Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
When does it make sense to invest in a Scott Specialized catalog? I currently use Volumes 1-6, but as I have been reading here and elsewhere, there are varieties and more information/values for classic material. I have some of this material in Hong Kong and Switzerland in particular. I started thinking about this when Scott decided not to list a MNH value (in the 2012 cat. anyway) for Hong Kong 167, the revenue stamp used postally.
I have been told the value is shown in the Specialized catalog.
Thoughts?
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First of all I collect covers and the specialized catalog has values on cover for some of the early stuff. It also has much more detail on identifying varieties. The key for most is the BOB material. The Specialized catalog is US. There is also a Classic Worldwide catalog that covers 1840-1940. It is a pricy book but it also includes on cover information on some early WW issues. It breaks down to more detail and varieties than the volumes 1-6 do. I do not collect modern stamps so the 1-6 volumes of mine collect dust. The Classic Worldwide and the US Specialized are used daily.
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If you need more information on Hong Kong and Switzerland, I would invest in Stanley Gibbons and Zumstein (or Michel Specialized) respectively. And a German dictionary to boot 
Just do not bother with Scott.
BTW: the never hinged price for the Hong Kong 167 is given in the 2009 Scott.
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Thanks for clarifying this, I did mean the Classic Worldwide catalog. I do have a Zumstein for Swiss material. BOB
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Bob, because HK is my primary area of collecting, I use Gibbons and Yang more fthan Scott. I use Scott for a quick ID and to search for items I'm missing but the former two are more extensive and in depth for varieties. The drawback of course is that the values are in pounds and HK dollars, if that matters.
I use the Scott Specialized for QV stamps across the Empire in the same way, to identify issues to buy, but I use Gibbons "Empire and Commonwealth" specialized catalogue for identification of varieties, etc.
Cheers,
Peter
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I was not impressed with the Scott Classic Specialized catalog, and rely for the most part on other catalogs if I wish to find more specialized information. Listings for values on cover are very limited and not offered for most countries.
I can't say I specialize in Australian stamps but I find the SG Australia catalog to be invaluable in cataloging my collection. I am sure the same would apply to Hong Kong or any British territory.
Amos/Scott does seem to work on improving their catalogs each year.
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Bob
This is really what you should use for Hong Kong. Softback, about 75 pages long and it contains sections on booklets, frama labels, postal fiscal, China overprints and details about Treaty Port cancellations (just take all this bit with a pinch of salt).
The catalogue is well laid out in full colour and is smaller than A4 (9.5" by 6.5"); nice size for confined spaces.
The 4th edition is from 2013, which is the most up to date in this format. When issued this was £15.95 retail.
And no! I don't work for Gibbons. I just despair at the Hong Kong section in my copy of Scotts.
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Thanks, everyone, for your responses. I appreciate everyone's insight and assistance.
BOB
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" I started thinking about this when Scott decided not to list a MNH value (in the 2012 cat. anyway) for Hong Kong 167, the revenue stamp used postally."
Bob, I'm sure you've mentioned this before. However, I'm a bit bemused by '...list a MNH value.....the revenue stamp used postally'. I guess you meant MNH.
Anyway. In the catalogue I pictured, there is an entry as follows:
1938 (11 Jan) Wmk Multi Script CA. P14
F12 F8 5c green.............................. £95.00 £14.00
....where F12 is the SG (Fiscal) number, F8 is the illustration number. First price unused, second price used.
Gibbons states in the catalogue:
Unused stamps. GB & Commonwealth: the prices for unused stamps of QV to KGV are for lightly hinged examples. Unused prices for KEVIII, KGVI and QE issues are for unmounted mint.
Please note that a straight conversion to CA$ or US$ is not sufficient. One then must apply a special 'dream world' algorithm to that figure.
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"...list a MNH value.....the revenue stamp used postally "
I probably did not say it correctly, but I will quote what Scott says about this stamp:
"No. 167 is a revenue stamp officially authorized to be sold and used for postal purposes.
Used Jan. 11-20, 1938."
Scott USED to give a Never Hinged value for this stamp (underneath the hinged value of $50.00) in Volume 3. ($100.00 US) It was there when I had a 2008 set. The Never Hinged value line was dropped somewhere in between the 2008 and 2012 catalogs. I have read that the Never Hinged value continues to be presented in the Classic Worldwide.
BOB
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Bob
As far as you know, is that the only stamp where the price for NHM has been omitted? If it is the only one, perhaps this is just an error in the catalogue. I can think of no reason why Scott would drop this one deliberately. Particularly if they have retained the NHM price in the Classic Worlwide.
When Stanley Gibbons introduced the 1st edition of the Commonwealth Stamp Catalogue - Hong Kong, they made a pigs ear of two or three set's entries. So it does happen.
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For those members who use Scott catalogs, I have a question:
When does it make sense to invest in a Scott Specialized catalog? I currently use Volumes 1-6, but as I have been reading here and elsewhere, there are varieties and more information/values for classic material. I have some of this material in Hong Kong and Switzerland in particular. I started thinking about this when Scott decided not to list a MNH value (in the 2012 cat. anyway) for Hong Kong 167, the revenue stamp used postally.
I have been told the value is shown in the Specialized catalog.
Thoughts?
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re: Hong Kong Scott 167
First of all I collect covers and the specialized catalog has values on cover for some of the early stuff. It also has much more detail on identifying varieties. The key for most is the BOB material. The Specialized catalog is US. There is also a Classic Worldwide catalog that covers 1840-1940. It is a pricy book but it also includes on cover information on some early WW issues. It breaks down to more detail and varieties than the volumes 1-6 do. I do not collect modern stamps so the 1-6 volumes of mine collect dust. The Classic Worldwide and the US Specialized are used daily.
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re: Hong Kong Scott 167
If you need more information on Hong Kong and Switzerland, I would invest in Stanley Gibbons and Zumstein (or Michel Specialized) respectively. And a German dictionary to boot Just do not bother with Scott.
BTW: the never hinged price for the Hong Kong 167 is given in the 2009 Scott.
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re: Hong Kong Scott 167
Thanks for clarifying this, I did mean the Classic Worldwide catalog. I do have a Zumstein for Swiss material. BOB
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11:19:12am
re: Hong Kong Scott 167
Bob, because HK is my primary area of collecting, I use Gibbons and Yang more fthan Scott. I use Scott for a quick ID and to search for items I'm missing but the former two are more extensive and in depth for varieties. The drawback of course is that the values are in pounds and HK dollars, if that matters.
I use the Scott Specialized for QV stamps across the Empire in the same way, to identify issues to buy, but I use Gibbons "Empire and Commonwealth" specialized catalogue for identification of varieties, etc.
Cheers,
Peter
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this post
re: Hong Kong Scott 167
I was not impressed with the Scott Classic Specialized catalog, and rely for the most part on other catalogs if I wish to find more specialized information. Listings for values on cover are very limited and not offered for most countries.
I can't say I specialize in Australian stamps but I find the SG Australia catalog to be invaluable in cataloging my collection. I am sure the same would apply to Hong Kong or any British territory.
Amos/Scott does seem to work on improving their catalogs each year.
Login to Like
this post
re: Hong Kong Scott 167
Bob
This is really what you should use for Hong Kong. Softback, about 75 pages long and it contains sections on booklets, frama labels, postal fiscal, China overprints and details about Treaty Port cancellations (just take all this bit with a pinch of salt).
The catalogue is well laid out in full colour and is smaller than A4 (9.5" by 6.5"); nice size for confined spaces.
The 4th edition is from 2013, which is the most up to date in this format. When issued this was £15.95 retail.
And no! I don't work for Gibbons. I just despair at the Hong Kong section in my copy of Scotts.
Login to Like
this post
re: Hong Kong Scott 167
Thanks, everyone, for your responses. I appreciate everyone's insight and assistance.
BOB
Login to Like
this post
re: Hong Kong Scott 167
" I started thinking about this when Scott decided not to list a MNH value (in the 2012 cat. anyway) for Hong Kong 167, the revenue stamp used postally."
Bob, I'm sure you've mentioned this before. However, I'm a bit bemused by '...list a MNH value.....the revenue stamp used postally'. I guess you meant MNH.
Anyway. In the catalogue I pictured, there is an entry as follows:
1938 (11 Jan) Wmk Multi Script CA. P14
F12 F8 5c green.............................. £95.00 £14.00
....where F12 is the SG (Fiscal) number, F8 is the illustration number. First price unused, second price used.
Gibbons states in the catalogue:
Unused stamps. GB & Commonwealth: the prices for unused stamps of QV to KGV are for lightly hinged examples. Unused prices for KEVIII, KGVI and QE issues are for unmounted mint.
Please note that a straight conversion to CA$ or US$ is not sufficient. One then must apply a special 'dream world' algorithm to that figure.
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this post
re: Hong Kong Scott 167
"...list a MNH value.....the revenue stamp used postally "
I probably did not say it correctly, but I will quote what Scott says about this stamp:
"No. 167 is a revenue stamp officially authorized to be sold and used for postal purposes.
Used Jan. 11-20, 1938."
Scott USED to give a Never Hinged value for this stamp (underneath the hinged value of $50.00) in Volume 3. ($100.00 US) It was there when I had a 2008 set. The Never Hinged value line was dropped somewhere in between the 2008 and 2012 catalogs. I have read that the Never Hinged value continues to be presented in the Classic Worldwide.
BOB
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re: Hong Kong Scott 167
Bob
As far as you know, is that the only stamp where the price for NHM has been omitted? If it is the only one, perhaps this is just an error in the catalogue. I can think of no reason why Scott would drop this one deliberately. Particularly if they have retained the NHM price in the Classic Worlwide.
When Stanley Gibbons introduced the 1st edition of the Commonwealth Stamp Catalogue - Hong Kong, they made a pigs ear of two or three set's entries. So it does happen.
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