Cheap and Free Print and Digital Alternatives to the Scott Postage Stamp Catalogue [Ep. 66]

Amos Media seems intent on driving all stamp collectors away from using the Scott Catalogue. Here are some less expensive alternatives, including a couple of free sites, and some low cost country catalogues.

Free:

More affordable than Scott (No affiliations. I don't make anything from your clicking on these links.):

#philately #postagestamps #stampcollecting

[seandolan]

It took me 30 years to realize that a Scott number is NOT a stamp but rather …just a number. I let it go ten years ago and made it simply another resource to study stamps. Sadly, Scott is less and less a resource of choice. I no longer use that catalog much… but I still have my stamps and that’s fine by me! Great video !

[ExploringStamps]

Colnect user here 🙋🏼‍♂️
It’s all I need for my style of collecting. I’ve never used or owned a big brand catalog, and I’m quite happy.
Another important video, Ted. Great job 👏

[yvescote]

Very good research to find alternatives for my research. Your presentations are always greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for your efforts to keep us well guided to make enlightened purchases

[johncampbell]

I’m a 80 year old stamp collector, and I just found your posts after collecting since age 10. Thank you for the informative job you do. I gave up on Scott catalogs after last punching a 2000 set that was four years old when purchased.

[johncollectsstamps]

New subscriber here, I'm UK based and I collect GB and Commonwealth stamps. Love your content, I'm working my way through your episodes. Very informative, entertaining and you have a great sense of humour. Best wishes!

[buckster]

The video and comments provide great information regarding Scott Catalog alternatives. I really like and appreciate your videos. Keep up the good work!!

[Rivcuban]

Wow. I never knew there were so many quality alternatives. Thanks, Ted.

[blaster]

Free Stamp Catalogue by the Dutch online stamp dealer Postbeeld is pretty useful too. Three numbering systems - Scott, Yvert & Michel, are provided in this catalogue alongside every listed stamp.

[mT_atvFKCVHlk]

I purchased a physical set because I like having it and bought a new Scott 2022 set. It was quite expensive but I will be using it for a long time. Wanted something recent because I collect worldwide commemartives from the last 20 years

[mohammedshakoor]

This was an extremely informative episode about catalogues. I don't have the Scott problem here in the UK. I have always borrowed the Stanley Gibbons standard world and QV, commonwealth and 4 Kings catalogues from local libraries. However they started removing them from libraries because they possibly felt they were just taking up too much space.. Saying that I just browsed Better World Books and Abe books for second-hand . If you're willing to wait it out and don't mind it being a few years old, you can pick up a Stanley Gibbons catalogue ex-library for £5 or less..

Like you said they're just sales catalogues and I just as a rule of thumb will pay no more than 10-20% of a stamp catalogue value..which tallies with what you say for retail..

Cool you mentioned isfila. (Can't remember the spelling}.. I came across it on the PTT site as I buy their current issues from them.

I collect Turkiye especially Ottoman and am definitely going to chase it up..

I am the exception to that rule - born mint, never hinged ..😜😜😜😜

[philafuchsberlin-briefmarken]

Thanks for sharing these tips and alternatives. The best thing, beside it is free, of the stampworld-catalogue is, that you can 'build' your own catalogues online, which fits your personal needs. This is very helpful. When it comes to cheap alternative catalogues, i would like to mention the pocket-sized Philex-Catalogues for Germany, Swiss+Liechtenstein, Austria, UN and even Israel. These are less than 20, - € (sometimes less than 10 as bargain!). But i think, they've got they're own numbering-system. For Belgium i can recommend the COB-Catalogue, which is a specialised one for ~35 €.

[DavidWilliams-te]

Thank you for the valuable information. When I go to any stamp show I check out older specialized books and catalogues. The price is right and the only missing information is the most recent which can be patched together.

[raulmenjivar]

Another alternative is your local library, most in the US have access to every Scott catalog. Additionally, older versions of the catalog can be purchased for as little as $10 with free shipping, check your preferred auction site. My stamp club always purchases a set and makes them available to borrow as well.

[gustaaf]

Thanks for all the info, I found it very useful. Sharing is caring.

[voneschenbachmusic]

These are great alternatives - didn't know about all of the other US catalogs that use Scott numbers. My first non-Scott catalog was the DNK German catalog which I got in Germany in the 1990s - it has check boxes for each variant so you can inventory your collection lol

[dannybernard]

My Library loans me the whole year of Scott Catalogs usually for 3 months at a time for free. It does the job. I am in Canada and the Unitrade catalog is a gem.

[buckster]

Hi Ted! I'm going back and watching an older episode because I find myself with recent stamps and older catalogs. Just wanted to say "hey" and I haven't seen a video from you in a while. I hope all is ok.

[AaronTenino]

Thanks. Great info. Sad to see Scott so disconnected from their users.

[knut]

Very useful information…thank you for sharing.

[rogerturner]

Ι purchased the Greek stamp cat of HERMES 2023, it was 15 euros and 675 pg's incl varieties.