What’s new for 2025 Scott Standard Volume 2

From the Scott Editors by Jay Bigalke

Another catalog season is upon us as we continue the journey of the 156-year history of the Scott catalogs.

The 2025 volumes are the 181st edition of the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue. Volume 2A includes listings for countries of the world, Cambodia through Curacao.

Listings for countries of the world, Cyprus through F, can be found in Vol. 2B.

Because Vol. 2B is a continuation of the first part of the Vol. 2 catalog, the introduction pages are not repeated in each volume this year.

The covers of this year’s catalogs feature a postal theme, a nod to the United States Postal Service’s 250th anniversary in 2025, with a photograph of a letter carrier, courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, shown in the background.

The Canada 46¢ Fish Mailbox stamp (Scott 2150), issued in 2000 in the Decorated Rural Mailboxes set of four (1849-1852), is shown on the cover of the Vol 2A catalog. The Finland 1994 2.80-markka Putting Letters in Mailbox stamp (946d), from a Letter Writing Day souvenir sheet (946), is featured on the cover of the Vol. 2B catalog.

One of the countries in Vol. 2A that annually receives extra attention is Canada and its provinces. More than 1,000 value changes were made for the 2025 edition.

In general, value changes for Canada trended positive, especially for post-1980s definitives. One example was the water-activated 2014 Juvenile Wildlife souvenir sheet of five (Scott 2709), which moved from $11 to $12 in both used and unused condition. The souvenir sheet was largely marketed to stamp collectors, so uses of the stamps from the sheet are more difficult to find.

For Canadian provinces, the almost 200 value changes, with a few exceptions, were slight decreases.

There were 30 or fewer changes each for British Columbia and Vancouver Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.

Newfoundland had the most changes, with approximately 150. The Newfoundland 1860 2-penny Heraldic Flower stamp (Scott 11) moved up in value quite a bit, from $500 unused to $600. The $450 value for a used stamp remained unchanged. That value is in italics to indicate that used examples do not trade frequently.

For Chile, the classic era was reviewed. Approximately 200 value changes, a mix of increases and decreases, were made. For the most part, used values increased.

One noticeable change was for the Chile 1936 10-peso Mining Saltpeter stamp (Scott 197) from the Atacama Desert set, with the value going from $28 used to $32.50.

Colombia was another country with significant value updates. Approximately 3,300 value changes, a mix of increases and decreases, were recorded. One of the major editorial updates was the addition of never-hinged values for stamps from 1940 through 1950.

Cyprus was reviewed, and almost 2,000 value changes were made. Increases and decreases were fairly evenly split across the changes. The pre-1950s issues trended higher, and stamps from the mid-1990s to 2015 showed increases, too. Value changes for stamps from the 1950s through the 1990s were more modest.

A significant review also took place for the Dominican Republic, with roughly 3,600 value changes. A number of used values increased, with many 25¢ minimum values jumping to 40¢. Other used values also increased.

Finally, Ecuador saw approximately 1,200 value changes. One example was the set of four 1984 Olympics stamps (Scott 1054-1057), which moved from $1.90 unused to $3.30, and $1 used to $1.20.

Cilicia, Dubai and Egypt also received careful reviews.

Other countries that were reviewed are not mentioned here. We encourage you to pay special attention to the Number Additions, Deletions and Changes listing in this volume.

We also suggest reading the catalog introduction, which includes an abundance of useful information.

A digital subscription is also available for the Scott catalogs, and information about the subscription can be found on the Amos Advantage website.

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