Folk Heroes 1996 Scott Nr. 3086

This is one of the se-tenant sets that the Postal Service put out, conflating several different stamps into one set, providing a single number for it.
I'd like to get individual stamps to give my collection a uniform look, but Scott didn't give the individual stamps numbers. Nevertheless, I'm sure they were used for postage.
How then do I ask for these without providing a number ?
Of course I can use the name of the individual on each stamp, but that's not easy since many seller's software won't recognize it.



*** Moved by Staff to a more appropriate forum. ***

Scott provided individual #s for each stamp. 3083 -3086 #086 id noted for Pecos Bill. a Block/strip of 4 is denoted with SC#3086a.

Sleepy, you need to get you a Scott catalog. Scott always breaks down a multistamp issue and gives a block or strip a seperate number


Peter

While Peter is right, the numbering system Scott uses is sometimes a bit disjointed. There are issues which have a single number and then each different stamp receives a small letter designation, while other issues every stamp gets a different number.

A Scott catalog is a must, though, if you are going to collect U.S. stamps. In the interim, you can always order a free catalog from Mystic Stamp Company and use that until you can locate/afford a Scott catalog.

For se-tenent issues, Scott usually assigns a major number for each different design with a minor number assigned to an attached block or strip that includes all designs. The minor number for the block/strip is usually the last number of the group with a suffix of lower case 'a'. The existence of other varieties may affect the assignment of the suffix letter. However, if the number of designs is the same as the number of stamps in the pane, Scott typically assigns a major number to the entire pane and minor numbers for the individual stamps, using as many lower cases suffixes as there are designs. Legends of the West is one example of this but there are many. The latter policy has never made sense to me. IIRC (but I could be wrong), Scott has explained this by saying that such issues are most likely collected as full panes. That's probably true for mint collectors but not for those who collect used.

@Philatomic, what does IIRC stand for?


Peter

Peter, I think IIRC stands for "If I Recall Correctly". I agree for the most part with philatomic's analysis of Scott numbers for multiple design issues. But Scott is nothing if not occasionally inconsistent. The Pets booklet of 2016 had 20 different designs, each of which has its own catalogue number. But perhaps there's a different rule for booklets as opposed to non-booklet panes.
John

Sleepy,

What are you using for your source of information for Scott catalogue numbers?

You can use Mystic's online stamp store and catalogue to search on descriptions. If you searched on Bunyan it would yield Scott 3084 which is correct.

https://www.mysticstamp.com/Listing/United-States/

If you are willing to endure a lot of mailings and some approvals from Mystic, you can request a free catalog from them. Their stamp prices are too high for me but I do use their album.

Or, send me your address via message and I will you a 2017 Mystic catalogue for no charge.

I have a Mystic catalogue, and I used it before I posted this topic. The se-tenant has a major number, but then other versions of this se-tenant have small letter additions to this number. In other words, instead of using the minor number system for single stamps, its used for varieties of the se-tenant.
I also used a Scott mini-catalog.

Sleepy: You may already be aware of the following. If so, forgive my assumption that you may not. For multi-design issues, there are two scenarios.
For issues where each stamp in the pane is of a different design, Scott may assign a single number to the entire pane. They then identify each stamp within the pane by that number followed by a lower case letter. Note that the operative word here is MAY. Scott is not always consistent ... consider the State Birds, the Wildflowers, the Wonders of America, the Pets booklet of 2016 ... all issues in which each stamp was assigned a separate number. The point here is that when numbers have been assigned to a complete pane, individual stamps have a lower case letter appended to their catalogue number.
For panes where the number of stamps exceeds the number of designs ... or for those panes where Scott decided to assign separate numbers to each stamp ... Scott will also assign numbers with lower case letters appended to the major number for the following items: (1) smallest block/strip that contains all of an issue's designs, (2) for booklets, each distinct booklet pane, (3) different minor varieties of the same design (small perf or die-cut differences, differences in tagging, etc.), (4) error varieties.
Note that for (1), the base number used in assigning the catalogue number is the highest individual number in the block or pane. Also note that the smallest block can be an entire pane. The state birds were assigned 1953 thru 2002. The entire pane (the smallest block with all designs) was assigned 2002b.
For your Folk Heroes issue, the stamps were assigned 3083 thru 3086. A block/strip of all 4 designs was assigned 3086a.
One final example. The Christmas Ornaments vending machine booklet of 2004. The 4 ornaments were assigned 3887 thru 3890. Since there are 4 different attached designs, Scott assigns the next number to a block of 4 ... 3890a. The booklet, like most VMBs, contains 3 panes. In this instance, each pane is different (the same 4 designs appear in each pane, but not in the same quantity). Hence each pane is assigned a separate number ... 3890b thru 3890d.
I hope the above makes sense. I know I had difficulty fathoming all the lower case letters when I first used a Scott catalog, especially when it came to booklets. And, from experience, I know that I am not alone in that regard.
John

Although Scott uses the suffix for pairs, blocks, etc. I will always list it as the major numbers (3083 -3086). I only like to use suffixes when there is a different variety - not format.

I find it interesting since does not assign any number to the entire sheet, plate blocks, etc. It is just the many variations in Scott's thinking. I do not see many dealer use the suffix for blocks of 4. I mostly see 3083-3086 Block of 4 since it can be a singles, block, plate block, margin block, sheet, etc.