Reviewer: Greg Galletti

[email protected]

For the advanced U.N. collector or postal historian, the Gaines, United Nations Philately, catalog is truly the “Bible” of U.N. philately. The catalog and supplements, comprising more than 1,500 pages, covers every conceivable area of U.N. philately, including the following: U.N. forerunner material (the League of Nations); its autonomous organizations including the International Labor Organization and the Permanent Court of International Justice; and the specialized agencies of the United Nations such as the World Health Organization, the International Telecomunication Union, and the Universal Postal Union. There are extensive sections devoted to U.N. forerunner meter imprints, U.N. Peacekeeping forces, and even ephemeral material related to numerous U.N. meetings, conferences, and other activities. What sets the Gaines catalog apart from all others is the breadth and depth of its coverage of each collecting area, with illustrated examples of thousands of stamps, covers, cancellations, and auxiliary markings. The catalog also provides a nice concise history of the U.N. and its predecessor organizations and significant activities. Unfortunately, the Gaines catalog has been out of production for nearly 30 years. Collectors may occasionally find copies offered for sale in the philatelic marketplace or for use in the American Philatelic Research Library in Bellefonte, PA.

For those collectors specializing in the stamps of the League of Nations and International Labor Organization issued by Switzerland, the Zumstein Spezialkatalog Schweiz, Volume 2 (2000) offers a very comprehensive listing of all known issues, reprints, and varieties

Scott Specialized Catalog of United States Stamps & Covers 2020

Scott Specialized Catalog of United States Stamps & Covers 2020. By Jay Bigalke, Editor-in-Chief. 1316 pages plus 92 Administrative/Introductory pages; thousands of full cover illustrations; 8 1/4 x 10 3/4 H x 1 ½ inch format. Published by Amos Media, October 2019 (89th edition, updated annually). ISBN:0-89487-577-9. Price (as listed) $139.99, available from Amos Media, 911 S.Vandermark Rd., Sidney, OH 45365-4129.

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Reviewer: Greg Galletti

[email protected]

APRL Locator: [CATALOGS Scott]

For the general United Nations (U.N.) collector the Scott Specialized Catalog of United States Stamps & Covers (Scott Specialized) offers a sound addition to the philatelic library. Starting with the first definitive series of 1951, the Scott Specialized lists all issues from New York, Geneva, and the Vienna U.N. offices, accompanied by a nice color image of each stamp or series of stamps. Each listing provides a concise description of the stamp (date of issue, perforation, and printing method), identifies the printing firm, the stamp designer, production numbers for the individual stamps, and first day covers (FDCs). Price information is provided for mint and used singles, FDCs, and margin inscription blocks. The catalog also identifies major errors known for specific U.N. issues as well as value estimates for those more commonly observed. What makes this catalog even more appealing is the broad coverage of the U.N. philatelic arena to include postal stationery, souvenir cards, and personalized sheets for all three U.N. offices. The catalog also provides an extensive listing of the known U.N. archival material observed in the philatelic marketplace following the sale of the U.N. archives, including die proofs, trial color proofs, progressive color proofs, and imperforate plate proofs. This is an invaluable listing for those looking to expand their collecting interests to the pre-production and production phases of stamp development. The catalog also includes a nice listing of the special U.N. authority issues for UNTEA, Kosovo, and East Timor.

For those collectors specializing in the stamps of the League of Nations and International Labor Organization issued by Switzerland, the Zumstein Spezialkatalog Schweiz, Volume 2 (2000) offers a very comprehensive listing of all known issues, reprints, and varieties