More than 6,000 Russian value changes in Vol. 5 of the 2015 Scott standard catalog

Russia, Rwanda, St. Kitts and Samoa are some of the countries with significant value activity in Vol. 5 of the 2015 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue, which includes listings and stamp values for countries of the world N through Samoa.

“The undisputed leader in Volume 5 is Russia with more than 6,000 value changes,” said Scott catalog editor Charles Snee.

Russia has the largest number of listings in Vol. 5 of the standard catalog, so it is no surprise that a thorough review yielded more than 6,000 value changes.

The extensive review started with the stamps of the Russian Soviet Federated Republic and continued through to the present. It also included back-of-the-book issues and the Russia offices abroad.

A number of scarce perforation varieties showed increases. The perf 12½ variety of the 1925 3-ruble Soldier (Scott 324a)jumped to $300 unused in the 2015 catalog, almost eight times its value of $40 last year. A similar robust gain is seen for the perf 12½ 1925 3-kopeck Decembrist Exiles stamp (Scott 333a), which moved from $60 unused and $50 used in 2014 to $200 unused and $100 used this year.

Values are generally up for Russian issues from the 1930s into the 1960s. Scattered declines are noted for issues of the 1970s through the 2000s. Overall, value increases vastly outpace the declines.

Numerous items described in footnotes also saw their values increase.

Also, never-hinged stamps are up substantially, particularly for never-hinged sets.

Some softening of values is seen among the semipostal listings through all years of issue.

Selected early airmail issues showed gains in value, while a mix of increases and decreases characterized the stamps of the 1930s and 1940s.

The very scarce perf 14½ by 14 variety of the 1925 10kop postage due (Scott J16a) is now valued for the first time in unused condition. The value, $21,500, is based on a 2012 auction realization.

Lackluster demand pushed more than 250 values down in the Rhodesian listings. On the positive side, several color-omitted errors of the 1966 definitives (Scott 223-236) showed increases.

Rwanda comes in with slightly more than 800 value changes. Scattered increases are seen for some issues of the early to mid-1960s. Declines, however, are the norm for stamps issued during the 1970s and into the early 1980s.

Rwandan stamps issued in the 1990s show some robust increases. The 1993 Protection of Vegetable Crops set (Scott 1375-1378) soared to $99.50 mint, never hinged and used in the 2015 catalog, from $55 both ways in the 2014 edition.

More than 750 value changes were recorded for the former German territory of Saar. For the most part, we see a mix of increases and decreases, with values for used stamps rising more than falling.

In St. Kitts, more than 850 value changes were made. Issues from 2001 to 2010 showed solid gains in value. For example, the 2001 Royal Navy Submarines Centennial set of two souvenir sheets (Scott 502-503) rose from $19 mint, never hinged and used in 2014 to $29 both ways this year. The $2 Queen Mother Elizabeth $2 pair of 2002 (549) almost tripled in value, moving from $3 mint and used last year to $8 both ways in the 2015 catalog.

Classic issues are up dramatically in Samoa, with more than 1,500 value changes recorded. One error in particular made a huge leap: the surcharged 2½-penny-on-1p Palms of 1898 with inverted surcharge (Scott 28a) jumped from $200 unused and used last year to $850 unused and $425 used in the 2015 catalog.

The cover price for the printed version of Vol. 5 and each subsequent 2015 Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue is $119.99. Linn’s Stamp News subscribers are eligible for a discount when purchasing online direct from the publisher through the Amos Advantage program.

Vol. 6 (countries of the world San Marino through Zululand) will be released in September, followed by the Scott Specialized Catalog of United States Stamps and Covers in October, and the Scott Classic Specialized Catalog of Stamps & Covers 1840-1940 in November.

For more information about the 2015 Scott catalogs, contact your favorite stamp dealer or write to Scott Publishing Co., Box 828, Sidney, OH 45365; or call 800-572-6885.

Information also can be found online at www.amosadvantage.com.