Unitrade Editor

I have been an observer and member of this forum for quite some time, with replies to certain threads in the Canadian Stamps and Covers section (under a different 'name' though).

I have created this 'UnitradeEditor' name to provide feedback where warranted on this forum.



Bit of a background...

I became editor of the Unitrade Catalogue of Canadian Stamps in November 2004. This next edition will be my 10th as editor ... it is the best job in the world.

The Unitrade Associates office is in Toronto. I work out of my home in rural Manitoba (my internet is wireless to a tower seven miles away). I have only visited the Unitrade offices once (just last fall, in fact). I didn't meet the folks at Unitrade until a year after I was hired and my first catalogue had already been published.

I have been told that I was the first collector to become editor of the catalogue. I hope I have brought the viewpoint of the collector back into the catalogue.

In addition to the stamp catalogue I also edit other publications for Unitrade.

I have been a collector of Canadian stamps for over 45 years. I enjoy the hunt for modern varieties the most. My strengths are in the Elizabethan period. My father and I (since the late '70s) have amassed a couple of million used Canadian stamps from 'mission mixture' purchases. My dad does the soaking and initial sorting; I followup with the hunt for varieties.

(I wear several other 'philatelic' hats, but that is enough of an intro for this thread.)

I have tried to encourage readers of the Unitrade catalogue to contact me directly but have found that collectors do not read the introduction of the catalogue. Many seem to prefer discussing the catalogue in a forum such as this so 'here I am'.

The Unitrade catalogue is not perfect and I am the first to get mad when a mistake is pointed out (I can assure you that every effort is made to provide a quality, error-free product).

I post corrections to the catalogue on my website. The latest edition can be found here: http://www.adminware.ca/unitrade2014/errata.htm

I will provide comments here when time permits ... either replies to questions or insight into how the catalogue is produced.

My position as the Unitrade editor is like a 'contract' employee; it is not a full time job (except for the month of June when the catalogue is finalized and sent to the printer). If you ask a specific question of me you may get a reply in a few minutes or you may not get one for days or weeks. In some cases I may need to ask others for feedback before responding.

I can be contacted directly at: unitrade@adminware.ca

[sorry, forgot to sign the letter...

Robin Harris
Editor, Unitrade Specialized Catalogue of Canadian Stamps

Welcome to the Forum. I look forward to your input on a variety of topics. Collecting Canada is not #1 on my list, but it is in my top 10. I just purchased my first Unitrade catalog, so you may see a question or two coming from my direction.

Ask away...

Robin Harris

Shhh ... still at work ... don't tell the boss.

Hi Robin, Glad to see you in the forum. Hope you list my avatar as the third reported copy of #32 . If you wish a photo to use let me know. Mike

watermark: one of the last changes made to the 2014 Unitrade last June was changing the footnote under #31-33 that "Only three copies of the 2c green on laid paper have been recorded to date."

I was thinking of illustrating all three copies in the 2015 edition, so a scan of your copy would be most welcome.

I am still waiting for confirmation that the recent Brigham Auction had a 'change of hands' of his copy. I have heard differing reports.

Robin Harris

Hi Robin...Can I make a suggestion...I use Linux and not Windows, when you click the "editor" button on your front page, it brings up a generic email..If you had both as my picture shows, it might make life easier for some people, ya, I know a stupid request..haha.

Thanks wert.

I have not used Linux so I wasn't aware of that.

Not to change topic, but I take it that is the case for any e-mail link then. Interesting. (no need to reply to this)

Robin, I just received the 2014 Unitrade Specialized. A great publication. Your website is also outstanding for detailed information on Canada definitives and G.B. Machins. I purchased your Canada definitive specialized handbooks years ago and the sorting charts you presented are excellent. I took your idea and create sorting charts for all U.S. definitives.

I do have one question for you: In the Unitrade catalog listings, many self-adhesive definitives included in the Quarterly Packs are described as "die cut to shape". I don't purchase Quarterly Packs, so I don't have an example of a stamp like that. Can you explain what is meant by that terminology, or show an example?

Thanks,
Robert

Robert:

Die cut singles are produced by Canada Post, I believe, primarily for collectors. It is an opportunity to pick up a single of a self-adhesive stamp instead of having to purchase full booklet panes or larger coil multiples.

Sometimes the die cut single is also needed for Canada Post's annual collection (although, more and more, souvenir sheets are being used for this purpose).

As the name suggests, single stamps are 'die cut' from the larger booklet pane (or coil roll) giving a single stamp that also includes the original backing paper. The die cutting provides a nice clean single of the stamp and backing paper together.

If a collector attempted to 'make' one these it would be nearly impossible and a tell-tale sign of the proper die cut single would most likely be missing...

Here is an image of two die cut singles from the 2014 Quarter 4 pack:



The arrows are pointing to where the die cutting has left a small remnant of the adjacent stamp within the 'valley'. If you look very closely at the exact opposite side of the stamp you will that the 'peak' is slightly larger or sometimes frayed.

In the two examples here, there is a single remnant on each side; some die cut singles have had two remnants per side.

In some cases, se-tenant multiples have been kept together (such as strips of 5 or blocks of 4).

These die cut singles are really new varieties, as individual could not produce these from a full booklet/roll. The Unitrade catalogue gives a small premium to these.

In a few cases, the singles provided in the quarterly pack have even more 'unique', including the Petro Canada stamp of 2000 (Scott 1867b) and Superman (from last year).

The Unitrade does not list die cut singles of some of the early self-adhesives where the four sides were fully straight-edged. Anyone could take a booklet of these and simply cut there own. But, try and do that with a "perforated-looking" self-adhesive. As noted earlier, that would be impossible.

By the way, have enjoyed attempting to find all of the different single combinations that would exist from a full booklet. It does require many quarterly packs, and many times you get 'duplicates'.

Robin: knowing you only from your past posts and the revised catalogue under your editorship I can only say: "a class act"

Thank you very much for that explanation.

Robert

I'm in 100% agreement with cynical in saying that you Robin
Harris have done a great job in producing for us collectors
the best country specific stamp catalogue in the world.

I started buying Canadian catalogues in the sixties, Lyman think they came out twice yearly, Canada/BNA by McAlpin, Canada Specialized who tried their own numbering system so they wouldn't have to pay Scott royalties, Scott's Spec catalogue of Canadian stamps & covers, Darnell Stamps of Canada, even the 1993 edition of Unitrade.

Some were OK, but they all lacked something.

When I first bought the new 2006 Unitrade Specialized Catalogue
and looked through it I was totally amazed at the information
it contained compared to what was available before.
I said to myself, now this is a catalogue which will not only be
useful but fun to go through and believe me I have
referred to it constantly.

Also the size and the spiral bound format was and is perfect.
It is also indestructible.

There is absolutely nothing negative I can say about this catalogue,
it's a pleasure every time I use it and it gets better with every
new edition.




After I received my copy in late fall of 2006 and went through it
I saw a few errors concerning Printers and print method
used for certain stamps in the late sixties, early secenties
period.

I sent Robin Harris an email regarding these errors and he promptly
answered that he will check it out and if confirmed will
make changes in the 2007 edition.

The errors were corrected.

It will be a pleasure to have you here Mr.Harris.

Ya...I guess Robin is considered a cool guy in the stamp world.

I want to add my comments. I agree 100% with Lithograving. Robin Harris and his work on Unitrade catalogue and on the Corgi times is what draw me back to stamp collecting (especially Canadian stamps). The only downside is that I don't have enough time in a day to explore all the possibility stamp collecting offer to an inquisitive mind. Thanks Robin, and welcome on this great forum.

Heh wert, you're the cool flyspecking guy here on SCF.