Stamp Catalog Question(S)

About the only thing I've learned as I got older is to ask a lot of questions before you start fooling in unknown areas.

Catalogs. I am a HUGE, HUGE believer in buying the book before the stamp.

The Yvert&Tellier France catalog and the Stanley Gibbons British Commonwealth catalogue are currently en route to my address. I also just got the Unitrade Canada catalogue from petermac.

I do have a couple specific question:

1. For French stamps, Yvert & Tellier seems to be the reference, but there is also a CERES catalog. Does anyone know how this compares? BTW, I am fluent in French, so language isn't an issue.

2. The "cheap" Michel catalogs for Germany are in German. All my ancestors are German, but I don't speak/read a word. Would it be a terrible mistake to buy a German langage edition of Michel or is it possible to navigate around?

3. There are Minkus-Krause catalogs from the early 2000's for US stamps. I don't think they make them anymore. Do these offer any additional or alternative information that the Scott volumes. You can get them used for pretty cheap (probably less than $10 shipped) so I'm thinking about having one as a "second" reference. Are they reliable?


Thanks in advance for any advice/help you can give!


<EDIT - Used "Album" instead of "Catalog">

Hi Prince Afa,

I collect stamp catalogues and handbooks as well as stamps and I get lots of pleasure out of them.

For France, I recommend the new Maury catalogue in two volumes which includes material from the Cérès and Dallay catalogues.

I use Michel catalogues in German for Germany and Europe as a whole and find them very useful even with only a little German.

I'll second Nigel's thoughts on Michel. Once you start getting used to it and have picked up the important words, you will find it useful.
Just go to any German Dictionary if you get stuck.

German-language Michels are still worth it, because (a) Michel puts out a small handbook for English language speakers, and (b) you will know, as an experienced catalogue user, what kind of information you should be expecting to see, and can usually intuit what is being said. Some of the more-verbose explanations can be a struggle, and I had some college-level German. Still worth it for the great information.

WOW! Where else could I get virtually LIVE responses to my question. Check it out!

I ask the question: 34 minutes ago

34 minutes ago Original Question
24 minutes ago nigelc responds
15 minutes ago Londonbus1 responds
14 minutes ago cjd responds

And they all had useful information to share - none were "Great Stamp!" posts.

I'm also sure there will be others who will respond.

I just keep getting overwhelmed by the knowledge that's available here.

Ok. Just got the SG British Commonwealth and the YVert in the mail - but had to go to work.

I am stoked.

I agree with you guys - I'm going to get a Michel's Germany and maybe whatever Michel puts out for Italy.

Sometimes the books are cooler than the stamps. Ooops. Did I say that?

I find that using Google translate for the foreign language catalog solves my problems most of the time.

I have the 2001 Minkus US catalog. There really isn't any technical information in there that cannot be found in the Scott US Specialized.

There are only 2 reasons why I purchased the catalog:
1. I figured I might need to reference the Minkus catalog numbers one day.
2. It only cost me $3 total, brand new.

The catalog includes a card that you can mail in to get a Minkus-Scott cross-reference, but I'm pretty sure that offer is no longer valid.

So far, all this Minkus US catalog has done is balance the weight on my shelf.

True, very true.

50-odd years ago, I was given a 1955 SG to help me deal with my Australian States stamps. Having done some of them, and given up in disgust on the rest, I was leafing idly through it when my eye fell on the Indian States. I was transfixed - like Mr Toad after seeing the Motor Car. I've never looked back, and now, 50 years later, one of the items that particularly caught my attention back then is on its way from an auction in London, and should arrive any day.

Yes, its very dangerous to look through new catalogues

In fact there are Michel catalogues in english language.
Have a look here.

http://www.hummel-buch.de/MICHEL-ca...ish-language


Peter

Now, I actually have a copy of the "Briefmarken-Katalog Deutschland" right in front of me.

It's not that bad. I also like the different styles - Michel, Yvert, Gibbons, etc. We end up with a couple of different sized books.

This thread has got me to thinking about countries to collect. I understand English and French perfectly. Smart money says I should probably just stick with that.

Don't know. I'm guessing you can miss a lot (especially if you collect in countries with other alphabets/type of writing/etc. and you are not versed in them.