US Stamps

Scott eCatalogues provide the content without having to lug around a heavy book

Oct 24, 2014, 5 AM

In case you missed the announcement several months ago, online editions of the Scott catalogs are now available for purchase at scottonline.com.

After going to the website, you first must register for an account. Then you can purchase any of the six volumes of the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, the Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers, and the Scott Classic Specialized Catalogue of Stamps and Covers 1840-1940.

Selected single-country and British Commonwealth and Scandinavia volumes also are available.

The eCatalogues may be viewed on your desktop, as well as on mobile devices.

Viewing on mobile devices is accomplished via the free Scott Postage Stamp Catalogue app, which must be downloaded separately.

To get an idea of how the eCatalogues work, we provide a free sample catalog, along with a free tutorial that shows you how to navigate the website and make purchases.

Right now, you must have an Internet connection to view the catalogs. We are exploring ways to make the eCatalogues you buy true downloads that can be viewed at any time.

One of the biggest complaints we hear about the print catalogs is how heavy they are. Each of the six standard catalog volumes weighs in at 7 to 8 pounds.

If you work frequently with the catalogs, as I and many collectors and dealers do, lugging them around can be quite a chore.

During a typical work day, I get quite a workout moving them back and forth from an elevated shelf next to my computer.

Thankfully, the eCatalogues provide all of the valuable Scott content without all of the weight.

Those who have purchased the eCatalogues thus far have been most helpful in pointing out problems that impede a positive user experience.

Some of these issues were solved fairly quickly. Others are taking more time.

You may rest assured that we are doing all that we can to make the Scott eCatalogues the best they can be.

Circus press sheets

For several weeks now, we have reported that the only way to obtain a mint example of the $2 Circus souvenir sheet is by purchasing The 2014 Stamp Yearbook from the U.S. Postal Service.

A single yearbook will set you back $64.95.

Now the Postal Service is saying that uncut press sheets of the Circus sheet are to be made available.

At this point, the Postal Service has not determined the quantity of press sheets to be printed or whether or not they will have die cuts. We also don’t know the cost of a single press sheet.

What might have prompted this decision?

One possible answer is that production costs might have exceeded revenue from sales of the sheet solely via the yearbook.

I suspect that postal officials realized that an unexpectedly small print run would be needed to supply the Circus sheets for the yearbooks.

Never mind the logistics involved to get the printed sheets processed for inclusion in the books.

Making the Circus press sheets available directly simplifies supply channels and provides collectors and dealers with another means of purchase.