Thoughts On Big Blue Album (New Vs. Used) And Steiner Pages.

I am considering making a change to the album I use for my collection. Up to this point I have been using the Steiner album for my worldwide collection.

The reasons I liked Steiner originally are that it would contain a space for every stamp, and I wouldn't be limited to just a single country or date range. However, I am finding that those original 'perks' are actually drawbacks for me as well. So I am considering purchasing a Scott Big Blue International album. But I have a few questions / thoughts I would like to throw out here for discussion for feedback from others.

The drawback I feel regarding using Steiner pages, is that I am not contained to anything specific about my collection. While at first this seemed ideal, it is actually a bit problematic (for me) to not have a specific structure to "what I collect." So I often find an purchase stamps and then need to print out the pages to meet my new acquisitions. Having a printed album would allow me to focus on these open spaces, rather than continue to add more pages to my apparent never ending collection.


Here is what is on my mind:

1. Buy a used set on E-Bay or Bidstart:

There are a couple of albums on Bidstart that I am interested in, one is a 5-volume set that runs through 1954 and the second is a 7 volume set that runs through 1967. This second 7 volume set would accommodate probably 90% of the stamps I have in my Steiner pages. But based on the images, I see I would be buying a lot of duplicates. Also the cost of these albums is a bit higher than I'd like to go at this point.

[ If I can post the links to the albums I am thinking of purchasing, I will add them (not sure about the rules of this forum.) ]

2. Buy a new set:

I am not sure I want to inherit problems from a previous owner, and feel like I'm adding to someone else'e collection. If I buy a new set, I would most likely start with the 1840-1940 set, and keep my stamps from 1941 and later on their Steiner pages (for now.) I see there is a special running right now that includes a 2014 Classic catalog, so I may opt to purchase that.

so my questions for discussion:

a. any thoughts about using a new vs used album? Did anyone start with a used album and regret it? On the other hand has anyone started with a used album and where completely happy with that decision?

b. any thoughts of Steiner vs. Traditional album? I think the strengths of the Steiner album can also be a weakness (spaces for all stamps and not limited to specific date and/or country range.)

I have read some of the other posts in this discussion group on this topic as well as blog posts, even specially on "Big Blue vs. Brown vs. Steiner" … but thought I would post this again now for any other thoughts / comments.

Thanks!
-Craig

Welcome Craig ----This is a decision only you can make .I have both and like both .I have filled 8 or 10 sets of Scott Internationals and then match them to my main collection .Selling off the remainer at stamp auctions.

You are familiar with Big BLue ( http://bigblue1840-1940.blogspot.com/ ) and Filling Spaces ( http://globalstamps.blogspot.com/ ) are you not? They have done detailed comparisons of the two approaches. Particular Jim Jackson at Big Blue has developed a way of housing a Scott International collection within Steiner pages. He thus can move outside the limits of the Scott International selections (which he found oppressivly restrictive) without trying to fill every space on the massive Steiner pages. He has a running checklist of what could/should go into the Scott International spaces. You can then collect to his checklist as if you were housing in a Big Blue (International) but go outside the checklist here and there where you have occasional more expensive stamps or occasional variants and Scott minor variation examples for which Big Blue offers no space. Steiner is Deep Blue, Scott Internional is Big Blue.

Perhaps that's not your question--you have decided to make the move and are asking advice about the best strategy for acquiring Scott Internationals?

I went the exact opposite route. I started with The Scott International 'blue' albums (I-IV) and switched to the Stamp Album Web pages (Bill Steiner's website - I gather that is what you are talking about).

Since I collect all years, I found the prospect of buying all volumes of Scott International to be financially daunting. And all too often, I had stamps that had no spaces for them. It started looking messy and out of order.

I focused on certain countries that interest me most and print album pages for them. I found that I like collecting everything, however, so outside of my focus countries, I stated printing pages only when I had a stamp for that page, and created my own International albums. These albums slowly grow bigger, but there is a spot for each and every single stamp. Sometimes I have so many stamps for a particular non-focus country, that I print out the rest of the pages and put them into their own albums. It has worked out extremely well for me.

I still have the Scott International Albums where some old stamps still reside. They will eventually go into the self-printed albums.

Thanks for the feedback, and yes my questions are a bit muddled - sorry about that..

I have been reading both of the blogs that are mentioned above. I will take a closer look at them before committing myself (ie spending $$) to one option or another.

I think I have decided that the Big Blue will suit my needs, but I can see how it may be restrictive for some people. I will continue to use Steiner pages for my later issues.

I suppose my unresolved question may pertain to the possibility of purchasing a used album and using it as my own. But then again, this does come down to a personal choice as well (as mentioned by floortrader)

I'm glad I found this forum, looks like a great site.

-Craig

one more comment.. I have just been taking a closer look at bigblue1840-1940.blogspot.com - and I can see that the checklists will be helpful in my final decision if I should really move over to big blue or not. I would hate to discover that a large number of stamps I've already acquired in the 1840-1940 range are not covered in Big Blue. Since I don't yet have an extensive collection in this time period, I think I will be OK. but it will be good to check. (most of my stamps are in the 1950-1960 time period.)

I feel your pain.

The Steiner is terrific, but it has 6,500 pages just to cover 1840-1940 WW (1840-1952 British Commonwealth).

It can feel like one is swimming in an ocean, when one really wanted to swim in a lake.

But if one likes a space for every Scott major number stamp,it delivers.

I agree "structure"- a collecting plan- which will be individual for each collector- is a very good idea indeed.




You will have structure then.

Those that are most content with Big Blue tend to "collect to the album" - Not all that difficult, as there are 35,000 spaces.

JKblue -

I've visited your blog quite a lot since discovering it over the weekend. This is indeed a very good resource.
I will definitely be visiting it a lot from now on.

Next question .. if I do purchase the new set from Amos, how many binders do I need? I've seen references to Part I being able to fit into two binders? Is this realistic. Based on the page count listed on their website it seems that I would need three Jumbo binders to make it work.

Based on an earlier post (from last year) I see someone purchased 4 binders to accommodate the four sections of Part I. Based on your experience, what do you (or others) recommend?

The post I am referencing is this one:
https://goscf.com/t/34306

Thanks very much!

Amos now sells the Part I International as..

Part IA1 (United States, Aden-Ethiopia)
Part IA2 (Falkland Islands-Latvia)
Part IB1 (Lebanon- Quelimane)
Part IB2 (Reunion-Zululand)

...so they would like you to house them in four binders also. Personally, I think it is overkill, as the binders are not very full.

Three binders if you never want to run out of room for the 1840-1940 era.

Two binders is the practical minimum.

(Yes, I know that one binder housing everything is often the norm- but start to fill it with stamps, and "overstuffed" does not do it justice. Besides, if one is using hinges and both sides of the page, then glassine or clear protector sheets should probably be used between pages. )

If most of your stamps are in the 1950-1960 period, then a Scott International Part III and IV may help. I am not sure of the completeness, but it is better than the coverage of part 1 that's for sure.

There's always also the option not to use either. Quite a many worldwide collectors (in Europe) are using either stock books or stock pages to house their worldwide collections. The benefit (and also the potential issue) is that your collection can be built and housed precisely how you like it.

-k-

The numbers of binders will increase as you find more interesting material to add to your collection .So don't get hung up on the number of International binders .

From my viewpoint, the biggest problem with the Scott International albums is having stamps from a country spread out in multiple binders. I prefer to have all the pages for a country together.

In 1969 or 1970, I was able to purchase the complete Scott International albums to that date at dealer cost (my mom worked for a wholesale distributor). I immediate merged the pages by country rather than year range as published. For the most part, this worked OK. Since the pages are printed on both sides, occasionally I encountered two different countries on a page (one on each side). I had to make a decision with which country to include the page. Not ideal, but it's worked for me.

For stamps issued after my Scott International pages, I use Steiner pages and have been very happy with them. I can print only those pages for which I have stamps and/or interest. Knowing what I know now, if I were starting from scratch, I'd go with Steiner pages.

I should add that worldwide collecting has not been a major component of my collecting pursuits. I am now doing a little more in this area than I've done for many years (decades). For my general worldwide collection, the combination of Scott International albums and Steiner pages is more than acceptable.

My two cents. If you can afford it and don't mind remounting whatever stamps you already have, I think the new International pages make the best sense. I wish I had gone that route instead of staying with my 1969 edition. As I've mentioned before, even though the latest version sold by Amos is missing some stamps that were in earlier editions (especially 1943/1947), the advantages are:

1) heavier, archival quality paper;
2) it is easier to add blank pages where they belong for stamps missing from the album (no more multiple countries on a page; different types of stamps such as airmails also aren't intermixed);
3) it easier to integrate Volume One with later volumes (i.e., 1940 and beyond).

I agree that, even with interleaving, 3 binders should be enough unless you really add a lot of your own pages. I like having fewer binders, and would be happy with two jumbo, even if they have to be replaced every so often.

Now as to the Browns and their alternatives, this is something I'm going to be facing in the coming year once I get a move out of the way. As much as I admire the Steiners, I prefer the "look" of the Browns. The paper quality of the Vintage Reproductions is very appealing, almost luxurious. What it comes down for me is whether I will enjoy working with that many albums. I still have the idea that I might prefer a geographic arrangement (i.e., North America, France and Colonies, etc.), but I don't think I will know this until I try it.

I would be interested in knowing more about Jim's method. I was somewhat late in finding his blog and may have missed something. But after seeing some of his Bolivian airmails yesterday -- which I don't have spaces for in my 1947 International Part One -- I would like to explore the idea of adding pages.

I should also add that I'm close to going to 4 volumes for my Part One, but that's because I long ago committed to using Hawid mounts instead of hinges.

Well,it's rather simple.

I use the Big Blue checklist as my "active" want list, even though my collection is housed in Deep Blue (Steiner).

I have a "virtual" Big Blue, but room for all other stamps as well.

(This could also be done with other "representational albums", such as the Minkus Global Supreme, but one would need to develop a checklist for the Supreme.)

It lends focus and structure to WW classical collecting.

And less expense.

But I may also go off theme, and obtain stamps that interest me- such as the Bolivian airmails. The Steiner can handle that.




rustyc- Go for it! I use clear Scott (Prinz) mounts in Deep Blue.