Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
10:10:56am
Is the 2004 a different catalog or just the 1993 spiral bound?
I'm currently waiting for a 2004 to become available. Is there a large difference between the two issues? Is the difference big enough that the 2004 is a MUST HAVE?
What are your thoughts as to which one I should buy? A 1993 available now or a 2004 available who knows when? I am trying to save myself some headaches trying to identify stamps but I also don't to wait 6 months for a 2004 edition.
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Lisa,
Before you bury yourself in debt buying all of the items you will eventually need for stamp collecting, just sit back and take it one problem at a time. If you have unidentifiable stamps, put them in a stockbook and continue your quest with other stamps. As you go along many of those unidentifiable stamps will actually be easier to identify, with just some time and patience. As long as you remain a "worldwide" collector you will run into a bunch of stamps that will stump you for a bit, but with repitition those little mysteries will be easier. Also your new catalog has a fairly good identifier in it.
Mike
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The identifier book is not a catalog. As Mike said, most catalogs have a decent identifier section. Scott has an identifier and an index that using spellings from the stamps as a supplemental identifier.
There won't be that much of a difference in the identifier editions. If you can get it for a couple of dollars, buy it.
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Dear Lisa,
I dont know whether anyone has pointed you to Ask Phil http://www.askphil.org/
The site has a superb glossary of terms (click on 'Reference Library' on the left hand sidebar, then on 'Glossary of stamp collecting terms)
If you find a country name you can't place have a look in the glossary - there's a fair chance you'll find it. If that fails pick a word or two off the stamp and look these up in the glossary.
If that fails I think you have 3 options:
1. Do what Mike suggests and pop it in a stockbook for later.
2. Curl up with your catalogues and a glass of whatever you fancy and try to find it: This one can be fun/frustrating/educational all at the same time, but you could spend a lot of time and get nowhere.
3. Quickly scan the offending stamp, stick its picture on a Stamporama message, and many people will fall over themselves in the rush to tell you a) where it's from, b) what set it's in, c) its Scott number and catalogue value and d) (if you're very lucky) its Gibbons number and catalogue value. (It may even be me.)
There's a huge amount of stamp knowledge in this club and there's a fair chance that more than one person has the stamp you're puzzling over.
Best wishes,
Merv
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i like Merv and Mike's responses. of course, I never met a reference book I didn't like, but I suspect that this one will be superfulous fast; better you put whatever those funds are and spend them on something more specialized, whenever you know what that is.
In the meantime, I'm going to look to see if I have an extra one of those cheap stamp identifiers from the 50s that might serve as a bridge for the time being.
David
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I remember those little booklets. Used to get one when I requested approvals for the first time from a stamp dealer. They gave those away like crazy. Show up in box lots all the time now.
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11:14:13pm
@ David - that would be great if you could find one! Thank you!
As usual you all are correct. The urge to buy everything I might need someday is overwhelming but I don't have enough money and I do have a pesky mortgage and those darn utilities to pay. I will hold off and see how I do with Scott and some practice and maybe David's help!
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Lisa: This web site might help.
http://www.stampmasteralbum.com/ForeignCountryIdentifier/KeywordIndexR.htm
(Modified by Moderator on 2012-04-22 21:29:24)
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The above responses are all good.
I happen to have the 2004 edition and have found it quite useful since I collect anything worldwide also. The book is 190 pages, the first 50 pages is an alphabetic list of inscriptions and words found on stamps and gives the country responsible, the remainder is mostly black & white stamp illustrations of stamps - stamps with no country indicated and stamps with non English alphabet inscriptions such as eastern Europe, Arabic, and other Asian texts. It doesn't usually illustrate the exact same stamp I have but I can usually find an illustration similar enough to send me to the correct country in the catalog.
All that said, I have seen on-line listings of much of this material at places like AskPhil and others if you look around a little. And like was said above you can always post it here and someone will usually know what it is. Like having your own on-line catalog!
Brian
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Stamp Identifiers
Lisa: I have both the Linn's & the APS books, and I use them both, but there are also other websites, such as http://www.iswsc.org/iswsc_ident.html of the International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors. Their list includes English, Cyrillic and Greek symbols. I thought I had an extra identifier from the 50's from Jamestown Stamp Co but can't locate it now. I haven't found a website yet that includes Arabic and Asian characters, but I'm sure they're out there. Another benefit of the ISWSC site is that it includes a bogus stamp identifier. A quick Google search brought up a lot of possible aids. Have fun. I've been at this since the early 50's & still get stumped.
Roger
(Modified by Moderator on 2012-04-22 21:42:03)
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I was about to point out the one DrMicro mentioned... that site has been a lifesaver for me, although I've got one so heavily cancelled, that I can't find anything on the stamp to read/identify it.
I'll probably get it scanned tomorrow for the board to see if they can tell me what I'm missing on it...
Of course, after the fiasco of today, I'm avoiding touching anything til tomorrow... Damn blasted Nicaraguan stamps made their 'wording' on the back of these stamps water soluble and I literally made "spanish alphabet soup" while soaking them...
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Lisa: After several days of "you gotta be kidding" stuff, I've had a chance to look at what I have. I started out with "The Stamp Finder" from 'The Philatelic Institute' (I think I actually got it from the Jamestown Stamp Co in 1952 or so. About the same time I got the "All Nations Stamp Finder & Dictionary", 1952 ed from Harold Cohn of Chicago (I now also have the 1980 ed). Along the way I picked up "Identify Your Stamps" by Erwin J Felix (1967) and "How to Collect Stamps" by HE Harris & Co of Boston. I have also gotten copies of the Unitrade "Postage Stamp Identifier" and the APS & Linns stamp identifiers. The 1st one was my basic reference for years, then supplemented by the 1980 "All Nations". The Unitrade & APS are disappointing because there are few if any images, and the iwsc site is just as good for character reference. But I am image or pattern oriented, and for newer identifiers the Linns is the best. The older Harris & Felix books are good but only rarely available on ebay or other sales sites. I like the Linns because the images are large, whereas in most of the older books the images are small and many times "smudgey" (is that a word?). My career depended on the ability to recognize patterns & images so that is my preference. If you can find the older items they can be very useful. But I do recommend the Linns. Mine is the 1993 edition & I see no reason to replace it.
Roger
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It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle Onassis
21 Apr 2012
10:10:56am
It was recommended that I purchase a Linn's Stamp Identifier book to help with identifying those stamps that I will not be familiar with right off the bat. Of course, as a newbie, there are a LOT of stamps I won't be familiar with. I have found what I believe are the "latest" versions, a 1993 paperback and a 2004 spiral bound book. Here are my questions, if anyone can help...
Is the 2004 a different catalog or just the 1993 spiral bound?
I'm currently waiting for a 2004 to become available. Is there a large difference between the two issues? Is the difference big enough that the 2004 is a MUST HAVE?
What are your thoughts as to which one I should buy? A 1993 available now or a 2004 available who knows when? I am trying to save myself some headaches trying to identify stamps but I also don't to wait 6 months for a 2004 edition.
Login to Like
this post
re: Linn's Stamp Identifier
Lisa,
Before you bury yourself in debt buying all of the items you will eventually need for stamp collecting, just sit back and take it one problem at a time. If you have unidentifiable stamps, put them in a stockbook and continue your quest with other stamps. As you go along many of those unidentifiable stamps will actually be easier to identify, with just some time and patience. As long as you remain a "worldwide" collector you will run into a bunch of stamps that will stump you for a bit, but with repitition those little mysteries will be easier. Also your new catalog has a fairly good identifier in it.
Mike
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12:04:04pm
re: Linn's Stamp Identifier
The identifier book is not a catalog. As Mike said, most catalogs have a decent identifier section. Scott has an identifier and an index that using spellings from the stamps as a supplemental identifier.
There won't be that much of a difference in the identifier editions. If you can get it for a couple of dollars, buy it.
Login to Like
this post
re: Linn's Stamp Identifier
Dear Lisa,
I dont know whether anyone has pointed you to Ask Phil http://www.askphil.org/
The site has a superb glossary of terms (click on 'Reference Library' on the left hand sidebar, then on 'Glossary of stamp collecting terms)
If you find a country name you can't place have a look in the glossary - there's a fair chance you'll find it. If that fails pick a word or two off the stamp and look these up in the glossary.
If that fails I think you have 3 options:
1. Do what Mike suggests and pop it in a stockbook for later.
2. Curl up with your catalogues and a glass of whatever you fancy and try to find it: This one can be fun/frustrating/educational all at the same time, but you could spend a lot of time and get nowhere.
3. Quickly scan the offending stamp, stick its picture on a Stamporama message, and many people will fall over themselves in the rush to tell you a) where it's from, b) what set it's in, c) its Scott number and catalogue value and d) (if you're very lucky) its Gibbons number and catalogue value. (It may even be me.)
There's a huge amount of stamp knowledge in this club and there's a fair chance that more than one person has the stamp you're puzzling over.
Best wishes,
Merv
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this post
re: Linn's Stamp Identifier
i like Merv and Mike's responses. of course, I never met a reference book I didn't like, but I suspect that this one will be superfulous fast; better you put whatever those funds are and spend them on something more specialized, whenever you know what that is.
In the meantime, I'm going to look to see if I have an extra one of those cheap stamp identifiers from the 50s that might serve as a bridge for the time being.
David
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this post
08:48:44pm
re: Linn's Stamp Identifier
I remember those little booklets. Used to get one when I requested approvals for the first time from a stamp dealer. They gave those away like crazy. Show up in box lots all the time now.
Login to Like
this post
It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. - Aristotle Onassis
21 Apr 2012
11:14:13pm
re: Linn's Stamp Identifier
@ David - that would be great if you could find one! Thank you!
As usual you all are correct. The urge to buy everything I might need someday is overwhelming but I don't have enough money and I do have a pesky mortgage and those darn utilities to pay. I will hold off and see how I do with Scott and some practice and maybe David's help!
Login to Like
this post
12:09:44am
re: Linn's Stamp Identifier
Lisa: This web site might help.
http://www.stampmasteralbum.com/ForeignCountryIdentifier/KeywordIndexR.htm
(Modified by Moderator on 2012-04-22 21:29:24)
Login to Like
this post
re: Linn's Stamp Identifier
The above responses are all good.
I happen to have the 2004 edition and have found it quite useful since I collect anything worldwide also. The book is 190 pages, the first 50 pages is an alphabetic list of inscriptions and words found on stamps and gives the country responsible, the remainder is mostly black & white stamp illustrations of stamps - stamps with no country indicated and stamps with non English alphabet inscriptions such as eastern Europe, Arabic, and other Asian texts. It doesn't usually illustrate the exact same stamp I have but I can usually find an illustration similar enough to send me to the correct country in the catalog.
All that said, I have seen on-line listings of much of this material at places like AskPhil and others if you look around a little. And like was said above you can always post it here and someone will usually know what it is. Like having your own on-line catalog!
Brian
Login to Like
this post
re: Linn's Stamp Identifier
Stamp Identifiers
Lisa: I have both the Linn's & the APS books, and I use them both, but there are also other websites, such as http://www.iswsc.org/iswsc_ident.html of the International Society of Worldwide Stamp Collectors. Their list includes English, Cyrillic and Greek symbols. I thought I had an extra identifier from the 50's from Jamestown Stamp Co but can't locate it now. I haven't found a website yet that includes Arabic and Asian characters, but I'm sure they're out there. Another benefit of the ISWSC site is that it includes a bogus stamp identifier. A quick Google search brought up a lot of possible aids. Have fun. I've been at this since the early 50's & still get stumped.
Roger
(Modified by Moderator on 2012-04-22 21:42:03)
Login to Like
this post
re: Linn's Stamp Identifier
I was about to point out the one DrMicro mentioned... that site has been a lifesaver for me, although I've got one so heavily cancelled, that I can't find anything on the stamp to read/identify it.
I'll probably get it scanned tomorrow for the board to see if they can tell me what I'm missing on it...
Of course, after the fiasco of today, I'm avoiding touching anything til tomorrow... Damn blasted Nicaraguan stamps made their 'wording' on the back of these stamps water soluble and I literally made "spanish alphabet soup" while soaking them...
Login to Like
this post
re: Linn's Stamp Identifier
Lisa: After several days of "you gotta be kidding" stuff, I've had a chance to look at what I have. I started out with "The Stamp Finder" from 'The Philatelic Institute' (I think I actually got it from the Jamestown Stamp Co in 1952 or so. About the same time I got the "All Nations Stamp Finder & Dictionary", 1952 ed from Harold Cohn of Chicago (I now also have the 1980 ed). Along the way I picked up "Identify Your Stamps" by Erwin J Felix (1967) and "How to Collect Stamps" by HE Harris & Co of Boston. I have also gotten copies of the Unitrade "Postage Stamp Identifier" and the APS & Linns stamp identifiers. The 1st one was my basic reference for years, then supplemented by the 1980 "All Nations". The Unitrade & APS are disappointing because there are few if any images, and the iwsc site is just as good for character reference. But I am image or pattern oriented, and for newer identifiers the Linns is the best. The older Harris & Felix books are good but only rarely available on ebay or other sales sites. I like the Linns because the images are large, whereas in most of the older books the images are small and many times "smudgey" (is that a word?). My career depended on the ability to recognize patterns & images so that is my preference. If you can find the older items they can be very useful. But I do recommend the Linns. Mine is the 1993 edition & I see no reason to replace it.
Roger
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