"Skips" In Scott Numbering

Might someone explain why the Scott system has missing numbers in their sequence?

I did see somewhere a note requesting more information for one of the skips--suggesting that there may have been a design that got printed but trashed?-- but why does US 1213 jump to US 1225?

At times, Scott will set aside a block of numbers to be used for future issues in a series. The number of such issues can sometimes be guesswork (on the other hand, the FON series was not). This can leave some unused numbers when the series is complete ... or, in other instances, when insufficient numbers have been reserved, capitalized letters must be used in one or more catalogue numbers.

I think during the time period, the powers that be anticipated that the 1961-63 regular issue would be an expanded series which never materialized.

I do note that in recent catalog updates, Scott did use US 1214 for the 8c John Pershing Stamp that was formerly in the Liberty Series as Scott 1042A, as many collectors thought that the Pershing Stamp was out of its element as part of the Liberty Series.

https://goscf.com/t/27309

As said above, some are unused numbers from a block they set aside. Other times it's because they moved listings to a different section of the catalog or de-listed items that had previously been listed. There's a large sequence of blank numbers in Japan, for instance, where Scott took the prefecture issues, previously listed alongside regular issues, and began listing them seprately with a "Z" prefix. The numbers previously occupied for those prefecture issues are now blank and the stamps that had those numbers are now numbered as Z1, Z2, etc.

Wow, and I thought there might be a simple answer!

It is simple. Those numbers are not used! It is a lot better that way than what they did with the Transportation Coils. They put them arbitrarily in four different groups with even more arbitrary Scott numbers!

Peter

At least Scott was thoughtful enough to include each of these stamp series in the Identifier in the Scott Specialized Catalog.

Weren't some of the old Airmail stamps included in the same listing as the regular issues and commemoratives? I can't remember but I believe they were included up to a certain point, the year of the change though, I forget.


-IBFS

Anyone know what is behind US 652? (I hope it's a mystery!)

651 would numerically be right behind 652.


-IBFS

my scott catalog shows no 652 but 651 is clark

KGB: I remember reading an article a few years ago about a US stamp perf variety that was discovered by a pharmacist. He accumulated a hundred or so copies of the stamp & actually sold a number of them. The stamp was listed for a time in Scott ... but, after a number of years, all evidence of the stamps was apparently lost & the stamp was delisted. I think it was too early to have been 652 ... think this occurred during the years the post office was playing with perf gauges. Probably the nineteen teens or early twenties. Wish now I had saved a copy of the article.
Added: Being a perf variety, I suspect it would have had a minor number rather than a major number.

JL, cool story!

I went back to a 1940 Scott Catalog and Scott #652 was never assigned to a stamp from that period forward.

I've always wondered about this myself.

Regards,
Stampalotapus

As a final thought on this subject, take a close look at almost any US definitive series from the modern era. Finding missing numbers or major numbers with capitalized letters at the end of the series is a common occurrence.