Canadian Stamp Auctions

Stamp market commentary

Commentary No. 60 - 17 June, 2004

The New 2005 Scott Catalogue - Our Review & Comments

The 2005 Scott catalogue, Volume 2, became available in Canada in mid-May. The cost was $83 Cdn. at a local dealer. The catalogue contained 1,100 price increases, but they were narrowly focused in three areas. First, Canada’s imperforate stamps, second some of Canada’s used stamps and, third, a large group of Canada’s recent issues. These latter increases, while plentiful, were minor in amounts. Here is a quick summary of the pricing changes:
Early Canada to Cents issue
No changes

Large Queens
2¢ (used) increased

Small Queens
1¢, 3¢, 5¢, 6¢, 8¢, 20¢ (used only) increased
Almost all imperforates increased

Jubilees, Maple Leafs & Numerals
2 increases - Scott 77e and 85

Edward VII
10¢, 20¢ and 50¢ (used) increased
Scott 90c major increase

Quebec Tercentenary
All NH imperforates increased

Admirals
10 increases – Scott 105c, 107d, 109b, 110a – 122a, 110a – 122a(NH), 123, 124, 126c, 139, 140 (all NH)

Modern
1920s – Scott 159
1930s – Scott 163d, 173a, 190a, 195c-201a, 202a, 203a, 204a, 208a, 209a, 210a, 211a-216b, 217c-227a, 231a-236a, 241b-245b and 246a-248a.
1940s – Scott 249d-262a
1950s – Scott 387a (Inverted Seaway)
1960s – Scott 468Ac and 468Bd
1970s – Scott 549a, 550a, 591a, 741b and 747b
1980s – Scott 1159a, 1171c, 1175a and 1194 Cg
1990s – Scott 1283a – 1286b, 1356b, 1441a, 1521a, 1522a, 1630b, 1683a, 1724b, 1764a and 1764b
2000s – Scott 1867b

Back of the book
2 increases – Scott F3 and O46a

Stamp prices are improving!

Clearly the trend is upwards, but it is spotty. For specific details, please click on the following links:

Noticeable Price Increases in the 2005 Catalogue

New Listings

The increases listed above account for only 135 of the 1100 changes announced by Scott for Canada this year. From what we could see, the remaining 965 changes were minor in nature, almost too minor to mention and mostly found in the stamps issued after 1993.

If one were to eliminate the increases in some of Canada’s early used stamps and the increases in the imperforate stamps, there would be little to talk about. Collectors will quickly realize this as they use the catalogue to value their collections.

We give credit to Scott for having recognized the increasing value of Canada’s imperforate stamps. However, it is our experience that many of Canada’s stamps issued in the period 1870 to 1940 have been steadily increasing in value in the past three years. This is clearly shown in our 10 Year Record of Prices and in our list of 2004 New Record Prices. However in all cases, the prices we record are for very fine investment quality material which comes up at auction.

We recently had a chance to discuss the state of the stamp market with a local dealer and were advised that it was not very exciting. Perhaps the gap between the prices for the ordinary stamps in the market and those of very fine quality is as wide as ever. This means that the stamps of ordinary quality are not in great demand and this is what is reflected in the Scott catalogue, while the stamps of superior quality continue to be in great demand and this is what is reflected in the auction prices. It must be very difficult for the ordinary collector to understand all this.

Here are a few interesting statistics:

Biggest dollar value increases in the 2005 Scott Catalogue

$6000

–
Scott 105c-109d

$3000

–
Scott 77e

$3000

–
Scott 90c

$1250

–
Scott 1630a

$1000

–
Scott 387a

$800

–
Scott 96a-103a

$650

–
Scott 241b-245b

Biggest percentage increases between 2004 – 2005

100%

–
Scott 1867b

83%

–
Scott 1630a

70%

–
Scott 1283a-1286b

66%

–
Scott 94 used

43%

–
Scott 95 used

41%

–
Scott 246a-248a

Biggest percentage increases between 2000 – 2005

83%

–
Scott 85

80%

–
Scott 209a

73%

–
Scott 190a

70%

–
Scott 202a, 203a, 204a and 205a

70%

–
Scott 1283a- 1286b