2012 US Specialized. Early Revenues: Nada

Just got done going through the 2012 U.S. Specialized as far as price changes for R1-R151 and RB1-19.

Basically, no changes that mere mortals need to worry about. A couple of early multiples went up, some inverts went down. A slight downward correction on R129-R131.

Pretty much no news at all.

My eyes can't get used to the new layout for the early revenues... it just looks... wrong.

Thanks for the information. It sounds like Revenues are pretty much status quo in the 2012 catalog.

In just looking at the Amos website, I note that the 2011 Scott Specialized was claimed to have 8000 price changes; the 2012 edition 9000 price changes. Now I know "price changes" can be as subtle as $0.25 to $0.30 (or even $0.30 to $0.25!), but has the 2012 catalog shown anything that significant? Having not seen a copy yet, I suspect the major price changes likely relate to the classic stamps in various states of condition.

From the intro by Chad Snee:

The market has slowed, and values reflect this.

The arrow is pointing down for many of the 9,300 value changes in the 2012 U.S. Specialized catalogue. The drops are not drastic, but they accurately reflect a general cooling that has affected all but the rarest and most desirable material available in the marketplace.

For the more common 19th- and 20th-century stamps, values have softened somewhat. Anemic sales during the past year result in significant lowering of values for the 1914 compound perforation stamps, Scott 423A-423D.

But there are some notable increases, including the 5c and 10c reproductions of the 1847 stamps (Scott 3-4), which rise from $800 and $950, respectively in the 2912 Vol. 1, to $825 and $1,000. And a few elusive modern plate number blocks continue to rise in value. The lick-and-stick 26c panther leaps 50 percent, to$15 from $10 last year.



I haven't checked the postal issues, but if values have indeed been lowered on many issues, it says a lot that the vast majority of revenue issues have NOT been adjusted downward. In fact, I don't see a slowing down in early revenues; the competition is as strong as ever...

Thanks. It only makes sense that "the market has slowed" as with most other collectibles in this economy. But the way I look at it is:

Hey, most of us are in it for the hobby and not the value it may realize. At this point, the joy of collecting or accumulating or mounting or just looking at the stamps we have in our collection is often worth a whole lot more than the dollars and cents involved.

And besides, as an added bonus (and to put a different "spin" on the Scott Catalog findings), if we want to acquire more stamps, the cost should be lower for us to do it right now!

I don't get it! Revenues seem to be stronger than I have seen in several years! Especially the early issues!

This is how I choose to look at it, too. Outside of the cost of my new home (the slight increase in mortgage is mostly offset by a decrease in taxes now that I live outside of the city and in a rural county), my expenses are about the same. I see a great opportunity to acquire some of those more difficult items missing from my collection (Uncommon, not rare issues. It seems that rare issues never conform to my philosophy of paying 10% or less for said stamps)

Brian