outside the US and most, if not all use the SG numbering system, so it is difficult to determine if the item I am looking at is the item I want. Does that make sense? I guess that I am lucky in the sense that I really don't have to Google computer applications. One of my daughters who lives near me is an IT Tech and has her degree in Computer Science. So you can guess what I do when I get stumped.Big Grin US stamps are my main area and have been for the past 15 years. I am not a novice collector, but I am no means an expert in any area. I appreciate your suggestions, as I need all the help I can get while venturing into the unknown world of WW collecting.

Mel

Like
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ThePhilatelist

Wish I was Engraved!

28 Jul 2014
03:37:36pm

re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

"If you are here in the states and your dealer uses Stanley Gibbons, save your money for stamps, and just switch dealers, period. I would not buy from a US dealer who is so inflexible as to make me need to buy an expensive catalog just to buy from them. That's just plain stupid, not you, but the dealer. If they really want to sell they should be willing to give SG & Scott numbers. That is called good customer service."



Unfortunately, the Scott catalogues do not really do any justice to the earlier British Commonwealth stamps. Scott conveniently skips color varieties; watermark oddities (inverted, sideways, etc.) are many times skipped or provided with some footnote, with no pricing guide. Another point to note is that the entire "classical" Commonwealth period is available in one volume (costs under USD 110 on Book Depository) and is way more convenient and cheaper than handling six volumes of Scott.

The fact remains that Scott is a great catalogue for United States stamps. For the rest of the world, it is an average catalogue at best (don't get me wrong, I use Scott a lot because I can find the latest editions in my local library). Unfortunately, the Commonwealth market is pretty global (in fact, on eBay, it is much more common to find non-American traders peddling Commonwealth stamps), and the Stanley Gibbons' resources are a standard there. As much as Stanley Gibbons might be expensive in the US, Scott is outright unavailable in the rest of the world.
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Jansimon

28 Jul 2014
03:57:43pm

Auctions - Approvals

re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

"Scott is outright unavailable in the rest of the world."



That is correct. I have never seen it in any stampshop or library over here (in the Netherlands that is). I think as far as international catalogues are concerned the marketshare in the Netherlands is 80% Michel, 10% Yvert (mostly older collectors and libraries, because back in the 80s it was the choice catalogue, before everybody switched to Michel) and 9% SG (the British Commonwealth collectors). 1% uses other catalogues including Scott. I have used all of them, including Scott and as has been said already Scott is just not that good when it comes to identifying varieties, watermarks, perforations etc.
As a matter of fact, I find the Michel North America volume a lot better and easier to use than Scott. It has the information that Scott only lists in its specialized catalogue...


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www.pagowirense.nl/s ...

Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
29 Jul 2014
03:47:30pm

re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues


I'll not repeat what Jan or our Philatelist friend wrote, but they are far more aware of the need to use, or at least have access to Gibbons, Facit, Michel, NVPH and Yvert than most US collectors who appear wed to the not so comprehensive Scott world wide catalog set.
The more specialized one becomes the more interesting other specialized catalogs become and Scott's cumbersome set's obvious omissions become more glaring.

Like
Login to Like
this post

".... You may think you understood what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you think you heard is not what I thought I meant. .... "
Members Picture
Strider

20 Feb 2018
06:11:06pm

re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

Does anyone know if the Stanley Gibbons (Part 7) Germany catalogue 9th edition is in colour? I don't know the date when the 9th edition appeared.

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nigelc

20 Feb 2018
06:19:13pm

re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

Hi Strider,

Yes the 9th Edition is in colour. It's dated 2011.

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nigelc

20 Feb 2018
06:22:15pm

re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

I see the 12th Edition is scheduled for the 2nd quarter this year.

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phos45

21 Feb 2018
12:33:33am

re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

this house offers SG/SC numbering ...

https://www.stampsforsale.co.uk/

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machinstudygroup.blo ...
Members Picture
Strider

21 Feb 2018
12:13:03pm

re: Stanley Gibbons Catalogues

Thanks, Nigel, for the info on SG Germany 9th edition. I've been thinking about getting a Germany catalogue for a while, and one has just appeared on eBay at a very good price. So armed with this knowledge, I've snapped it up. I just hope it isn't full of heavy notes and ticks etc.

Since I became interested in engraved stamps, I've slowly acquired copies of all the SG European cats, except for the Balkans. But SOR approval buys have already given me a headstart with the German engravers.

Cheers - Neville

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