Scott Standard Or Specialized - Do I Need Both?

I just got a fabulous deal on a huge lot of US stamps at an estate auction. If I purchase the US specialize catalogue, does it contain all of the info that I would find in the standard catalogue as well as additional info? Thanks!

Hi, Lindsey --

The short answer is "yes". There's a lot of detail in the US Specialized that's not the regular Scott volume 1. As long as you're just dealing with US stamps, you don't need the other volumes. (I'm not a US collector, but I'm sure someone else who is will fill in the details on here soon!)

By the way, I've noticed that the libraries near me that carry the Scott catalogs do usually also carry the US Specialized, so you could check around and see if it's possible to find a circulating copy from a library near you. Usually the most recent edition is non-circulating in reference, but oftentimes the edition it replaced gets freed up for circulation.

-- Dave

Dave - thanks for the reply! The library in my town only has a full 2006 set and they are reference still with no plan to update soon. I do have a few other countries but I've been buying the countries seperately . I actually really like the digital version on my iPad and can buy just one section for $30 which is nice!

I'm jealous -- I'm on an Android smartphone & tablet (Samsung), and Scott does not see fit to offer their digital products on that platform anytime in the near future. It's infuriating. So I'm buying the hard copies of the catalog instead.

Enjoy!

-- Dave

Since catalog values dont reflect actual sale values, may I offer this option. Im not a salesman either.
I have used Stampmanage from Liberty street for years. I have just recently begun scanning my stamps into the data I already entered. http://www.libertystreet.com/StampMng.htm

I really enjoy the options and I haven't even used the ebay sold search function.

Lindsey - if you have anything in addition to single copies, or so-called back-of-book, the specialized is the way to go. It contains a lot more information than the standard catalog. For approx. $70.00, the esxpense is well-justified.

why do they even make the standard catalog, if they have the specialized?


-IBFS

The collection is incredible it's all MNH blocks of 4 and up starting about 1950 and up. I've actually decided to list them on ebay starting at face value and just add in the used stamps in for free... I really just want to stick with my Great Britain stamps! Too bad I came to that conclusion AFTER I bought the specialized catalogue! Oh we'll, I only bought one part of it so it's only $30

IBFS - Kinda what I was wondering but there MUST be a difference because the specialized is only 3 volumes for the woke world!

Last year the Scott Standard covering all the stamps in the world was 6 volumes. The 2013 US specialized is one volume for stamps and covers. The specialized has more details.

I think there's some confusion on terminology. Amos Publishing offers pretty much 3 different major stamp catalogs:

U.S. Specialized. Single volume, soft cover and iPad editions. U.S. and territories only, up to present time, including front of book (postage stamps), back of book (air mail, special delivery, postage due, parcel post, revenues), postal stationery, booklet panes, essays, proofs, local posts, federal and state hunting stamps, revenue stamped paper, test stamps, etc. The listings themselves are also more in depth than found in the "Standard" catalog, with additional values for multiples, cancels, usages, etc. If you are specializing in U.S. in any way, this is the one to have.

Standard Catalog. 6 volumes, soft cover and iPad editions. U.S. and the world from 1840 to present day. Covers front of book and limited back of book (air mail, semipostal, postage due, special delivery, official). Does not include revenues, semi-officials, or postal stationery.

Classic Specialized. Single volume, hardbound and iPad editions. Covers the entire world from 1840 to 1940 (up to 1952 for British Commonwealth). Has expanded listings for varieties, multiples, and on-cover uses beyond what is given in the standard catalog. THE catalog to have for the worldwide classic collector. While country-specific specialty catalogs (Michel, Maury, Facit, Stanley Gibbons, etc.) are more in depth than the Classic, it is to my knowledge the only single-volume worldwide catalog that is updated and published annually. In my opinion the single best catalog that Amos produces.

In short, if you collect only U.S., you want the U.S. Specialized, if you collect only pre-world war II material but from several countries, you want the Classic Specialized, and if you collect a specific country across all time periods you want the Standard Catalog that includes that country.

Thanks for the clarification rev! One of the 3 lots is up on ebay right now!