Largest Stamp Set

I was at my stamp club meeting today and the subject came up of which stamp set has the most stamps in it. The Mexico Export and a Turkish set (couldn't remember which one) were the only ones we could thank of. Anybody have any other ideas?

Machins. 45 years and still going.

Machins wins it by far, in my opinion.

The Turkish set depicts buildings cityscapes. Some scans below (one-third of actual set).

Other contenders include the Norway post horns; that design has been in use since 1872, but I don't know how many values there are. Another contender could be the Guyana orchids set of 1985-1987; the set covers Scott nos. 1021 through 1336, not including the officials.

Regards, Robert

The Machins probably win this one but I've recently started collecting Austrian stamps and there are some quite long sets back in the WWI period.

The US Washington Franklins are probably pretty high up - there's probably 200-300.

Matt

In revenues, the documentary "reds" had almost 500 stamps issued over an 18 year period (although they were used for 27 years).

I forgot about the U.S. red revenues. I did a quick count by major Scott number: there are 601 Machins and 447 red documentary stamps (these numbers are ballpark). I thought the revenues would win over the Machins as I was counting, then I remembered the Machins have regional issues too (and back of the book).

Regards, Robert

US Washington-Franklin 3rd Bureau Issue is (if I remember correctly) about 250 recognized Sc#-numbered varieties; that includes booklets, coils, imperfs, etc. That does not include the recognized color varieties for each issue, listed by Joel.

But worldwide by far, the Manchin-series is the largest, longest running, single-design definitive issue.

The Documentary "Reds" are interesting too.

It might be the largest but not the longest running, same design definitives series.

That honour belongs to Norway's Post Horns first issued in 1872
and new values still coming out.

Scroll down to the bottom of this page below.

https://goscf.com/t/20173&whichpage...ive%20stamps

Somehow I don't think of the Machins or the Norway posthorns as a set. They are in my opinion a series with continuous additions. To me a set is a themed grouping of stamps issued more or less in the same time frame. Not over 40 or more years. For example, I do not think of the US Washington/Franklins as a set. Again, that is just my opinion.

if you want to really get technical, and count perforation varieties, the Bosnian landscape set of 1906 (with only 16 design/denominations) would probably take first prize. There are over 2400 perforation varieties needed to complete the set.

I think I have a couple of those. 2398 to go.

Cheers, Robert