World's Longest Set Of Definitive Stamps?

Portugal's 1912-1931 Ceres with imprint definitive set numbers 92 stamps. If the 1926 set without imprint is included, 116.

Does anyone know of a larger set?

Norway, perhaps with its ongoing A10 post horn design?

Don

The Norway posthorns aren't really treated as a single set (certainly not the way the Ceres set is). There's a really long Turkish series from the 60s or so but I am not near my catalogs.

The Portugal Ceres set; with imprint and not including the set without imprint; is now at 132 stamps after Scott's overdue recognition of various papers used in the printing. Another 43 are added if one includes the various imprint Ceres issues overprinted or with surcharges. That would place the Ceres imprint set at 175 different stamps. There are minor varieties of many of the Portugal Ceres stamps which, if included, add to the total. As an example, I have a nice copy of Scott #490a. The colony issues underwent a similar expansion.

One of my chores for this winter is to re-organize my entire Portugal Ceres set to see exactly what I have and what is missing. Another interesting sideline of all the Portugal Ceres imprint series sets; P. and the colonies; is that they also come in many shades. The colonial issues have some noteworthy plate flaws, the "fenda" or break in the top frame being a big example. The colonial Ceres sets used a two part printing process; the basic stamp and then a re-run to add value and name of colony. Many interesting variations occurred. One of my favorites is an attached pair of Mozambique (I don't recall which stamp without looking in the album) with one stamp having a country name of "Xocambique."

I'm vaguely familiar with the Turkey set, described by paperhistory, as I have some of them. Without checking either catalog or my albums, I recall the set being one of photographs of various Turkish cities. There are at least two sets with one set being larger in actual stamp size than the other. The Norwegian posthorns aren't a single set; I agree with paperhistory. Where they are unique is in the use of the same design for over a century.

I'd guess Machins - they seem inexhaustible.

I see the free "basic" Machin album includes spaces for 495 stamps

http://www.adminware.ca/machin/m_album.htm

We've had this exact discussion here in another thread -- which I can't find right now

But I do recall that I thought it would be the Machin series and was surprised to find there were several longer-running series.

KS

My main world wide collection, including Britain and Commonwealth, ends in 1965 (for Parts One through Five of the Scott Big Blue International albums). So, I have no familiarity with the Machins. I'm reminded of the Mexico Exporta series, since Mexico is one of my specialty countries. But I don't know how long it is.

The Turkish set I was thinking of was issued in 1958-1960, Scott 1290-1423. 134 stamps in all, though it is also broken into 3 smaller sets by year.

I was hoping Jerry would chip in..........

What about the "Arms" set of Venezuela ? there is, what seems squillions of them,
Must take second place after Machins, I would suggest.

Certainly the hardest to complete, after the Machins.

I agree with GeoffHa. There may be longer running series, but for sheer #s of different stamps, it has to be the British Machin series. Even by conservative counting, there has to over 500 stamps, and climbing.

Hi

As Rodney says, the Venezuela arms issues of 1951 is a biggie.

Regular Scott 464 - 631 168 stamps
Air Mail Scott C338 - C553 216 stamps

The total number of stamps for this issue, 384 stamps.

2016 Catalog value (Mint Used:
464 - 631 1,264 514.15
C338 - C553 2,272 841.61

Total Cost $3,536 $1,355.76

Some of the items are very elusive.

Jerry B