Almost 12,000 value changes in Scott Vol. 1

Almost 12,000 value changes are recorded in Vol. 1 of the 2015 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, which contains listings for the United States, United Nations and countries of the world A-B. More than 2,600 of these changes are recorded for the U.S. and U.N. listings.

“The market for modern material remains steady, while increases are concentrated for older unused, very fine stamps,” said Scott catalog editor Charles Snee.

There are a number of notable increases in the U.S. postage section, including the 1857 3¢ rose Washington stamps (Scott 25 and 25A), both rising in unused condition.

In the airmail section, values for the 1918 24¢ Inverted Jenny airmail error (Scott C3a) have been lowered. In unused condition, the value drops to $400,000, from $450,000 in 2014. A larger drop is seen in never-hinged condition: from $1,100,000 to $850,000. These decreases are based on rather lackluster sales of several examples during the past couple of years.

The bulk of the value changes are concentrated in the postal stationery and U.N. sections.

Values for cut squares continue to drop, a trend that began in earnest last year. Collectors appear to be gravitating toward envelope entires, with action concentrated in used entires.

Of the 1,200 value changes seen in the U.N. listings, increases are concentrated in the modern issues.

A notable error listing in this year’s edition includes the unusual die-cutting-omitted error from the 23¢ Wilma Rudolph booklet pane of 10 (Scott 3436c). The plate number, P44, and the product number on the back of the pane indicate that the new error comes from the printing used to produce the folded booklet without the peel strip in the middle (Scott BK279A). On the error, the peel strip is intact.

There are new listings for the imperforate pairs of the 1940 stock transfer stamps (Scott RD67a-RD85a). The pairs are valued without gum at $250 each.

A new Confederate postmaster’s provisional has been added for Fort Valley, Ga., as Scott 148XU1.

In the U.N./New York section, a new printing variety has been added to the listings for the U.N. Emblem stamp of 1965. Produced using a new plate/cylinder for the dark blue color, the new stamp is Scott 149a. The tagged variety from the Berlin printing has been changed from Scott 149a to 149b.

More than 900 value changes were made in the listings for the Bahamas. Ready availability of stamps from the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II through the early 1990s has kept values steady or slightly declining. Among the handful of increases are the minor varieties of the 1996 Shells definitives that are inscribed 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001. Each of these sets rises about 10 percent.

Other countries in Vol. 1 with substantial numbers of value changes include Benin and Bermuda.

The cover price for the printed version of Vol. 1 and each subsequent 2015 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue volume is $119.99. Linn’s Stamp News subscribers are eligible for a discount when purchasing online direct from the publisher through the Amos Advantage program.

Vol. 2 will be released in May and will contain countries of the world C-F. Vol. 3 (countries of the world G-I) will be released in June, Vol. 4 (countries of the world J-M) in July, Vol. 5 (countries of the world N-Sam) in August, Vol. 6 (countries of the world San-Z) in September, the Specialized Catalog of United States Stamps and Covers in October, and the Classic Specialized Catalog of Stamps and Covers of the World 1840-1940 in November.

For more information about the 2015 Scott catalogs, contact your favorite stamp dealer or write to Scott Publishing Co., Box 828, Sidney, OH 45365, or 800-572-6885.

Information also can be found online at www.amosadvantage.com.