Pss Catalog Values

There are two columns of values in the PSS catalog, if they are like the Scott catalog, they would be Mint and Used from L to R.

But the value on the right (used) is almost always greater than the one on the left.

How does that work -- are they really worth more when the precancel is obscured to some degree by a postmark?

Or is MINT the value on the right?

Thanks.

Just a guess on my part, but I suspect the Mint and Used values are correct as they are listed. The stamp in mint condition (i.e. not postally used, possibly with original gum, etc.) is not worth as much as a stamp that has seen postal duty as a precancel.

I think the general idea is that if someone were to have precanceled tens of thousands of stamps but only a selected portion of them actually saw postal duty, the ones that just sat there would not be as desirable as the ones that were placed on a mailing piece.

Also, precancels, by the very nature of the term, would typically NOT have any postmark defacing the stamp. The precancel is the postmark. The whole idea behind precancels was for the post office to avoid the time and effort in having to cancel each stamp in high volume mailings.

Although there are many examples of precancels that do get postmarked, I believe they are typically considered less desirable to a precancel collector than the ones that are not.

Again, these are just my assumptions. Someone else may be able to provide further information.

In the PSS Bureau catalog, one column is for singles, one for blocks [or pairs if coils].
This should be explained someplace in the introductory notes.

Interesting info. about the single and block values. Do precancel blocks rate a considerably different value than just a multiple of a single stamp value? I never thought there was much reason to collect multiples of Bureau precancels in block format.

Maybe if the precancels are worth more in block format, I have some precancels that may be worth a little more than nothing!

For example, is there a benefit in my keeping these sort of "common" Bureau's in block format as opposed to just the single stamps?

Values: when a catalog lists at the minimum value - specifically, for the PSS at 15 cents - it encompases stamps with real value from way under a penny to some higher fraction of 15 cents. When it lists a block for the minimum block value, the same situation applies. So, it is impossible to talk about 'value' in a meaningful way. There have always been a minority of bureau collectors who have formed collections of blocks and coil pairs. The catalog editors have attempted to identify, using dollar values, which are more ellusive.
Both of these items rate minimum values: 15c single, 60c block.

Thanks. I didn't figure the multiples (blocks) would be worth that much more than than a single stamp. In the above scenario it appears that a single stamp is "worth" 15 cents; a block 60 cents, or 4x the value of a single. Although I suppose there are exceptions for scarce varieties where the multiples would be worth a value much more than simply applying a multiplication factor to a single stamp.

I hope this thread is useful to some -- I apologize for asking a silly question in the first place. I realized as soon as I went out the door to the Sounders football match that obviously the answer to what the columns mean would be in the intro somewhere. Seems I get so spun around by this stuff that I lose all common sense for a while.

I found the info. on p.xix of the Bureau Catalog (5th ed.): L is single; R is block of 4/coil pair.

I definitely get the "it's not exactly worth 15c" and that the cv is just trying to identify degrees of rarity; thanks for that clarification.

PS Our Sounders trounced the Columbus Crew 6-2, with a hattrick for Neagle, one penalty to each side and an og by the Crew. A fun and eventful sunny Saturday afternoon in Seattle.