Limaye’s Big Blue Catalog Value Project (Countries A-L) Updated 8/6/17

The following information is reproduced with the kind permission of Dilip R. Limaye:
"The tables below provide the total catalog values of mint and used stamps in the Scott International Volume I (1840-1940) album (1943 Edition). The following approach was used to estimate these values: Information from Jim Jackson's blog (http://bigblue1840-1940.blogspot.com) was used as the baseline information to document the album spaces. The blog information was modified to reflect the actual spaces in the 1943 album used by me to document  my collection.

Catalog values (CVs) for mint and used stamps from the Scott 2017 Classic Specialized Catalogue were entered for each space. Where the blog provided multiple choices (particularly for the “blank” spaces), the items in my collection were used. The CVs were then aggregated by country.

For example, the table for the 22 “A” countries shows that the total number of spaces (in the 1943 album) is 1,975. If all these spaces were filled with mint (unused) stamps the CV would be $48,045.05. If they were filed with used stamps, the CV would be $11,687.70. If each space was filled with the lower cost option (lowest of mint and used), the CV would be $5,346.50.

Questions, comments and requests for clarification on the table may be submitted as comments to this page.

SUMMARY OF "A" COUNTRIES

The CV for the mint stamps is highly skewed by Austria, which represents over 80% of the total CV. This high number results from the very high CVs of Lombardy-Venetia stamps (five of these add up to a CV of $21,775) and the early Austria stamps 1850-1863, many of which have a CV exceeding $1,000 each.

Abyssinia is designated as Ethiopia in later editions of Scott Volume I.

SUMMARY OF "B" COUNTRIES

The table shows that the total number of spaces for the B countries (in the 1943 album) is 2,172. If all these spaces were filled with Mint (unused) stamps the CV would be $23,066.0. If they were filled with used stamps, the CV would be $19,578.05. If each space was filled with the lower cost option (lowest of mint and used), the CV would be $5,084.05.

SUMMARY OF "C" COUNTRIES

The high CV of mint stamps results from Canada and Canal Zone which together represent almost 60% of the total CV. The CV for these countries for used stamps is only about 20% of the mint CVs. On the other hand, Korea (listed as Corea in my album) shows a total CV for used stamps to be 10 times higher than that for mint stamps. Interesting, isn’t it?”

SUMMARY OF "D" COUNTRIES

Continuing my slow but steady progress with the Big Blue Catalog Project, I am providing below the total catalog values of mint and used stamps in the Scott International Volume I (1840-1940) album (1943 Edition) for the “D” and “E” countries. As indicated earlier (repeated here for those who may not have read the earlier blog) the following approach was used to estimate these values.

Information from Jim’s blog (http://bigblue1840-1940.logspot.com) was used as the baseline information to document the album. The blog information was modified to reflect the actual spaces in the 1943 album used by me to document my collection.

Catalog values (CVs) for mint and used stamps from the Scott 2017 Classic Specialized Catalogue were entered for each space. Where the blog provided multiple choices (particularly for the “blank” spaces), the items in my collection were used. The CVs were then aggregated by country.

The table shows that the total number of spaces for the D countries (in the 1943 album) is 1,994. If all these spaces were filled with Mint (unused) stamps the CV would be $6,978.93 If they were filled with used stamps, the CV would be $3,512.66. If each space was filled with the lower cost option (lowest of mint and used), the CV would be $2313.76. Some notes are provided at the end of the tables.

SUMMARY OF "E" COUNTRIES

The table shows that the total number of spaces for the “E” countries (in the 1943 album) is 869. If all these spaces were filled with Mint (unused) stamps the CV would be $7,516.55. If they were filled with used stamps, the CV would be $5,712.08. If each space was filled with the lower cost option (lowest of mint and used), the CV would be $2,893.23.

SUMMARY OF "F" COUNTRIES

The table below shows that:
•    Total number of spaces for the F countries (in the 1943 album) is 1,949.
•    If all these spaces were filled with Mint (unused) stamps the CV would be $60,987.45.
•    If all these spaces were filled with used stamps, the CV would be $8,642.35.
•    If each space was filled with the least cost option (lower of mint and used), the CV would be $7,734.90.

The CV for the mint stamps is highly skewed by France, which represents almost 90% of the total CV. This high number results from the very high CVs of early French stamps, many of which have a CV exceeding $1,000 each.

SUMMARY OF "G" COUNTRIES

The table below shows that:
•    Total number of spaces for the G countries (in the 1943 album) is 2,356.
•    If all these spaces were filled with Mint (unused) stamps the CV would be $67,823.70.
•    If all these spaces were filled with used stamps, the CV would be $27,087.20.
•    If each space was filled with the least cost option (lower of mint and used), the CV would be $10,741.80.

The CV for both the all mint and all used stamps is considerably higher than the least cost option. This is due to the costs of the stamps of Germany and Great Britain (which together account for over 70% of the total mint stamps CV).

SUMMARY OF "H" COUNTRIES

The table below shows that:

• Total number of spaces for the H countries (in the 1943 album) is 1,234.
• If all these spaces were filled with Mint (unused) stamps the CV would be $11,787.85.
• If all these spaces were filled with used stamps, the CV would be $8,705.20.
• If each space was filled with the least cost option (lower of mint and used), the CV would be $4,038.05.

SUMMARY OF "I" COUNTRIES

The table below shows that:

• Total number of spaces for the I countries (in the 1943 album) is 1,847.
• If all these spaces were filled with Mint (unused) stamps the CV would be $86,728.70.
• If all these spaces were filled with used stamps, the CV would be $37,399.75.
• If each space was filled with the least cost option (lower of mint and used), the CV would be $13,004.00.

The CV for both the all mint and all used stamps is considerably higher than the least cost option. This is due to the costs of the stamps of Italy (which account for about 85% of the total of the CV of the mint stamps and about 68% of the total CV of the used stamps).

SUMMARY OF "J" COUNTRIES

The table below shows that:

• Total number of spaces for the J countries (in the 1943 album) is 652.
• If all these spaces were filled with Mint (unused) stamps the CV would be $9,659.60.
• If all these spaces were filled with used stamps, the CV would be $1,772.75.
• If each space was filled with the least cost option (lower of mint and used), the CV would be $1,595.20.

SUMMARY OF "K" COUNTRIES

The table below shows that:

• Total number of spaces for the K countries (in the 1943 album) is 88.
• If all these spaces were filled with Mint (unused) stamps the CV would be $675.15.
• If all these spaces were filled with used stamps, the CV would be $1,062.55.
• If each space was filled with the least cost option (lower of mint and used), the CV would be $484.30.

SUMMARY OF "L" COUNTRIES

The table below shows that:

• Total number of spaces for the L countries (in the 1943 album) is 2,578.
• If all these spaces were filled with Mint (unused) stamps the CV would be $7,539.00.
• If all these spaces were filled with used stamps, the CV would be $8,286.15.
• If each space was filled with the least cost option (lower of mint and used), the CV would be $2,996.85.

GENERAL NOTES FOR ALL COUNTRIES

• The sequential order of the countries in the above table is based on the 1943 edition of the Scott International Volume I (referred to in 1943 as the “Junior” album).
• Extensive use was made of Jim’s blog in preparing the basic Excel workbook in which CVs for each stamp (mint and used) were inserted from the Scott 2017 Classic Specialized catalog.
• Any errors and omissions are the author’s responsibility. The tables above and the spreadsheet upon which it is based are being reviewed and may undergo changes. If changes are made, the revised able will be provided.

P.S. – I am delighted to inform readers of this blog that I have obtained the one elusive stamp (Syria Scott 106c) that had been missing from my Big Blue collection. So now my collection has progressed from 99.99% to 100.00% complete.