Album Review: United States Albums

DCaraz,

You can't really expect Davo or Lighthouse to use Scott numbers since Michel is the standard in their neck of the woods. Yeah, I suppose they could issue Scott and MIchel and Gibbons variants depending on which market they want to penetrate.

But that's not really the problem. The real problem is that Scott Publishing won't let anyone use Scott numbers in their albums without paying royalties, claiming the numbers are copyright (various SCF threads have discussed this, but a lot of lawyerly types on SCF are convinced Scott would not prevail in court on the naked numbers being protected, if anyone dared to challenge them.) Scott numbers, by and large, will be found only in Scott albums, e.g., the Scott US National album. Scott will license the numbers but that then adds to the cost of producing the album as far as the publisher is concerned.

Most of us manage by writing in the numbers ourselves.

I don't have US Davos, but I must say, having picked up quite a few for other countries over the years, they aren't my favourites. I'm not keen on the typeface or the harsh, brilliant white paper. My preference, amongst the single country printed albums I own, is for Lighthouse (sheer quality) and Schaubek (sheer capacity). I don't think criticism of lack of Scott numbers is fair, however. Most printed albums do not contain SG, Michel, Yvert etc numbers. Why do you need Scott numbers, rather than simply an illustration?

Lastly, I've never ordered a pre-printed album from a website or bought one from a shop - keep an eye on auctions, where the expensive album becomes, in effect, a giveaway with a lot of relatively cheap stamps (or vice versa).

Geoff

Scott won't let you use their numbers AT ALL in a stamp album, because they make a line of stamp albums and consider everyone else competition. The only reason Mystic gets to do it is because they spend a lot of money on advertising with Amos.

Welcome to SCF! This subject is what originally led me to SCF and the reason I started this thread.When I started on my trek, I couldn't find anything on hingeless albums. Although this thread just scratches the surface, because of the participation from members here, it probably covers more information than any other site I have seen.

Cheers!

Brian

Thanks for all your reviews!
I need to find an album home for my growing collection. Still am not sure if any manufacturer makes a hingeless US album set with quality pages, full sheet size clear stamp pocket sheets, AND accurate Scott catalog numbers.

In 2011 I got back into stamp collecting and began purchasing some US selections. I had not collected for approx 40 years. And things have changed. I began purchasing mostly older albums, and some times selections on album pages. I purchased the Mystic American Heirloom Collection binders with pages as the future home for my consolidated collection. Now I'm glad I didn't move all my stamps into the traditional Mystic album. While buying some stamp selections, I received a group of pages from a Lindner Hingeless album. This was love at first sight! The thought of inserting my collection into clear vinyl pockets rather than licking endless hinges appealed to me. My visual sense liked the elegant simplicity of the Lindner page layouts with ample room between stamps. But wait!! Where are the Scott Cat #s?? How would a US Lindner album handle the many variations of s many issues? This I did not like at all.I understand that the Palu company warrants consideration, so my search for info like this great review continues!

"Still am not sure if any manufacturer makes a hingeless US album set with quality pages, full sheet size clear stamp pocket sheets, AND accurate Scott catalog numbers."

Mystic US Heirloom hingeless or Schaubek US Hingeless uses the Scott National Album pages under license and is hingeless all the way.

The Mystic is not expensive up to 1984 (maybe $250.00 these days??) but it will cost a bit for the remaining decades.

The Schaubek is a steal at $1500.00 for coverage 2013. If you want to stop at 1976, you'll only need to spend about $500 with shipping, or go to 1993 for only $750.

No one use Lighthouse ????

At GB prices, Lighthouse pages to 1975, incuding offcials, would be £500 plus. Then, say, three binders at around £60 each. And a range of other page types to insert additional material is available. May well be better priced in the US. Lighthouse"s catalogue is quite hard to resist!

The Lighthouse 2013 Hingeless supplement is $81.95. Ouch!

http://www.lighthouse.us/epages/lig...2N53SF/13%22

Ouch, and "no thanks", I'd say. Some of the new hingeless prices are just about bearable for decades'-worth of older stamps, but pretty hard to swallow for just one year's issues.

The OP specified that his desired album have Scott numbers in it. So Lighthouse is not relevant. Mystic or Schaubek National are the choices.

Rileysan, Thanks for the welcome. Several of your responses clarify just how much I have to learn about this amazing subject. So thanks to all!
I am enjoying greatly learning from your experiences.

Does anyone have experience with Lindner T hingeless albums?
While I started my album research with the mindset that I MUST have printed Scott cat numbers, I may rethink this as a must have. Must say I love the Lindner Falzlos T Album hingeless pages I purchased with a few US stamps. Album text is sparse, but the pages are elegantly simple when filled with stamps in place; the paper stock and clear overlays are great quality. But what about the album mechanism? Do pages lay flat when album is open?

Hieronymus clarified that Scott Cat numbering ain't the sole game in town. Fact is this concept is new to me.
Until recently I wasn't aware just how tribal the Euro and US collecting markets have been. Duh! Having worked for a Swiss company
in my marketing career I am not really surprised that German made albums and collectors rely on other valuation services. It's just that I became familiar with Scott numbers as a kid -- I'm now jumping back in to collecting as a serious mid-60's semi-literate collector.

I agree with Geoffha. As a one-time graphic designer and ad agency art director, bright white album pages are much harsher to the eye than off white, cream pages colors such as used in Linder and Mystic albums.

DCaraz:

Go to page 9 of this thread to see my thoughts on Lindner vs. Palo vs. Lighthouse albums.

Hello, I'm not familiar with the term "se-tenants" -- I guess that it covers larger connected stamp groupings which remain attached by perfs, I'd appreciate clarification as part of my on-going philatelic education. Thanks much!

While I am not very experienced regarding available US albums. I did purchase the standard Mystic US Heirloom set. The overall quality is good, including paper quality, layout, and binder. I also like having Scott numbering which simplifies tracking inventory and values.
That was in 2011 as my newly awakened interest in collecting focused on earlier US. Since I am not collecting post 1930 issues, I sold off the newer albums and pages keeping only the earliest pages. Then, work-related demands sidelined my activity until 2014 when I began in earnest to purchase some albums and pages with an eye to moving my collection into its new home. That's when I became aware of the broader approach to stamp album design and manufacturing. I purchased a small selection of older US issues on Lindner hingeless pages... this was a revelation to me. No hinges! Heavy quality paper stock -- most of my collection is in 3 old Scotts albums using the thinest, cheapest paper imaginable. As a one time professional graphic designer I know a bit about papers. I started looking at hingeless as the way to go for me. So nothing has been mounted in my Heirloom album which remains in mint condition. Meanwhile, I continue to seek out info on the available quality hingeless US albums. I continue to tire kick hingeless albums and now plan to ask manufacturers on my short list to provide a sample page to compare.

The Linn's Glossary is useful.

http://www.linns.com/reference/terms/terms.aspx