MORE THAN 16,000 VALUE CHANGES RECORDED IN VOLUME 1
OF THE 2008 SCOTT POSTAGE STAMP CATALOGUE

U.S. listings lead the way with 4,136 new values recorded. Significant activity was also recorded in Antigua, Australia and the Australian States, Bahamas, and the Belgian Congo. Volume 1 covers the United States and possessions, United Nations and countries of the world A-B. "If you have not checked Scott values recently, it is time you did so, especially with the volume of activity from year to year. Values overall have increased during the last five years, and many values have increased significantly. During that time period, more than 645,000 values have been changed in the Scott Standard Catalogue. Staying on top of the current market will allow you to make better buying and selling decisions," according to Scott Catalogue Editor, James Kloetzel.

Value changes in the United States section are concentrated in the scarcer classic issues. There are new, higher values for lower-valued classics, such as Scott 11, the 1851 3¢ imperforate, which rises to $325 unused, $105 unused without gum and $15 used, from $300 unused, $100 unused without gum and $14 used in the 2007 U.S. Specialized catalogue. There are also higher values for higher-valued classics, such as Scott 12, the 1856 5¢ imperforate, which jumps significantly to $30,000 unused and $12,500 unused without gum, from $21,000 unused and $9,500 unused without gum last year.

In modern United States, the 2000 Space souvenir sheets, Scott 3409-3413, continue to rise in value. From $110 for the mint set in the 2007 U.S. Specialized catalogue, they now rise in 2008 by more than ten percent to $124.50. Collectors of Back-of-the-Book issues will note that values for used Offices in China stamps are up sharply, as are values for used Newspaper stamps.

On the editorial side, values for never-hinged stamps have been added in the Postage Dues section (Scott J1-J7, J15-J28) and also in the Officials section (Scott O1-O120). Also, values for unused stamps without gum have been added in the Newspapers and Periodicals section (Scott PR9-PR32, PR57-PR96). Other additions include a large number of error listings, beginning with Scott 249a, a double impression listing for the 1894 2¢ carmine lake definitive.

Expanded valuing information for U.S. stamps can be found in the Spring U.S. Specialized Valuing Supplement. The expanded grades that are valued in the 2008 supplement include the following categories; Superb, Extremely Fine-Superb, Extremely Fine, Very-Fine-Extremely Fine, Very Fine, Fine-Very Fine, Fine and Very Good. Definitions and illustrations are provided for the eight stamp grades. Numbered grading has been added to the verbal descriptions.

Values in Antigua are a mixed bag, with some decreased values in the early issues, but values moderately increasing selectively after about 1932. Scott 1, the 1862 6p blue green, drops slightly to $900 unused from $950 last year. One of the issues on the rise is the 1983 set picturing fruits, Scott 708-725, which is up in value about 10 percent.

The Australian market remains quite vigorous, particularly for earlier issues. The 1913 £2 Roo, Scott 15, increases to $5,000 unused and $10,000 mint never hinged, from $4,500 unused and $8,750 mint never hinged last year. There are many increases for never-hinged stamps, effectively raising the size of the never-hinged premium for many of the early issues. The 1932 5sh Sydney Harbor Bridge, Scott 132, rises to $475 unused from $450 unused last year, but its never-hinged value increases at a greater percentage to $1,100 mint never hinged from just $950 mint never hinged last year. A significant increase for modern material includes the self-adhesive Greetings set of 2005, Scott 2439-2447, which jumps to $28.75 mint never hinged and used, from $20.10 both ways in 2007.

In the Bahamas, 19th century values are mixed. The 1860 1p dull lake Victoria, Scott 1, rises to $70 unused from $62.50 last year. In used condition, the value remains at $1,700. The 1930 1p-3sh Seal of the Bahamas set, Scott 85-89, shows a drop in value to $79.75 unused and $189.75 used, from $90.50 unused and $214 used in the 2007 Volume 1. Many issues in the mid- and late-20th century show modest increases.

Some values in the Belgian Congo are up significantly. One set showing a huge increase in value is the 1952-53 10c-100fr Flowers, Scott 263-284, which shoots to $66.50 mint never hinged from just $26.90 last year.

The cover price for the printed version of Volume 1 and each subsequent 2008 Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue Volume is $65.99. The CD-ROM price for Volume 1 is $59.99. The Spring 2008 U.S. Specialized Valuing Supplement is $16.99. A special package that includes the printed versions of Volume 1 and the Valuing Supplement is $69.99. A package that includes print and CD-ROM versions of Volume 1 is also available for $99.99. Volume 2 will be released in May and will contain Countries of the World C-F. Volume 3 (Countries of the World G-I) will be released in June, Volume 4 (Countries of the World J-O) in July, Volume 5 (Countries of the World P-Slovenia) in August, Volume 6 (Countries of the World Solomon Islands-Z) in September, the U.S. Specialized and the Fall U.S. Specialized Valuing Supplement in October, and the Classic Specialized in November.

For more information about the 2008 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