Full color stamp illustrations are now part of the listings in the Scott U.S. Specialized Catalogue. There are a number of significant editorial changes and enhancements that have been made in this year’s U.S. Specialized catalogue. One of the most important changes is the raising to full major number status the perforated 12¢ black Washington stamp from plate 3 issued in 1860. This stamp was minor-number Scott 36b until this year, but it is now major-number 36B. The reasoning behind this change appears in the first of two Special Feature articles in this year’s edition. “The different plate-making techniques created significantly different stamps visually, and these differences are at least as important as the long-accepted differences between many of the 1¢, 3¢ and 10¢ stamps of the same series. The new listings bring the treatment of the 12¢ stamps more closely into line with these other denominations,” according to Scott Catalogue Editor James Kloetzel. A second Special Feature article, by collector and respected philatelic researcher Edward (Ted) Liston, explains the editorial decision to delete from the Scott catalogue the so-called “China Clay” Washington/Franklin stamps, formerly accorded minor-number status as Scott 331b-332b and 333a-340a. A great deal of research and testing has led to the inescapable conclusions that the stamps formerly listed as “China Clay” varieties have nothing to do with China clay, were not a paper experiment similar to the Blue Paper experimentation that created Scott 357-366 and 369, and were not a paper-making error (except to the degree that the paper was somewhat to quite a bit under the Bureau of Engraving and Printing specifications). The Booklet Panes and Covers section has been revamped to make it easier to use. The section was upgraded in three ways. First, the illustrations of the complete booklet panes are now shown, rather than the small portions of the panes shown previously. Second, the listings for each booklet immediately follow the illustration of the booklet pane(s) involved, making it easy to match a pane or booklet to the illustration and going directly to the appropriate listing. Third, the booklet covers have been integrated into listings and pane illustrations, so it is no longer necessary to page back to a separate booklet cover section. Other editorial changes have been made in the 2009 U.S. Specialized including new earliest-documented-use dates, as well as new varieties listed in the 1934-44 Overrun Countries issue, Scott 909-921. There are new, major numbers in the R.F. overprints section following the Air Post listings, in the Local stamps section, in the Stamped Envelopes, in the Revenues, in the Essays and Proofs, in the Post Office Seals, in the Test stamps, and in the Confederate States Postmasters’ Provisionals. Observant collectors may remember that last year a number of listings and footnotes concerning imperforate or part-perforate items from 1979 to 1993 were either deleted or had their footnotes changed, indicating that the stamps were actually proofs from the American Bank Note Co. archives that had been sold into the marketplace. This year a new group of listings appears in the Die and Plate Proof section chronicling in detail these interesting items. There are 14,600 value changes in the 2009 U.S. Specialized Catalogue, and more than 4,800 of these changes are in the Postage section and more than 4,600 in the Revenue section. There are some very large value increases among the rarer stamps in the Classic period, including rare 1867 Grills, later Special Printings, Inverted Centers including Scott 121b, Scott 296a and Scott C3a. A few lower-value Classic stamps also rose in value, including the 3 cent perforated type II, Scott 25A, which climbs to $450 used from $375 last year.

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Lists US & Countries A-B

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More than 58,000 value changes have been recorded in Volume 1. The large number of changes is the result of both strong overseas markets and worldwide currency fluctuations that have seen the U.S. dollar drop against other strong currencies. Almost 4,700 value changes were made in the United States, U.S. possessions and United Nations sections of Volume 1, and almost all the value changes in the U.S. section are upward. Various 19th century stamps rise in value on a selected basis, reflecting market results over the past six months. This includes the St. Louis Bears Postmaster Provisionals, Scott 11X1-11X8, which advanced in the 2008 Scott United States Specialized Catalogue and now advance once again in the 2009 Volume 1. Strong gains were also made for some back of the book items such as the 1879 1¢ - 50¢ Postage Due Special Printings, along with scattered increases in the Officials. More than 23,000 value changes were made for stamps of the British Commonwealth, with Australia leading the way with more than 4,800 changes. The Australian market remains quite strong for both the Australian States and Australia proper.NOW AVAILABLE !!!!

There are 18 different countries in Volume 2 with more than 1,000 value changes. Worldwide currency fluctuations and demand continue to propel the large number of changes made in this year’s catalogue. More than 7,000 changes were made in France alone. Other countries with large number of changes include Canada with more than 5,500, Czechoslovakia 3,235, Denmark 3,128, Finland 2,630 and China 1,914. All totaled more than 59,000 value changes were recorded in the 2009 edition of Volume 2.

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Almost 50,000 value changes were made in this year’s Volume 3. Leading the way is Great Britain with 4,543 changes. More than 3,700 changes were made in Germany, 3,242 in Italy, 1,771 in Indonesia and more than 1,525 in Iceland. An active market and a strong British pound combine to push British Area values considerably higher overall. In India more than 3,800 value changes were made with increases of 20% or more for stamps from the 1930s to date. 

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Value changes in large numbers have been made across the board in Volume 4. Leading the way is Mongolia with 3,583 followed by Libya with 3,433, New Zealand with 2,937, Monaco with 2,188 and more than 1,200 each in Jamaica and North Korea. The gains of many foreign currencies against the U.S. dollar continue to propel the large number of value changes. More than 32,800 changes were made. 

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A record number of value changes have been made for 20 countries in Volume 5. The value change leader is Romania with 4,779. Other countries with large changes are Russia (4,148), San Marino (2,916), Saudi Arabia (2,611), Poland (2,410) and Sierra Leone (2,104). More than 1,000 value changes have been made for 15 different countries.

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Lists Countries So-Z (Except US, UN & others listed in Volume 1)

The 36,172 changes made in the 2009 edition of Volume 6, which includes countries of the world So-Z, brings the total this year to 274,129. "The exchange rate continues to be the catalyst for many of these changes. The market for stamps denominated in euros, British pounds, Canadian dollars and other various foreign currencies are largely made in the home countries, and anyone who wants to compete for those stamps must compete with those home-country buyers who are using their own strong currencies. This means that it will take more U.S. dollars to buy those stamps, and it will take more U.S. dollars for U.S. dealers to replenish their stocks," according to Scott Catalogue editor, James Kloetzel. Yugoslavia sees the most changes in this volume, with 3,201 value changes made. New values begin to appear with the general issues of 1921. The 1923 1d-30d King Alexander set of five, Scott 22-26, shows a big jump to $101.03 unused from $68.65 unused in the 2008 Volume 6. An even larger increase in value is seen in the 1928 1d-30d set of 10 overprinted semi-postals of 1926, Scott 53-62, which leaps to $246.50 unused and $14.85 used, from just $124 unused and $10.20 used last year. The back-of-the-book issues of Yugoslavia also see value increases, including the stamps of Ljubljana, Istria and Trieste. In South Africa, more than 3,000 value changes have been made, with most of the changes being fairly modest increases of 10 to 15 percent. The 1954 1/2p-10sh Animal set, Scott 200-213, is a good example of what South African stamps with a good topic have done over the past year. It rises to $40.00 mint never hinged and $8.90 used, from $35.45 mint never hinged and $8.05 used last year. Value changes in the self-governing Tribal Homelands issues also are numerous, with occasional value decreases but generally value advances. A new illustration has been added to the se-tenant English-Afrikaans pictorials of 1933-54, thus correcting a long-standing illustration error in the catalogue. The illustration should end the confusion felt by many concerning the 2p denominations of these popular stamps. Other countries with large numbers of value changes are Tanzania (2,322), Somalia (1,877), Wallis & Futuna Islands (1,683), Thailand (1,654), Turks & Caicos Islands (1,517), Sri Lanka (1,498), Virgin Islands (1,333), Solomon Islands (1,083) and Sudan (1,064). Other countries with significant numbers of value changes include Somali Coast, Trinidad & Tobago, Tristan da Cunha, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, South Vietnam, People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe. There is a new major number for Solomon Islands. Scott 884A is the 1991 7c Sweet Potato Weevil which was overprinted "China '99" in red in 1999 for the International Stamp Exhibition in Beijing. This stamp, valued at $1.75 both mint never hinged and used, was widely available from the Solomon Islands as well as at the exhibition, and as such merits a major Scott listing. 

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