Scotts 2024 U S Specialized Catalog

Any comments on the new format ?? I like the lighter weight but all the pictures have been reduced in size. For us old collectors I really liked the larger pictures in the older editions. They should have reduced the price also !!

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The essays and proofs sections have been removed and will now be in a separate catalog that you must purchase. Bah

I was debating refreshing my copy this year.
I guess I'll hold off for now - waiting to hear what's better about it this year. Anything?

According to the Press Release, many value changes, some up, some down, including new prices in Post Office Seals and Test Stamps that were previously dashes. Also updates and pricing changes in vending machine perfs, encased postage, revenues and other areas that have had major auction activity recently.

https://www.linns.com/news/us-stamp...rial-changes

I was looking forward to this edition to replace my 2020 version but now I am not so sure. The negatives may outweigh the positives.

I can't imagine that the proofs and essays catalog will be $20. So, in reality we are talking about a substantial price increase to have the same amount of reference material. I will stick with my 2017.

It is not a surprise given the cost of everything now from paper to ink to energy and transportation.

PS: I found that I ended up utilizing the proofs and essays portion of the catalog quite a bit for various reasons. Will Scott, in order to keep the price the same in subsequent editions, remove other sections? Canal Zone? Postal Stationary/Postal Cards (61 pages)?

I have a "new" for me 2018 Scott Specialized catalogue which I just bought on ebay. Like my last one, I'll probably use it for at least 10 or more years. I don't need values so much as identifications and catalogue numbers, and in any case, most values don't change much. I also don't need information on the most recent U.S. stamps since I don't collect them. I do need proof numbers -- since in my album, I often substitute a proof for a high value stamp.

A lot of the Specialized catalogue I don't ever use, but figuring out which parts most collectors don't need in order to move them to another volume might not be easy to do. Or does Scott want to move the parts collectors do need to another volume - so they can sell another volume?

I could see a two-volume Specialized catalogue but only, hopefully, if both volumes are much cheaper than the one-volume is now. If each volume sold for a hundred bucks, I'd never buy a new catalogue again.

"I do need proof numbers" - Then buy the: Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Essays and Proofs 2024

$49.99 just for the Essays and Proofs section. Sheesh. I guess they figure price is no object for specialists of that sort.

Curiously, iHobb lists it on pre-order for $17.99 with the disclaimer "The release of this much anticipated update has been delayed due to additional enhancements being added. Price may change as the volume is expanded"

https://www.ihobb.com/p/US_STAMP_CA...ESSAY24.html


If someone here gets a copy, I'd love to read a review about what was added and if the standalone edition is worth it. I imagine they might include new pictures of one-off sketches and drawings in the Essays section and other unique items that weren't included in previous editions. But how much was added that will help the typical collector.

In fact, I fear this move will kill the market for entry-level proofs and essays if they are no longer listed in the regular specialized catalog. I would strongly suggest that Scott continue to include listings for the common proofs (at least P3 P4, if not P1 P2 P5) in the standard Specialized catalog. That's only about 10 pages or so after removing listings for blocks of 4, plate blocks, trial colors, and other varieties.

Just like the basic (non-specialized) catalog provides simple front-of-book listings for the novice collector, and then the intermediate collector eventually upgrades to the Specialized catalog. The intermediate collector is going to have some of the common proofs and will want to know about them, without spending another $50 for the specialized proofs catalog. Without easy access to any listings, many collectors will lose interest and put their proofs into a "miscellaneous unlisted BOB" pile and never look at them again. This would be a shame, and the supply of collectors of the area will dwindle.

It's the way of the world. The GB Specialised now comes in five volumes, although many collectors won't want the two decimal volumes. I have an old three-volume set picked up as part of an auction lot that meets my limited needs.

I just noticed that the 2024 US Specialized now has prices for full sheets (panes) ... starting in September 1977 with Scott 1726, the "Drafting the Articles of Confederation at York Town" Bicentennial issue. Any ideas why that stamp and that year is the starting point for pricing sheets? Seems odd.

Most sheets in this period are listed at simply a multiple of the single stamp price. Not very helpful. More useful would be to price sheets back to the 1940s and 1950s where some sheets are scarcer than others (at least per Brookman) and priced differently than just the base single stamp price times 50.

For what it's worth, the proofs section *is* in the 2024 digital version of the catalog, as is the section on essays.

As to the panes, my guess is that it is an editorial improvement and with a little luck they will start moving back in time. It should be a relatively easy addition, and an useful one, since there are certainly people who collect panes....but as noted what they do with pricing is another question.

"I could see a two-volume Specialized catalogue but only, hopefully, if both volumes are much cheaper than the one-volume is now. If each volume sold for a hundred bucks, I'd never buy a new catalogue again."
Drew you are spot on, but only if (for example) the revenue section was greatly expanded to include the plethora of currently non listed items. specialist lists and books exist for most of those areas and would open the door to more people needing or using a cat.
making the pictures smaller is imo shooting yourself in both feet. this also goes for the practice of listing the so called "modern counterfeits".

Scott US Specialized 2023 Cover Price US$139.99 (includes Essays and Proofs)

Scott US Specialized 2024 Base Catalogue Cover Price US$139.99
Scott US Specialized 2024 Essays and Proofs US$49.99

Total US Specialized 2024 to equal coverage of 2023 US$189.99
Price increase for full coverage 2023 to 2024 +35.7%

how much additional content has been added now across the two volumes???

Bear in mind though that you will only have access to it for one year. When the 2025 edition comes out you lose access to the 2024 and have to buy the new edition to replace it.