Comments on: Authoritative price guide for stamp collecting?

Question: Authoritative price guide for stamp collecting?

John Kenneth Fisher — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 10:55:28 -0800

I'm looking for an authoritative price guide for postage stamps, primarily US stamps from prior to 1960, similar to the Overstreet guides printed for comic books. There are a number of such stamps I would like to look up. Online would be great, physical guides that need to be purchased would be fine too. Thanks in advance.

By: ten pounds of inedita

ten pounds of inedita — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 11:00:29 -0800

The Scott Catalogue is the most widely-used catalopgue and price guide for stamps. It is the equivalent of Overstreet. Most good librarires will keep the latest volumes (and it comes in several volumes).

By: pupdog

pupdog — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 11:01:00 -0800

Stamps aren't quite like comics, the market is more fluid and auction based, but there's any number of resources. Just googling 'stamp guide' turns up a lot, Glassine Surfer looks like a good place to start.

I don't collect stamps, but used to work for a philatelist - the ubiquitous internet and ebay have changed the marketplace a lot...

By: John Kenneth Fisher

John Kenneth Fisher — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 11:13:26 -0800

Tried looking online, but everything seemed to conflict with everything else. I'll take a look at Glassine Surfer as well as any other suggestions made. :-)

By: and hosted from Uranus

and hosted from Uranus — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 11:17:28 -0800

The Scott Catalogue is the authoritative price guide for postage stamps.

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 11:17:59 -0800

Yeah the Scott guide is the definitive one, make sure the one you have is relatively recent. Most medium to large sized public libraries have them in their reference collection.

By: HuronBob

HuronBob — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 12:26:48 -0800

nth the Scotts suggestion, really the only way to go to get accurate information....

By: ackptui

ackptui — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 12:46:57 -0800

Be wary of the spread between "buy" and "sell" prices: nothing has an absolute value, only what someone will pay for it at a given instant in time. Scotts and Brookmans are based largely on sell prices, while Greysheet and other resources used by dealers are likely closer to the wholesale or buy price.

By: koeselitz

koeselitz — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 13:28:24 -0800

Yes, like it says again, use the Scott catalogue. That's the industry standard.

By: legotech

legotech — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 16:58:51 -0800

Yes, the Scott is the standard (for prices and numbering) however, just like Overstreet its just a guide...unless you've got an Inverted Jenny or the like, realize that the market price is probably just a percentage of Scott.

Also, if you aren't used to stamps it can be difficult to tell exactly which version of the stamp you have, so be careful!

I'd say find a trustworthy stamp dealer to help you, but I'm not sure one exists ;)

reg