Need Feedback On An Idea For A Collector's Website

I have an idea for a web site that collectors would use to catalog their own collections. It would be a cooperative site, so that if another collector has already posted some or all of the information about a stamp, that information could be used by all.

My question is would listing the Scott Numbers (or Michel, SG etc) be a copyright infringement?

Thanks in advance to any lawyer collectors out there.

Robert Zurer

I know that the APS states that Scott #'s are used with permission on their free pages. But I am not a lawyer, just a collector.

Thanks, maybe I will email them and see what they say.

Actually, I also wanted an idea from people if they think this might be a site that would be useful. I haven't seen sites like it out there. Any ideas would be appreciated.

I know that there used to be a web site that offered free printable album pages with the Scott # to mark each stamp. THey recievd a letter from Scott's to cease and desist or face lawsuit.

i don't see a problem..the catalog makers assign a number to a stamp thats identifiable to all collectors..its our common language..let them send a cease and desist letter if they are so inclined !

Who knows? While I do know that the person who was designing album pages did stop because of the cease and desist or face lawsuit letter. However when he started to offer these pages with the Scott numbers he did infringe on the copy right.

Other sites that have personal albums do use Scott numbers without any problems. Certainly sites that sell stamps use the Scott numbers and as far as I know never had any problems.

My guess is that if you are not offering album pages with Scott numbers then you should be safe. But this is coming from someone with no knowledge of the copyright laws.

Definitely it would trigger a cease and desist letter. I think Scott would have a pretty strong case. They would argue that you are using their proprietary numbering system without permission and hurting their sales of Scott catalogues. Why not ask permission to use their numbers on your proposed site and see what they say?

Thanks to all. I would agree that Scott, or any other catalog publisher would probably have a case should they choose to press the issue. The question is would they? The site would not print album pages, but would, if it were adopted and contributed to by the community, wind up being an online catalog of stamps, including their photos, descriptions as well as their Scott, Gibbons, Yvert, Michel, Springer and whatever numbers. I would be hesitant to start development on such a project if it were to be shot down later.

I believe they most certainly would. As t360 already stated, it
would hurt catalog sales. There is a difference between fair use,
such as is done by collectors and dealers for the exchange of
information about stamps among them and is the use for which
Scott catalogs are designed, and creating, in effect, an online
catalog using their numbers or those of anyone else.

Bzurer, what you are proposing seems very much like Freestampcatalog.
See here...https://www.postbeeld.com/app?compo...on=T&sp=1994
They don't seem to have any problem using catalog numbers from Scott and others.
Personally I like the idea and once proposed that we did it here on this site, but it never eventuated.

Steve

Steve, thanks for the link. Yes they do list Michel, Scott and Yvert numbers. They are also a dealer and are selling those stamps. It looks like they are located in Holland. I don't know whether that might be a factor. There is also a limited amount of information listed, just enough to identify the item for sale. I am envisioning things like perforation, watermark, historical descriptions, links to relevant sites etc.

What I am thinking of doing could theoretically be applied to a collection of any type but since I am a stamp collector I am starting there. A collector would be able to maintain an online record of his or her own collection by entering information about an item that they own. If someone else has already entered that item, they can use all or part of that data. They can add to or improve upon it by making it more accurate -- much like Wikipedia -- not in the form of a wiki, but in the spirit of a wiki. The site would maintain the reference collection as well as the collection of each of the member users. Theoretically there should be nothing in a member's collection that is not in the reference collection, but there can be plenty of information in the member's collection that is not in the reference collection i.e. condition, duplicates, price paid and etc.

Thanks

Robert

When you say it this way, it puts a different spin on things. You can give it a shot and see if Scott takes exception to it.

Thanks for your comment. I think I will start work on it. Any suggestions or ideas are welcome.

There is already a site online, where you can add your own collection, it is the Stanley Gibbons website.. http://www.stanleygibbons.com/
There catalogue has limited info until you sign up, but it cost 50 pounds per year.
A free site would be nice.

Steve

Here is one idea that should not interfere with their sales of catalogs. No one has of yet undertaken a cross reference of Scott to Gibbons to Micheal. If such a reference were to be created the site would soar on internet hits. Think about how many times people ask on forums for such info, yet no company yet has done this.