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What we collect!
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General Philatelic/Supplies, Literature & Software : Linn’s

 

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Calstamp

04 Feb 2023
06:53:21pm
If the rumors are to be believed, Linn’s as many of us “mature collectors” knew it will soon cease. Yet further evidence of the hobby’s rapid evolution. Reportedy the number of paid subscribers has declined to less than 8,500.

While I haven’t been a subscriber for several years, I fondly remember the days of the tabloid-sized weekly periodical. My personal copy would arrive each Thursday afternoon, and the balance of the day would be spent poring over the latest issue from cover-to-cover. Typically my first stop was KTP, to learn about the latest treasures discovered by the fabled E. Rawolik or one of his numerous descendants. This was followed by the “question and answer” feature, and then one of the feature articles penned by either house writers or outside subject experts. And finally, the adverts which over time seemed to overshadow the editorial content.

I stayed onboard when the format size was reduced, followed soon thereafter by a halving of the publication frequency. While I entertained brief dalliances with other philatelic publications, Linn’s remained a staple for me. Although I dropped out as a subscriber more than a decade ago, my philatelic files remained stuffed with articles clipped across the years and carefully sorted by country or subject. It was only a few years ago that I donated said files to a philatelic friend who ultimately digitized the content.

If you’re a US-based stamp enthusiast age 50 or above I suspect you, too, have many memories of the weekly publication which served to inform, entertain, and dare I say, educate.
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roy
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04 Feb 2023
07:50:32pm
re: Linn’s

Anybody have a Linn's from the early 1980s kicking around to look up the subscription figures (printed in every issue)?

I used to get 25 a week for my stamp store customers in a small town! I seem to recall circulation figures around 80,000, but it could just be my older memory painting a rosy picture of the past again.

Roy

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michael78651

04 Feb 2023
08:04:42pm
re: Linn’s

You're right, Roy. It was a weekly where each issue was as thick as a Sunday newspaper used to be.

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michael78651

04 Feb 2023
08:15:12pm
re: Linn’s

"I stayed onboard when the format size was reduced, followed soon thereafter by a halving of the publication frequency."



Yes, the format size was reduced into that of a magazine size periodical. The number of pages were also reduced. However, it has always been a weekly publication that continues to this day. The frequency was never changed. Subscribers can opt to get the weekly issue, which includes the Scott Monthly issue, or only subscribe to the Scott Monthly issue.

The "standard" Linn's is published three or four times a month, and has 42 pages. Many years ago, the Scott Stamp Monthly was discontinued, and merged into the mid-month issue of Linn's. That issue is a glossy magazine that contains the regular Linn's items, plus the Scott listing of new issues, and information from Scott about Scott products.

I don't believe that Linn's will go away. If Amos does any changes to it, I would guess that they may now be contemplating a change in frequency. what would that be? Perhaps a bi-monthly issuance with one regular issue, and the other the Scott Monthly issue.
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angore
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Al
Collector, Moderator

05 Feb 2023
06:14:16am
re: Linn’s

In the Feb 20, 2023 issue of Linn's, Jay Bigalke, editor of Linn's made the following statement:

"Responding to the shift toward digital news consumption, Amos Media Co. announced in January the following changes starting with the March cover-dated publication.... A Scott-branded monthly magazine will debut in March. The March Scott Stamp Monthly magazine will replace the Linn's Stamp News monthly magazine and will be published once a month, for a total of 12 issues a year. This new print publication will largely focus on feature articles and will continue to include the Scott New Issues update section.....Regarding content for both publications, readers can anticipate new features and additional news
coverage."

I am a digital subscriber. They are not folding but reducing printed issues (some will be digital only) and returning the monthly expanded Linn's
back as the Scott Stamp Monthly so 52 Linn's (some digital) and 12 Scott montly.

Calstamp you mentioned clipping articles. I do save the PDFs but unlike yesteryears I do not see many to "clip" anymore.

I use to buy 95% of my stamps through Linn's advertisers but ended in 1990's when online sellers popped up.

This is how I read the circulation numbers:

15c Paid circulation: 8,357 (avg over 12 months)/ 11392 (nearest filing).
16a paid digital 2,496, 2,859
16c total paid printed and electronic 10732 / 14100

I believe the reason for the avg vs latest near print date is that the monthly can have a separate circulation. The digital circulation is much lower than I remember.

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philb
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05 Feb 2023
10:09:17am

Auctions
re: Linn’s

The old Linns which used to boast its circulation (close to 100,000 they claimed at one time) was my connection to stamp collecting in the 1960s/70s. In the early 70s i was introduced to the American Philatelist with dues i believe were $8.00 a year and joined right up. Back to Linns, I loved the feast of the many pages of ads and the section with trade offers. You could actually find good trading partners for long lasting trades. Well as we have seen the world changes few things are permanent.

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Calstamp

05 Feb 2023
02:38:26pm
re: Linn’s

Ah, Phil. You've jogged free yet another Linn's memory. Believe it was entitled "Trading Horn".

My daughter (and collecting partner) and I enrolled in a long-standing stamp exchange based in south Florida. The "circuit manager" (Jerry Gerstein) passed away several years ago. Allison invested untold hours building circuit books. Together we claimed thousands of dollars of "new" material for her then-nascent WW collection.

Simpler times.

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philb
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05 Feb 2023
06:10:22pm

Auctions
re: Linn’s

I agree, simpler times.. i enjoyed posting ads on the Posthorn for $2.50 to sell and trade. Things seem more scattered now..i think the internet changed a lot of things.

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Tom in Exton, PA

05 Feb 2023
10:35:41pm
re: Linn’s

I always loved Linn's! I edited the "Viewpoint of Youth" page back in the 1970s.

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michael78651

05 Feb 2023
10:52:25pm
re: Linn’s

And Varro Tyler's feature "Focus on Forgeries".

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michael78651

05 Feb 2023
10:56:19pm
re: Linn’s

Thanks for the update, Al. I am behind in my reading some Linn's. My subscription expires in April. I'll need to see what I want. I definitely will subscribe to the Scott Monthly. I do not like reading online.

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angore
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Al
Collector, Moderator

06 Feb 2023
05:44:58am
re: Linn’s

When you realize that the AP, publication of APS, has a larger circulation than Linn's, it adds a perspective. Publication circulation is down across the board.

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StampCollector
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06 Feb 2023
08:00:38am
re: Linn’s

I was a subscriber of Linn's and also of Stamps, think it was publish in Canada, at the same time, does anyone recall Stamps? it was also a newspaper type magazine.

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colnect.com/en/collectors/collector/StampCollector1
michael78651

06 Feb 2023
07:53:13pm
re: Linn’s

Stamps was my preferred hobby periodical to read from when I was a young teenager. After it ceased publication, I turned to Linn's.

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d1stamper
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06 Feb 2023
08:21:32pm

Auctions - Approvals
re: Linn’s

Anyone remember Western Stamp News?

I was reading that along with Linns and another one that I can not remember.

Doug

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hfbaker
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06 Feb 2023
11:19:52pm
re: Linn’s

Stamps Magazine merged with Mekeel’s Weekly and is still published as Mekeel’s & Stamps Magazine (24 issues per year). Mekeel’s Weekly, founded in 1891 is the oldest continuing stamp magazine in the world.

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angore
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Al
Collector, Moderator

07 Feb 2023
05:57:58am
re: Linn’s

I remember reading the magazine-sized Stamps at local libraries. I only subscribed to Linn's beyond the APS membership.

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michael78651

07 Feb 2023
12:34:33pm
re: Linn’s

This thread has been split, moving 1 posts onto a new Thread titled:"Free Older Issues of Linn's"

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DavidG
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APS member since 2004

07 Feb 2023
07:38:45pm
re: Linn’s

Does this mean that starting in March, there will only be the monthly publication, and no weekly publication?

David

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amsd
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Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads

07 Feb 2023
09:58:48pm
re: Linn’s

in a Linn's from 2014, old circulations numbers were given

January 1990: 57,700
November 2008: 40,012
November 2013: 32,586


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Harvey
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07 Feb 2023
10:10:16pm
re: Linn’s

Not about Linn's but up to about a year ago I was a diligent buyer of a magazine called Canadian Stamp News. I used to have my local magazine store save it for me and I'd pick it up every few months or so. When I noticed that I was just letting them pile up without reading them I decided not to bother anymore. Since I have a cut off for my Canada collection of 1988 and the mag mostly discussed new issues there was rarely anything of interest to read. I assume the paper is still in production but I'm not sure. Years ago it was a huge magazine but at the time I finished with it it was a shadow of it's former self!!

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angore
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Al
Collector, Moderator

08 Feb 2023
05:51:15am
re: Linn’s

"Does this mean that starting in March, there will only be the monthly publication, and no weekly publication?"



Scott Stamp Monthly - 12 monthly issues (printed and digital)
Linn's Stamp News - 52 weekly issues (28 digital only, 24 printed and digital)

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DavidG
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APS member since 2004

08 Feb 2023
09:02:01pm
re: Linn’s

Thank-you, Angore... so 24 printed means one Scott Stamp Monthly and one printed Linn's each month, eh?

David

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angore
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Al
Collector, Moderator

09 Feb 2023
06:21:59am
re: Linn’s

I will add that Linn's that most Scott/Linn's publications are essentially printed materials in PDF format. I could hope that for the digital only issues they could be more flexible on format and content since not constrained by considering printing and mailing costs.

They have not shown much margination in the past. I could see the digital only as FREE with editorial costs paid by ads.

Al

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cva59
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10 Feb 2023
03:06:28pm

Approvals
re: Linn’s

https://www.linns.com/news/us-stamps-pos ...

Fixed Link

(Modified by Moderator on 2023-02-11 05:57:39)

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DavidG
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APS member since 2004

10 Feb 2023
07:51:40pm
re: Linn’s

Thank-you, cva.

David
Ottawa, Ont. Canada

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Author/Postings
Calstamp

04 Feb 2023
06:53:21pm

If the rumors are to be believed, Linn’s as many of us “mature collectors” knew it will soon cease. Yet further evidence of the hobby’s rapid evolution. Reportedy the number of paid subscribers has declined to less than 8,500.

While I haven’t been a subscriber for several years, I fondly remember the days of the tabloid-sized weekly periodical. My personal copy would arrive each Thursday afternoon, and the balance of the day would be spent poring over the latest issue from cover-to-cover. Typically my first stop was KTP, to learn about the latest treasures discovered by the fabled E. Rawolik or one of his numerous descendants. This was followed by the “question and answer” feature, and then one of the feature articles penned by either house writers or outside subject experts. And finally, the adverts which over time seemed to overshadow the editorial content.

I stayed onboard when the format size was reduced, followed soon thereafter by a halving of the publication frequency. While I entertained brief dalliances with other philatelic publications, Linn’s remained a staple for me. Although I dropped out as a subscriber more than a decade ago, my philatelic files remained stuffed with articles clipped across the years and carefully sorted by country or subject. It was only a few years ago that I donated said files to a philatelic friend who ultimately digitized the content.

If you’re a US-based stamp enthusiast age 50 or above I suspect you, too, have many memories of the weekly publication which served to inform, entertain, and dare I say, educate.

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BuckaCover.com - 80,000 covers priced 60c to $1.50 - Easy browsing 500 categories
04 Feb 2023
07:50:32pm

re: Linn’s

Anybody have a Linn's from the early 1980s kicking around to look up the subscription figures (printed in every issue)?

I used to get 25 a week for my stamp store customers in a small town! I seem to recall circulation figures around 80,000, but it could just be my older memory painting a rosy picture of the past again.

Roy

Like
Login to Like
this post

"Over 7,000 new covers coming Wednesday March 20. See my homepage for details."

www.Buckacover.com
michael78651

04 Feb 2023
08:04:42pm

re: Linn’s

You're right, Roy. It was a weekly where each issue was as thick as a Sunday newspaper used to be.

Like
Login to Like
this post
michael78651

04 Feb 2023
08:15:12pm

re: Linn’s

"I stayed onboard when the format size was reduced, followed soon thereafter by a halving of the publication frequency."



Yes, the format size was reduced into that of a magazine size periodical. The number of pages were also reduced. However, it has always been a weekly publication that continues to this day. The frequency was never changed. Subscribers can opt to get the weekly issue, which includes the Scott Monthly issue, or only subscribe to the Scott Monthly issue.

The "standard" Linn's is published three or four times a month, and has 42 pages. Many years ago, the Scott Stamp Monthly was discontinued, and merged into the mid-month issue of Linn's. That issue is a glossy magazine that contains the regular Linn's items, plus the Scott listing of new issues, and information from Scott about Scott products.

I don't believe that Linn's will go away. If Amos does any changes to it, I would guess that they may now be contemplating a change in frequency. what would that be? Perhaps a bi-monthly issuance with one regular issue, and the other the Scott Monthly issue.
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angore

Al
Collector, Moderator
05 Feb 2023
06:14:16am

re: Linn’s

In the Feb 20, 2023 issue of Linn's, Jay Bigalke, editor of Linn's made the following statement:

"Responding to the shift toward digital news consumption, Amos Media Co. announced in January the following changes starting with the March cover-dated publication.... A Scott-branded monthly magazine will debut in March. The March Scott Stamp Monthly magazine will replace the Linn's Stamp News monthly magazine and will be published once a month, for a total of 12 issues a year. This new print publication will largely focus on feature articles and will continue to include the Scott New Issues update section.....Regarding content for both publications, readers can anticipate new features and additional news
coverage."

I am a digital subscriber. They are not folding but reducing printed issues (some will be digital only) and returning the monthly expanded Linn's
back as the Scott Stamp Monthly so 52 Linn's (some digital) and 12 Scott montly.

Calstamp you mentioned clipping articles. I do save the PDFs but unlike yesteryears I do not see many to "clip" anymore.

I use to buy 95% of my stamps through Linn's advertisers but ended in 1990's when online sellers popped up.

This is how I read the circulation numbers:

15c Paid circulation: 8,357 (avg over 12 months)/ 11392 (nearest filing).
16a paid digital 2,496, 2,859
16c total paid printed and electronic 10732 / 14100

I believe the reason for the avg vs latest near print date is that the monthly can have a separate circulation. The digital circulation is much lower than I remember.

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philb

05 Feb 2023
10:09:17am

Auctions

re: Linn’s

The old Linns which used to boast its circulation (close to 100,000 they claimed at one time) was my connection to stamp collecting in the 1960s/70s. In the early 70s i was introduced to the American Philatelist with dues i believe were $8.00 a year and joined right up. Back to Linns, I loved the feast of the many pages of ads and the section with trade offers. You could actually find good trading partners for long lasting trades. Well as we have seen the world changes few things are permanent.

Like
Login to Like
this post

"And every hair is measured like every grain of sand"
Calstamp

05 Feb 2023
02:38:26pm

re: Linn’s

Ah, Phil. You've jogged free yet another Linn's memory. Believe it was entitled "Trading Horn".

My daughter (and collecting partner) and I enrolled in a long-standing stamp exchange based in south Florida. The "circuit manager" (Jerry Gerstein) passed away several years ago. Allison invested untold hours building circuit books. Together we claimed thousands of dollars of "new" material for her then-nascent WW collection.

Simpler times.

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philb

05 Feb 2023
06:10:22pm

Auctions

re: Linn’s

I agree, simpler times.. i enjoyed posting ads on the Posthorn for $2.50 to sell and trade. Things seem more scattered now..i think the internet changed a lot of things.

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Tom in Exton, PA
05 Feb 2023
10:35:41pm

re: Linn’s

I always loved Linn's! I edited the "Viewpoint of Youth" page back in the 1970s.

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michael78651

05 Feb 2023
10:52:25pm

re: Linn’s

And Varro Tyler's feature "Focus on Forgeries".

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michael78651

05 Feb 2023
10:56:19pm

re: Linn’s

Thanks for the update, Al. I am behind in my reading some Linn's. My subscription expires in April. I'll need to see what I want. I definitely will subscribe to the Scott Monthly. I do not like reading online.

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angore

Al
Collector, Moderator
06 Feb 2023
05:44:58am

re: Linn’s

When you realize that the AP, publication of APS, has a larger circulation than Linn's, it adds a perspective. Publication circulation is down across the board.

Like
Login to Like
this post

"Stamp Collecting is a many splendored thing"
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StampCollector

06 Feb 2023
08:00:38am

re: Linn’s

I was a subscriber of Linn's and also of Stamps, think it was publish in Canada, at the same time, does anyone recall Stamps? it was also a newspaper type magazine.

Like
Login to Like
this post

colnect.com/en/colle ...
michael78651

06 Feb 2023
07:53:13pm

re: Linn’s

Stamps was my preferred hobby periodical to read from when I was a young teenager. After it ceased publication, I turned to Linn's.

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this post
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d1stamper

06 Feb 2023
08:21:32pm

Auctions - Approvals

re: Linn’s

Anyone remember Western Stamp News?

I was reading that along with Linns and another one that I can not remember.

Doug

Like 
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likes this post.
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Members Picture
hfbaker

06 Feb 2023
11:19:52pm

re: Linn’s

Stamps Magazine merged with Mekeel’s Weekly and is still published as Mekeel’s & Stamps Magazine (24 issues per year). Mekeel’s Weekly, founded in 1891 is the oldest continuing stamp magazine in the world.

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this post
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angore

Al
Collector, Moderator
07 Feb 2023
05:57:58am

re: Linn’s

I remember reading the magazine-sized Stamps at local libraries. I only subscribed to Linn's beyond the APS membership.

Like
Login to Like
this post

"Stamp Collecting is a many splendored thing"
michael78651

07 Feb 2023
12:34:33pm

re: Linn’s

This thread has been split, moving 1 posts onto a new Thread titled:"Free Older Issues of Linn's"

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DavidG

APS member since 2004
07 Feb 2023
07:38:45pm

re: Linn’s

Does this mean that starting in March, there will only be the monthly publication, and no weekly publication?

David

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"President, The Society for Costa Rica Collectors"
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amsd

Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads
07 Feb 2023
09:58:48pm

re: Linn’s

in a Linn's from 2014, old circulations numbers were given

January 1990: 57,700
November 2008: 40,012
November 2013: 32,586


Like
Login to Like
this post

"Save the USPS, buy stamps; save the hobby, use commemoratives"

juicyheads.com/link. ...

This is my diabetic cat OBI! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
07 Feb 2023
10:10:16pm

re: Linn’s

Not about Linn's but up to about a year ago I was a diligent buyer of a magazine called Canadian Stamp News. I used to have my local magazine store save it for me and I'd pick it up every few months or so. When I noticed that I was just letting them pile up without reading them I decided not to bother anymore. Since I have a cut off for my Canada collection of 1988 and the mag mostly discussed new issues there was rarely anything of interest to read. I assume the paper is still in production but I'm not sure. Years ago it was a huge magazine but at the time I finished with it it was a shadow of it's former self!!

Like
Login to Like
this post

"Some people see things that are and ask, Why? Some people dream of things that never were and ask, Why not? Some people have to go to work and don't have time for all that. George Carlin"
Members Picture
angore

Al
Collector, Moderator
08 Feb 2023
05:51:15am

re: Linn’s

"Does this mean that starting in March, there will only be the monthly publication, and no weekly publication?"



Scott Stamp Monthly - 12 monthly issues (printed and digital)
Linn's Stamp News - 52 weekly issues (28 digital only, 24 printed and digital)

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DavidG

APS member since 2004
08 Feb 2023
09:02:01pm

re: Linn’s

Thank-you, Angore... so 24 printed means one Scott Stamp Monthly and one printed Linn's each month, eh?

David

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"President, The Society for Costa Rica Collectors"
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angore

Al
Collector, Moderator
09 Feb 2023
06:21:59am

re: Linn’s

I will add that Linn's that most Scott/Linn's publications are essentially printed materials in PDF format. I could hope that for the digital only issues they could be more flexible on format and content since not constrained by considering printing and mailing costs.

They have not shown much margination in the past. I could see the digital only as FREE with editorial costs paid by ads.

Al

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cva59

10 Feb 2023
03:06:28pm

Approvals

re: Linn’s

https://www.linns.com/news/us-stamps-pos ...

Fixed Link

(Modified by Moderator on 2023-02-11 05:57:39)

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DavidG

APS member since 2004
10 Feb 2023
07:51:40pm

re: Linn’s

Thank-you, cva.

David
Ottawa, Ont. Canada

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