Scott Catalogues

What was the first year of the publication in color of the Scott catalogues?

The first Scott catalogue was a 21-page pamphlet with the title Descriptive Catalogue of American and Foreign Postage Stamps, Issued from 1840 to Date, Splendidly Illustrated with Colored Engravings and Containing the Current Value of each Variety. It was published in September 1868 by John Walter Scott, an early stamp dealer in New York, and purported to list all the stamps of the world, with prices for each. A notice inside does caution the reader that "it is simply impossible for any one to always have every stamp" in stock. The original catalog has been reprinted.

I am talking about the change from black and white to color sometime in the 2000's. I am hunting a used volume which includes Germany and did not want to spring for the 59.95 from Amos Advantage.

Oh, color! Doh!

The 2003 Classic was (mostly) in color.

New for 2006, stamps in all volumes are now pictured in color.

Yeah, turns out I am color blind.

Thanks to all. Now if I can only find one of those cheap Amazon deals for less than 2.00. Yes they do exist--the bargains that is--not the M and M's candies. The only trouble is that so far I can find every volume except the one I want. I guess Murphy is alive and well.

Try alibris.

rohumpy: I had a college professor many years ago who used to say, "Murphy was an optimist"

All these years later, it cracks me up just to think about it. The prof was a bit of a "gloomy gus" and it was just so funny to hear him say it. He was the kind of guy who looked for bones in animal crackers

KirkS

As far as I know, the first year of color for following Scott catalogs:

1982 Canada Specialized
2003 Classic
2005 US Specialized
2006 WW Standard

There is also a Scott China catalog that is in color, but I do not know the first year. They do not publish the China nor the Canada catalogs any more.

In general, I would avoid purchasing the first year of colorized catalogs, especially Scott. They tend to have a far greater than average number of errors (errors introduced as they swapped out the old B&W pics for the color pics). In particular, in the early print runs, you will find some relatively small sections of listings completely missing (I assume accidentally cut when they cut/pasted the code for the new pics). Also, wrong pictures, inaccurate/un-updated footnotes... That was my experience with the first year color US Specialized and WW catalogs. I did not purchase the 2003 Classic, but the 2004 Classic (editing-wise) is pretty decent.

For the U.S. Specialized, 2002 was mostly color some of the BOB was still B&W.

Edit: Oops, mis-read my notes. CD version 2002 U.S. Specialized was mostly color. Hardcopy for same was 2005.

Also try biblio.com

I have a 2002 U.S. Specialized -- it's all in B&W. Only the later editions use color. I work around it by buying the Postal Service Guide to US Stamps (about $20) and when I want the detail not in the USPS guide, I go to my U.S. Specialized. (Much cheaper than buying a new Scott catalog.)

Yes. And my 2004 U.S. Specialized is also B&W, but the 2007 is color.

good luck finding a 2.00 catalog.. the postage to mail it costs more then that.

don't be so cheap, spend at least $5.00

:)