Identification Number Protocol

Does SCF have an identification number protocol for describing stamps by country and respective catalogue number (e.g., Canada Scott#103; Canada Scott103; Can Sc103 or whatever)?

If there is such a protocol would someone direct me to it. If there isn't it would seem to me that searches through the threads would be more rewarding if there was and it would be even more fruitful if it was actually used.

There is no one specific answer. A lot depends on what your collecting specialities are and what region of the world you are located in. Here in the US (probably Canada, too) Scott is the standard catalog number listings for worldwide collections; for Canada, the Unitrade Catalog is the typical source; for international use, Stanley Gibbons seems to be the preferred catalog, although there are others that specialize is certain countries/regions of the world.

There is no cross-reference guide that I am aware of, mostly due to the Scott catalog numbers have a highly protected copyright that prohibits their use in such documents.

I think for SCF purposes, most numbers are Scott # or Unitrade # or SG #.

I haven't run across any such protocol, either here or in the hobby, in general. I think it would be difficult or impossible to agree on a workable system that would be reliably implemented. Not that it wouldn't be useful...

A search function that will pull the "249" from SG249 and return it in a search for "249" would pretty much solve the problem, I think. I haven't tried that with SCF's search...maybe it already does it.

My 2d.

C.

Many posts on SCF just use a number without even mentioning the catalogue. It's assumed it's Scott unless otherwise stated. Likewise if no country is mentioned, it's assumed to be US. Usually it's expressed as #112 or whatever number. Putting the # in front of the number will narrow down search results considerably.

Balf

.... but what a resource the archives would be if there was even the slightest bit of protocol and members used it. I know some are to busy and in a hurry (I myself have a doctor's appointment in the fall). Perhaps I should have started the thread as a poll.

cynical, while I like standardization, I think policing a numbering system on SCF would be futile. As MmmmBalf states, we can probably get good search results by using a search format like "#123".

Unlike some other forums we do not use a set listing. Like others said usually what is supplied is enough to know what they are talking about and if not just ask. The reason this forum works so much better is the friendliness and not being dictated to. That happens on other boards. Many times when something is set like that people will jump on another because they did not post as per stringent commands. Here we just like to help not slam others as seen elsewhere. I belong to 3 other forums but usually only post here because of attitudes that come from this elsewhere. Yes, I am rambling but I have seen it before and just am against it.