Bob Hunt's flag stamp pages

The situation with flag stamps
(and stamps in general)
and the various catalogs of the world

Who issues those numbers?

 There are lots of catalogs dealing with the identification and classification of postage stamps throughout the world. Some retailers publish their own catalogs, but generally they must use an accepted numbering system or establish their own. A great many of the catalogs deal with specific geographic or topical areas, while only a few deal with worldwide issues.

Perhaps the most popular of the worldwide catalogs are --

One opinion has it that the Yvert & Tellier is more like a (good) price-list, while the Michel gives extensive descriptions & details about variations.

Links to the publishers of the catalogs can be found easily on the web.

Stamp issuing agencies and numbers

Stamp issuing agencies do not employ their own catalog numbers, relying instead on issue dates. And it seems that with all the issuing agencies in the world, there isn't any one format which they follow, in establishing their lists of issues or the regularity with which they publish their information.

There is a movement afoot by an association of issuing agencies, to give each new issue a central number in order to advise the public about the legitimacy of the issue and help avoid "false" issues or counterfeits. However, since the system cannot address all the earlier issues, it might not be the best tool for the dealer or collector in respect to our topic of "flags on stamps".

Problems with cataloging

One of the major problems facing collectors of world-wide "flags on stamps" is the identification and cataloging of the issues. All these major catalogs assign their own numbers in accordance with their own particular criteria. Not all catalogs recognize the same issues of stamps, so the evolution of numbering is different between the different publishers. Not even the issue dates or descriptions of the stamps are identical between the catalogs (probably more of a function of the information provided than by the publishers' idiosyncracies)!

The problem of identifying stamps is solved by the collectors, who use the stamp descriptions, in some modified or abbreviated form, in dealing with the different dealers, collectors, and agencies. The "common denominators" in written stamp descriptions are the (a) reason for the issue, (b) face value, and (c) relationship to/within a concurrent set. These factors are the one set of parameters used by all cataloging systems and probably by all collectors. In the arena of 'flag stamps', a description need not mention that there is a flag in the design (nor any other specific item), only that there was a reason for the issue! "To comment on the obvious is redundant."

Occasionally, attempts at producing concordances, or offering "catalog number exchange services", are made, with different degrees of success. The catalog companies must guard their propietary information from infringement, thus they must be consulted for prior permission before any lists are circulated. If prior permission is not granted, or if publishing criteria are not followed, the publisher of the concordance might find themselves in hot glue.

New list being prepared and offered!

With this in mind, an effort was underway to provide a list of "flags on stamps" in both Stanley Gibbons and Scott numbers. But it became almost impossible to get permission to have both companies represented on the same list, so individual lists are the end project at this time. Eventually, it is hoped that Michel and Y & T numbers can be listed. At this time, permission for this type of concordance, applying specifically to "flags on stamps" by the author, has been given by Gibbons but not by Scott. No permission has been sought from Michel or Y & T because (a) no person has volunteered to cross-number the issues, and (b) no email address for the respective publishers has been found; thus those numbers are not included.

So, if you have something to offer, contact me and I will try to put you in touch with people who might be able to help you with identifying information about your "flag on a stamp". I would like to hear from anyone who has sets of Michel and/or Y&T catalogues and who are willing to help with cross-indexing.

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LINKS TO "FLAGS ON STAMPS" SITES AFFILIATED WITH THIS DISCUSSION:

Richard Mallett's "Flags on Stamps" information site and message group:

LINKS TO MY OTHER FLAG STAMP PAGES:

Last Updated/Changed: December 27, 2005