What Do You Consider The Best US Albums?

Hi,
When I got back into the hobby, two folks advised me to get the Scott's National Albums, which I did. I do like them, and have no complaints. That being said, I really don't know much about the other available albums.

So I guess I'm asking two questions:
What is the most expensive US Stamp Album readily available?
What is the preferred US Stamp Album readily available?

Thanks all, I'm just curious about what's out there.........

Mobilman44

I like the Nationals.

The weight of the paper seems to be about average for a decent album, in the 65 lb range, and much heavier than the low end albums with paper similar to 20 lb copy paper.

The new Nationals are three-ring binders rather than the previous two post Nationals, and supplements are punched to interchange between both types.

The ring binders definitely work better than post binders for modern US mint stamps, because the pages lay nice and flat. Multiple blocks and mini sheets in mounts are happiest when they are on flat pages!

The green and gold albums are durable and look great, and like other good albums there are dust jackets available for them, in both the 3-inch and 1-inch sizes.

Because they are popular, there are choices of additional supplements in addition to the usual yearly updates - pages for booklet panes, mini sheets, perforation varieties, etc, are easily found at Amos Press and elsewhere.

The page size is good, but being larger than 8.5" x 11"; however making custom pages is more difficult because a large format printer is required to match the larger size.

The Nationals reflect what is listed in the Scott catalog, so if you want to depart from that, be prepared to deal with it, perhaps by making custom pages. For example, this year the Nationals do not have pages for the new imperforate varieties, which of course will be quite something to deal with for the 2013 varieties. Blank pages would work, but for 2012 I'll be making six completely new pages for 2012 plus other reworked pages so that the perfs and imperfs and other varieties can be mounted side by side.

The Nationals have the Confederate postage stamps on one simple page. I think I'm at fourteen pages for them and still expanding, but by imitating the style of the original pages the result is really nice. I bought matching paper in archival quality at a local print shop at a bargain price.

Of course a collector could simply keep the additional varieties in a separate album and use the Nationals as-is, but I think the extra effort really expands the Nationals into something more unique.

Your mileage may vary.

I am partial to the 3 volume Heirloom album. But it's the only album I ever had besides the 2 volume Harris statesman which I despise due to it's incompleteness and shows only a handful of US stamps that are my main collection focus.

I use White Ace for US collection, Seven Seas for Australia and Hagners in binders for the other. All are good, just depends on what works for you.

Sorry to sidetrack - moldman, what's the diff between 7 seas and lighthouse for aussie. Lookin at both hingeless.

I'm debating switching from my Minkus All American which ends at 1972 to Lindner. I know that the Lindner will be expensive. I have to take the time to do all the math in comparing various albums. Still just renewing my collecting after 30 years.

I have researched this topic extensively, Mobilman, and posted my results in another thread titled: Album Review: United States Albums

https://goscf.com/t/17127


There are as many opinions on the 'best' albums as there are albums. Each one has it's strengths and weeknesses. Take a look!

Brian

Full disclosure - my favorite is the Scott Platinum albums, which are not available anymore.

Brian

Thank you Rileysan for that link back in time. Lots of good info there.

I'm pretty happy with the National Albums, and currently have the first three sections thru 1993. Just to round off things, I'll likely get the 4th section to take me thru 1999. I really enjoy the classics (pre 1960) more so, but I really do want to "close out the century".

My only complaint is the National BOB pages. They are great for the airmail, special delivery and postage due and revenues, but do lack the doctumentaries. Yet, they have the duck stamps and others I'm not interested in.

I have spent a lot of money on Scott mounts, but that is still a lot cheaper than buying the hingeless sets. That being said, if I had the money, I would have likely gone "first class" and bought them..............

By "Documentaries", are you referring to revenue stamps? Scott issued specialized pages for all revenues (including documentary stamps) that fits in the standard green specialized binders.

Amos Publishing sells them in two parts. Although not cheap, they cover everything ...

Part 1 -
http://www.amosadvantage.com/scotto...desc=revenue

Part 2 -
http://www.amosadvantage.com/scotto...desc=revenue

Cheers!

Brian

Thanks again Rileysan,
Yup, I looked at those the other day. With those two sets, I would get the documentaries, and a lot of other stuff I doubt I would ever use. Obviously Amos/Scott had reasons to include what they did in the National BOB section, and I can't second guess them. It is good to know of course that "everything" is truly available.
Mobilman44

Stamps101
I really don't know, never had a lighthouse album. I ended up with a SevenSeas and liked them and now have 5 hingeless ones. It's all what you get use to, I guess

For my main US collection 1847 to present date I use Harris Liberty sheets trimmed down and into White Ace binders w/slip covers, 9 volumes.
Second US collection from 1847 to 1945 in a Scott binder.




Ernie

i also use the Heirloom albums for my U.S. collection.