ALMOST 14,000 VALUE CHANGES RECORDED IN
2007 SCOTT SPECIALIZED CATALOGUE OF U.S. STAMPS & COVERS

There are almost 14,000 value changes in the 2007 U.S. Specialized Catalogue, and more than 2,500 of these are in the Postage section up to Scott 771. In the entire Postage section, there are more than 4,000 value changes, almost all increases. The other value changes are well spread throughout the entire volume, with large numbers of changes seen in Special Deliveries, Postage Dues, Officials, Newspapers and Periodicals, Revenues and United Nations.

"The relatively large number of value increases found in the 2007 U.S. Specialized is attributed to the frenetic activity for stamps in the higher grades, which has given the market a certain soundness, according to Scott Catalogue editor James Kloetzel. The companion volume to the U.S. Specialized Catalogue, the Scott 2007 Fall edition of the United States Specialized Valuing Supplement, provides detailed valuing of the more expensive U.S. stamps in seven different grades from Very Good to Superb.

There are value increases in selected classic issues starting with Scott 1, the 1847 5¢ red brown Franklin, which moves to $600 from $575 in the 2006 U.S. Specialized. Scott 2, its 10¢ counterpart, climbs to $1,400 from $1,350 last year. Among the 1861 issues, Scott 63, the 1¢ blue stamp, moves to $375 unused and $50 used, from $350 unused and $40 used in 2006.

The 1¢ Z Grill becomes by far the most valuable single stamp in the 2007 U.S. Specialized Catalogue, moving from last year's price of $935,000 to a whopping $3,000,000 used in this year's catalogue. The 1875 Reissues of the 1861-66 issues, Scott 166-177, all increase in value unused by about 10 percent, with even larger increases in the used column. Many Banknote issues from 1870 on rise in value unused and/or used. The 1870 2¢ red brown, Scott 146, moves to $400 unused and $17.50 used, from $350 unused and $15 used last year. The 1880 Special Printings of the 1879 issue, Scott 192-204, generally show increased values.

A number of notable increases appear among modern issues that have become elusive in the marketplace. The 2000 pane with Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote with an imperforate stamp at the right zips to $40 mint never hinged from just $9 last year and $14 in the 2007 Volume 1. The 2001 Porky Pig pane with imperforate stamp, Scott 3535, zooms to $60 mint never hinged from $12.50 last year and $30 in the 2007 Volume 1.

Other items of note include the 2000 Berries coil, Scott 3404-3407; the 2000 (37¢) nondenominated Flowers coil, Scott 3462-3465; and plate blocks of four with water-activated gum, Scott 3467, 3616, 3620 and 3629F. Some of the value increases here are huge.

On the editorial side, 27 new Earliest Documented Use dates have been recorded in the Postage section, four in the Vending and Affixing Machine Perforations area, and two new dates in the Imperforate Flat Plate Coils.

Watermark orientation errors have been listed for the first time for the 1¢ deep green and 2¢ orange red regular issues of 1898-1900, Scott 279 and 279Bd. These errors are vertical watermarks on sheet stamps that were supposed to be printed only on horizontally watermarked paper. The new numbers for the vertically watermarked errors are Scott 279a and 2798Be. The 2¢ booklet pane of six, formerly Scott 279Be, has been moved to the end of the 2¢ sheet stamps and becomes Scott 279Bj.

Values for never-hinged stamps have been added for all early Postage Dues, Scott J1-J7 and J15-J28, that were previously valued only hinged. The listings for Newspaper and Periodical Stamps have grown more sophisticated with the additions of listings for unused stamps without gum and the inclusion of used values for Scott PR9-PR32 for both manuscript cancels and handstamp or blue brush cancels. Collectors and dealers should find the new listings much more informative than the previous listings.

The Fall U.S. Specialized Valuing Supplement is also available. The supplement features expanded valuing information for selected U.S. stamps in the following grades: Superb, Extremely Fine-Superb, Extremely Fine, Very Fine, Fine-Very Fine, Fine and Very Good. Like the catalogue, the supplement also has full color stamp images.

The cover price for the printed version of the 2007 U.S. Specialized is $57.99. The CD-ROM price is $54.99. A package that includes print and CD-ROM versions of the Specialized is also available for $94.99. The Fall U.S. Specialized Valuing Supplement is priced individually at $16.99 or together with the printed version of the U.S. Specialized for $64.99. The Classic Specialized will be released in November.

For more information about the 2007 Scott Catalogues and CDs contact your favorite stamp dealer or write to Scott Publishing Co., Box 828, Sidney, OH 45365, or call 1-800-572-6885. Information can also be found online at www.amosadvantage.com