Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
I find that Stanley Gibbons gives greater detail for BC, just like Michel gives better detail for Europe, Facit gives better detail for Scandinavia, and so on.
Typically, I'd include country, year of issue, denomination and colors IN my descriptions.
My question is: "are we married to using Scott?" Or... are a lot of people going to blow me off if I don't use Scott? Other than the US Specialized, I haven't bought a Scott catalogue since 1998...
Thoughts?
Does a "good" auction description HAVE to include a Scott number/value?
Cheers,
Peter
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If you were a professional dealer selling internationally, I would expect you to provide catalogue numbers from the major catalogues, not to mention pertinent information that's available in one catalogue but not others. But you are not, I assume, such a dealer. If we buyers of Stamporama auction lots are serious in our own collecting, then it's contingent on us to have or have available the catalogues which best describe the stamps we collect, and which dealers use.
Certainly one way around this is for dealers to give more than catalogue numbers in their descriptions. If you know when a stamp was issued, what the color is, what the perforation measurement it, and whether the stamp represents a particular variety, then you really don't need to be told a catalogue number, because you can nail it down using virtually any catalogue that includes that country. Unfortunately, many amateur dealers don't take the time to provide more than a catalogue number and country. That habit probably hurts their chances of selling their stamps.
Bob
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Thanks for your thoughts.
I'm not a dealer, beyond the fact that I sell duplicates and excess material from "box lots" and accumulations to help me fund my collecting "addiction."
I suppose the truth is that I present items I sell based on the information I would like to have, if I were a buyer. Good picture, statement of condition, perfs/watermark, and anything "extra" I should be paying attention to. Since I use SG for BC, I already "don't care" what the Scott number is... and I'm used to ignoring Scott numbers. We can't please everyone all the time... I just try to remember that my stuff may not appeal to those who say "I'm not even going to look unless it has a Scott number."
Thanks again,
Peter
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Peter, most of the collectors here use Scott because most are North Americans; those who specialize in a specific country or region are likely to use more specialized catalogues.
No, we're not wedded to Scott; it's just the most common. You're likely to find the largest number of viewers using Scott.
I, for instance, use Scott for most things, but add Green's and Mosbaugh for my seals, and consult Michel often for my German material. But other than Kathy Sanders, there's no one else in the club who's likely to have Green's, so I wouldn't use it.
The most important thing, from an auction rule point of view, is to identify the catalogue and year you're using.
David
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Hi Peter,
I'm a BC collector. I use Scott mainly because I live in the US. If you can give me the publishing year (plus watermark if applicable) I'll be just fine and will bid. I can always ask for more details if I need them.
Regards ... Tim.
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09:05:16pm
For far too many stampers, the world ends at pier six and the Scott Catalog is all they have or ever bother to consult.
If someone is selling only stamps that fit that category Scott's is fine.
However, as soon as the collector begins to look seriously at Canadian or European stamps or (Gasp) the rest of the world, other catalogs provide exponentially more information about those particular areas.
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I'm thinking that StampoRama is a pretty international club. I've been starting to put some older British Commonwealth in order to list for auction... and it occurred to me that "I don't use Scott for BC."
I find that Stanley Gibbons gives greater detail for BC, just like Michel gives better detail for Europe, Facit gives better detail for Scandinavia, and so on.
Typically, I'd include country, year of issue, denomination and colors IN my descriptions.
My question is: "are we married to using Scott?" Or... are a lot of people going to blow me off if I don't use Scott? Other than the US Specialized, I haven't bought a Scott catalogue since 1998...
Thoughts?
Does a "good" auction description HAVE to include a Scott number/value?
Cheers,
Peter
Login to Like
this post
re: Which Catalogs do we use to identify stamps
If you were a professional dealer selling internationally, I would expect you to provide catalogue numbers from the major catalogues, not to mention pertinent information that's available in one catalogue but not others. But you are not, I assume, such a dealer. If we buyers of Stamporama auction lots are serious in our own collecting, then it's contingent on us to have or have available the catalogues which best describe the stamps we collect, and which dealers use.
Certainly one way around this is for dealers to give more than catalogue numbers in their descriptions. If you know when a stamp was issued, what the color is, what the perforation measurement it, and whether the stamp represents a particular variety, then you really don't need to be told a catalogue number, because you can nail it down using virtually any catalogue that includes that country. Unfortunately, many amateur dealers don't take the time to provide more than a catalogue number and country. That habit probably hurts their chances of selling their stamps.
Bob
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this post
re: Which Catalogs do we use to identify stamps
Thanks for your thoughts.
I'm not a dealer, beyond the fact that I sell duplicates and excess material from "box lots" and accumulations to help me fund my collecting "addiction."
I suppose the truth is that I present items I sell based on the information I would like to have, if I were a buyer. Good picture, statement of condition, perfs/watermark, and anything "extra" I should be paying attention to. Since I use SG for BC, I already "don't care" what the Scott number is... and I'm used to ignoring Scott numbers. We can't please everyone all the time... I just try to remember that my stuff may not appeal to those who say "I'm not even going to look unless it has a Scott number."
Thanks again,
Peter
Login to Like
this post
re: Which Catalogs do we use to identify stamps
Peter, most of the collectors here use Scott because most are North Americans; those who specialize in a specific country or region are likely to use more specialized catalogues.
No, we're not wedded to Scott; it's just the most common. You're likely to find the largest number of viewers using Scott.
I, for instance, use Scott for most things, but add Green's and Mosbaugh for my seals, and consult Michel often for my German material. But other than Kathy Sanders, there's no one else in the club who's likely to have Green's, so I wouldn't use it.
The most important thing, from an auction rule point of view, is to identify the catalogue and year you're using.
David
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this post
re: Which Catalogs do we use to identify stamps
Hi Peter,
I'm a BC collector. I use Scott mainly because I live in the US. If you can give me the publishing year (plus watermark if applicable) I'll be just fine and will bid. I can always ask for more details if I need them.
Regards ... Tim.
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
18 Oct 2011
09:05:16pm
re: Which Catalogs do we use to identify stamps
For far too many stampers, the world ends at pier six and the Scott Catalog is all they have or ever bother to consult.
If someone is selling only stamps that fit that category Scott's is fine.
However, as soon as the collector begins to look seriously at Canadian or European stamps or (Gasp) the rest of the world, other catalogs provide exponentially more information about those particular areas.
Login to Like
this post