Postal Stationery - Why Is It Treated Differently?

Hi,

I collect US (1847-1999) and worldwide stamps (1840-1959). In the process have several "cut-outs" of postal stationery stamps.

What I've noticed is that the stationery stamps are not included in the Scotts catalogues, nor are there spaces for them in the Scotts International albums. There are spaces for the USA stationery stamps in the International albums, but if you want the pages for the National albums, you will pay dearly for them.

Yet, the National albums have sections for all kinds of other stamps, but ignore the stationery.

Was this just something arbitrary made up by Scotts, or is there a reason for it?

Thanks!

Postal stationery is listed in Scott Specialized. The reason some frown on cut squares would be equivalent to a Stamp on piece, like if you took scissors to a cover and cut the cancel and Stamp off. Cut squares are valued less since the are only a portion of what once was.

Mmn44, are you referring to cut squares? My Scott specialized lists value for both entires and cut squares. As far as album spaces for the cuts, the collecting of them seems to have disappeared for the most part. In my older albums (1930s - 1950s) most have blank spots to put whatever you wanted in them and that is where I have found the cut squares those former collectors saved. Personally I never collected them, preferring used covers.

Hi,
Yes, I just remembered the USA are in the Specialized - which I have. What started me to write the post was the "cut squares" I had for foreign countries.

You bring up a good point about cutting them off the envelope/postcard and how some would consider them damaged or worthless.

I am not too fussy on cut squares. My reason being, you don't know if it comes from a #8 or a #10 envelope, which in a lot of cases can be a large difference in value or price.

Regardless of envelope size though, I just prefer to have the entire envelope.

Chimo

Bujutsu