Scott 2008 Vs. Recent

Is there a big diffrence between the 2008version and the most recent?
Reason I ask is because I can get the 2008 version for free from somebody.
As I only will be collecting US stamps Volume 1 is all I need if I am correct?

Yes that is all you need. My scott's are 2008 and they work fine for me. The new ones are pricy. I'd go for the free one for sure.

Dianne

that was what I was thinking to :p
If you can get it for free, then why bother its an older edition :p

But I was wondering if it could give me a good start, and it seems that it does ;)

by the way, this is the one I recieved for free.
Normaly all US stamps should be in there so I think I will be good with it.
http://www.amazon.com/Scott-Standar...p/0894873954
But now I have another problem with it.
Wher is the manual? :p
How do you read a book like that?

*edit:
I have been looking in the scott volume 1 2008 for the stamp I bought from ebay, but cant find it in it, or I am looking over it)

So it would be nice to know how to use that catalogue :p

here is the stamp again:

The stamp shown is Scott #772. As others have stated the 2008 Scott Catalog is certainly adequate for most basic collecting needs.

thank you.
With the number you provided I found him.

But how do you find stamps where you dont know the number from?
I can imagine for experienced collectors that is no problem, but I am new to collecting stamps (if you dont count in the collection I had as a kid many years ago)

Imagine you get a stamp that surely will be in the catalogue, but you dont know what number it is, is the only way to find out to go trough the whole book?
I think there must be an easyer way, not?

Normally, there's a year printed on the stamp, either clearly (like on the 1935 stamp you show) or somewhere on it. Then, look at the appropiate year of the country and you'll find it. Clearly, with definitives is somewhat more complicate. But it's also the fun of it!

And the style of printing or color(s) will give you a hint.

One color or bi-color (two colors, black and a color) are usually older stamps before 1950 roughly so that reduces the time period you have to look through.

Some stamps from some countries have the year somewhere on the stamp, sometimes along the bottom in small print, sometimes within the stamp design.

If you collect used then sometimes the cancel will give you a date that the stamp had to be produced before.

Noticing that you're in Belgium this may not be that easy to do, but I use as a supplement to the Scott Catalog the "Postal Service Guide to US Stamps" available annually for $20. It's a simplified version of the Scott Catalog, but contains all of the updated values. As an added bonus, there is a 35-40 page index in the back of the book that lists every stamp alphabetically by topic and the Scott catalog number(s) assigned to them. Here's the link:

https://store.usps.com/store/browse...d=subcatC_CS

Some older ones on ebay for $10 or so.
Searching for 'postal guide' under 'Stamps':
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...e&_sacat=260

Also it depends on what you collect. For the US all you need is the Scott's specialized but the 7 volume set is adequate for Worldwide identification purposes and it will give you a ballpark catalog value on your basic Stamps as they don't go into varieties for the worldwide pieces. Some collectors prefer the specialized catalogs of the countries they collect which can be pricey.

Canada - Unitrade
Australia - Stanley Gibbons or Australian Commonwealth specialists catalog
Germany - Michel
Norwegian areas - Facit
France - Yvert et Tellier

And so on.

Thank you all for the responses.
Now I know a bit more about it, will come in handy ;)

Thx guys

Here you go, a 2007 Scott's specialized (All you need for US) $17.00 delivered for a used one which in my world is perfectly fine. I bought my entire set of Scotts used and saved huge money.

Volume 1 is nice, but it does not list cover values,and other information which is kind of important. Volume 1 has 244 pages (2009) of US including back of book and possessions, Scott's specialized has over 1000 pages.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Scott-2007-...em2a1abc5932

Most modern stamps don't move too much in value. if you get an older catalog and a subscription to Linns, you can get all the updates out of Linn's back issues.

I am using Scott's 2007 and happy with it.

It should depend on you, for selling purposes, dealers like to use the latest trend prices as they are always higher so they tend to use the latest catalogues.

If you want to have the latest wait until the new catalogues come out and buy the year before at a reduced price.
good luck.