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General Philatelic/Newcomer Cnr : Number printed per issue

 

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egertoni
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04 Nov 2017
03:41:52pm
What sources can I turn to find out how many stamps were printed for any particular issue? I'm most interested in the stamps of Great Britain, but any insight into general resources not limited to GB would be of interest. I apologize if this is a topic that's been dealt with elsewhere on Stamporama (the search function for the Discussions isn't very "surgical" so I don't know).
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Pogopossum

04 Nov 2017
08:24:51pm
re: Number printed per issue

The Stanley Gibbons Great Britain Specialised Catalogs list number printed or sold, but I don't see that listed in the Concise. I don't know of an online resource.

Geoff

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egertoni
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04 Nov 2017
09:52:19pm
re: Number printed per issue

Thanks for the word on the Stanley Gibbons specialized catalogues.

Jim

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nigelc
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05 Nov 2017
09:21:45am
re: Number printed per issue

SG publish a useful booklet, Great Britain Numbers Issued 1840 to 1910, which lists the numbers of sheets and stamps issued in this period where these are known:

https://www.stanleygibbons.com/gb-numbers-issued-1840-1910-specialist-stamp-handbooks-r2726.html

My old Michel Europa-Katalog gives numbers issued for British issues up to the end of 1994.

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nigelc
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05 Nov 2017
09:27:37am
re: Number printed per issue

I use a set of three Michel Europa-Katalog volumes from 1998/99 that cover the whole of Europe and they list numbers of stamps or sets issued for most countries and issues.

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doomboy
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05 Nov 2017
09:40:46am
re: Number printed per issue

Stampworld (www.stampworld.com) has distribution figures for a number of nations, including Great Britain. For Canadian stamps, the Unitrade specialized indicates the number of stamps produced in a run. I would assume other specialized catalogues do as well.

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egertoni
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05 Nov 2017
10:13:24am
re: Number printed per issue

Thanks for the additional good leads. StampWorld is useful though it doesn't have numbers for many issues. I wasn't familiar with the Michel Europa-Katalog and will pursue that as well.

Jim

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51Studebaker
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Dialysis, damned if you do...dead if you don't

05 Nov 2017
10:20:22am
re: Number printed per issue

Stamp Smarter lists 'Quantity Issued' (if known) for all US stamps
http://www.stampsmarter.com/1847usa/1847Home.html

Plus, it is free. Big Grin
Don

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"Current Score... Don 1 - Cancer 0"

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larsdog
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APS #220693 ATA#57179

05 Nov 2017
06:20:23pm
re: Number printed per issue

That's a great link, Don!
It looks like a lot of the 19th Century quantities are there. For early 20th Century I depend on Max Johl's book.

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malcolm197

17 Nov 2017
10:50:14am
re: Number printed per issue

You have to be careful how you use this information. Some references show number printed, some number sold - that is number printed less those returned and/or destroyed. Only the latter indicates subsequent scarcity. Even this does not indicate relevant scarcity of mint to used.

As a general rule you can only make a comparison with mint stamps. The use and survival of used stamps is a whole different ball game. In general more stamps per 1000 mint will survive for commemoratives as opposed to definitives, and for low quantity definitives mint can be quite scarce. However whatever the survival rates for used stamps tends to be irrelevant as the number ( as opposed to percentage ) of used definitives is usually far in excess of that required by collectors.

Of course having put down these sweeping generalisations - it is important not to generalise !!

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BenFranklin1902
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Tom in Exton, PA

17 Nov 2017
01:07:14pm
re: Number printed per issue

Case in point would be the USA Zeppelin stamps. The sales were a small fraction of anticipated sales because nobody had the 4.55 face value to spend on a set. Note that you could buy a new car for $455 back then, to appreciate what those stamps cost! Thus the majority of the printing was returned and destroyed. So if you look at the printing numbers they appear fairly common, but look at units sold and it's quite another story!

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Author/Postings
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egertoni

04 Nov 2017
03:41:52pm

What sources can I turn to find out how many stamps were printed for any particular issue? I'm most interested in the stamps of Great Britain, but any insight into general resources not limited to GB would be of interest. I apologize if this is a topic that's been dealt with elsewhere on Stamporama (the search function for the Discussions isn't very "surgical" so I don't know).

Like
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this post
Pogopossum

04 Nov 2017
08:24:51pm

re: Number printed per issue

The Stanley Gibbons Great Britain Specialised Catalogs list number printed or sold, but I don't see that listed in the Concise. I don't know of an online resource.

Geoff

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egertoni

04 Nov 2017
09:52:19pm

re: Number printed per issue

Thanks for the word on the Stanley Gibbons specialized catalogues.

Jim

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nigelc

05 Nov 2017
09:21:45am

re: Number printed per issue

SG publish a useful booklet, Great Britain Numbers Issued 1840 to 1910, which lists the numbers of sheets and stamps issued in this period where these are known:

https://www.stanleygibbons.com/gb-numbers-issued-1840-1910-specialist-stamp-handbooks-r2726.html

My old Michel Europa-Katalog gives numbers issued for British issues up to the end of 1994.

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this post
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nigelc

05 Nov 2017
09:27:37am

re: Number printed per issue

I use a set of three Michel Europa-Katalog volumes from 1998/99 that cover the whole of Europe and they list numbers of stamps or sets issued for most countries and issues.

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
doomboy

05 Nov 2017
09:40:46am

re: Number printed per issue

Stampworld (www.stampworld.com) has distribution figures for a number of nations, including Great Britain. For Canadian stamps, the Unitrade specialized indicates the number of stamps produced in a run. I would assume other specialized catalogues do as well.

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
egertoni

05 Nov 2017
10:13:24am

re: Number printed per issue

Thanks for the additional good leads. StampWorld is useful though it doesn't have numbers for many issues. I wasn't familiar with the Michel Europa-Katalog and will pursue that as well.

Jim

Like
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this post
Members Picture
51Studebaker

Dialysis, damned if you do...dead if you don't
05 Nov 2017
10:20:22am

re: Number printed per issue

Stamp Smarter lists 'Quantity Issued' (if known) for all US stamps
http://www.stampsmarter.com/1847usa/1847Home.html

Plus, it is free. Big Grin
Don

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this post

"Current Score... Don 1 - Cancer 0"

stampsmarter.org
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larsdog

APS #220693 ATA#57179
05 Nov 2017
06:20:23pm

re: Number printed per issue

That's a great link, Don!
It looks like a lot of the 19th Century quantities are there. For early 20th Century I depend on Max Johl's book.

Like
Login to Like
this post

"Expanding your knowledge faster than your collection can save you a few bucks."

stamps.colp.info
malcolm197

17 Nov 2017
10:50:14am

re: Number printed per issue

You have to be careful how you use this information. Some references show number printed, some number sold - that is number printed less those returned and/or destroyed. Only the latter indicates subsequent scarcity. Even this does not indicate relevant scarcity of mint to used.

As a general rule you can only make a comparison with mint stamps. The use and survival of used stamps is a whole different ball game. In general more stamps per 1000 mint will survive for commemoratives as opposed to definitives, and for low quantity definitives mint can be quite scarce. However whatever the survival rates for used stamps tends to be irrelevant as the number ( as opposed to percentage ) of used definitives is usually far in excess of that required by collectors.

Of course having put down these sweeping generalisations - it is important not to generalise !!

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
BenFranklin1902

Tom in Exton, PA
17 Nov 2017
01:07:14pm

re: Number printed per issue

Case in point would be the USA Zeppelin stamps. The sales were a small fraction of anticipated sales because nobody had the 4.55 face value to spend on a set. Note that you could buy a new car for $455 back then, to appreciate what those stamps cost! Thus the majority of the printing was returned and destroyed. So if you look at the printing numbers they appear fairly common, but look at units sold and it's quite another story!

Like
Login to Like
this post

"Check out my eBay Stuff! Username Turtles-Trading-Post"
        

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