Question On Scott's Classic Specialized Cataloge

Hi,

The Wife bought me a new (old stock) 2013 Scott Specialized Catalogue, the one that is for WW first 100 years of stamps.

I had never seen one before and this hardcover book is big and heavy. The color pics of stamps is a real treat and improvement from my 50 year old catalogues.

I do have a question.... this book as a thick fold out cardboard add from Mystic Stamp Co. I have nothing against them (actually have bought from them), but I sure would like to remove that chunk of cardboard.

My question is, would I harm the book in doing so? And, if not, what is the best way to remove it?

Thanks all, while this may seem like a silly question, I just don't want to risk ruining the book.

I didn't know they made this with a hard cover. Do you ever expect to sell it again? I'm sure you realize that will pretty much ruin whatever resale value it has. But really, these are not collectibles. While my 2013 copy is intact, I went through my 2012 copy, cut out the pages of interest to me, and through the rest away. And now that I have a 2014 copy, the 2013 copy isn't being used, except when I grab it instead of the 2014 copy off the bookshelf. Sure, I could get a few dollars selling it. I'm more inclined to give it to someone, but that's just me. But the point is that I wouldn't worry too much about destroying the value of it, if it makes it more useful to you. It is just a tool, and means to an end. Do what you want with it.

Edit: I may have missed the significance of "Classic" in your description of the volume you are describing. But I don't think that would change my opinions expressed above.

I left mine in.

On my 2014 Classic, there is a tear line on the mystic page about 1/2" from the binder. You should be able to remove it there, or use a scissors. I wouldn't remove anything from the binder itself.

Are you confusing the Scott Classic Specialized with the Scott US Specialized? The Classic Specialized is published in hardcover--I'm not aware that it's in paperback. The US Classic Specialized is published in paperback, at least that's my experience. Others can correct or confirm.

edited to fix quote mechanism

The US Specialized, even in paper binding, weighs about as much as the 1840-1940 Classic Specialized in hardcover because the US Specialized has even more pages.

What makes them both heavy is not the binding but the coated paper, which is needed for the quality of the color photographs.

Edited to correct error: well, now that I actually compare the two, I see that the US Specialized 2013 has ca. 1240 pages and my 2012 Classic Specialized, 1300 pages. So the page count is about the same. For some reason, I perceived the US Specialized to be heavier but if they were put on a scale, the Classic probably weighs a bit more.

Perhaps the floppyness of the softcover US Specialized makes it harder to handle and thus makes it seem to be heavier, to me.

In any case, yes, both of them are hefty but the culprit is the coated paper.

My 2013 Classic has the perforated pages ,which I removed between pages 16 and 17 ,they are a easy tear out .It doesn't change the value during a resale .

my 1840-1940 Classic Specialized is a paperback, as are all my catalogues. That being said, if ya don't want it in there... RIP it out!

The first hardcover edition of the colour Scott Classic Specialized was published as the 2003 (ninth) edition, with the Penny Black on the cover. The Mystic ad was a single heavier stock page, not a two-page fold out. It had 1068 pages, but is thicker than the current one which has more pages, due to the paper used.

While the subject is the Scott Classic Specialized catalog, I have a question about the contents that hopefully some knowledgeable soul can answer.

Does the Classic Specialized provide information not provided in the standard set of Scott catalogs. That is, let's say I collect classic France, would the Scott Classic Specialized provide more information on the classic French issues than in the standard catalog? Would that information be on par or close to that in an Yvert specialized catalog?

I have the Scott standard catalogs (2010) and the US specialized (2012) and just wonder if there's any point in getting the Classic Specialized. I don't care about up-to-date pricing.

A) 2010 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue Volume 2
B) 2014 Scott Classic Specialized 1840-1940 Cataalog

Random Examples.... ( I did not give the CV's to make it simpler for me.)

France Sower Issues- 1906-37 "No Ground under the Feet"

A) Scott 156 1c olive bistre ('33)...

B) Scott 156 1c olive bistre ('33)..
Never Hinged...
On cover...
On cover, single franking...
156a 1c bistre brown ('36)..
Never hinged...
On cover....
On cover, single franking...

A) Scott 159 5c green ('07)..
159a imperf pair....
159b booklet pane of 10...

B) Scott 159 5c green ('07)..
Never hinged....
On cover...
On cover, single franking...
159a imperf pair...
Never hinged...
Without gum...
159b booklet pane of 10..
159c Grayish (GC) paper ('16)...
Never hinged...
On cover....

Does that help?

The Scott Classic Specialized Catalog has expanded its listings considerably since it first came out in 1999(?). But as typical of Amos, they tend to expand listings for a limited select group of countries each time. So if you are interested in a specific country but aren't interested in updated pricing, you may want to try to find out which year(s) they may have done updates.

For example, if I were to compare the 2007 Scott Classic listing to the those in the 2014 given above by Jkjblue:

#156 listings are the same
#159 does not have the "single franking" prices
#159c is not listed at all.

So much for continuity!

Hi again!
Well, the Mystic fold out cardboard ad actually had small perfs (which I did not see earlier) and I was able to carefully tear out the ad. Again, nothing against Mystic, but I sure wish the book didn't have an ad like that incorporated into the binding.

I've already used the book a number of times, and can tell you that, compared to my 2012 6 volume Scott catalogue, this classic edition definitely has more information. Ha, perhaps "too much" when it came to the early Great Britain issues.

I had hesitated in getting this book for a couple of years, but now that I have it I kick myself for waiting this long.

The Classic has much more than the standard set, for the period covered. It is essential for the classic-era collector.

I wouldn't worry about resale value unless you are hoping to replace one each two or three years, and resell the previous one. Once you get to about five years out, they are often found for $10, or so.

I keep my newest one at my stamp desk, and older ones at the office, downstairs on a bookshelf, and in my "stamp" briefcase. In other words, I keep them close at hand.

The 2003 was the first color edition, and had the best paper stock, to my eyes. Unfortunately, or fortunately, too much has been added in the intervening 12 years to rely on it as your first choice.

mobilman

Too much detail? As a point of comparison, SG's concise GB catalogue devotes 25 pages to the QV issues. its QV Specialised is around 500 pages.

Geoff

Thanks for the responses. I would use the classic catalog to identify varieties in cases for which I currently don't have a specialized country catalog. Up to date pricing is not important to me, but relative pricing, between varieties would be helpful.

So, since the specialized catalog is still a work in progress, I will get the most recent edition with a price I can stomach.