Stamps and Stories

I don’t usually cross paths with philately while browsing the thrift shops, but last weekend I was luckier than usual.  We were visiting relatives over Thanksgiving weekend – an excellent time to hit far-off shops in hopes of seeing something new – and I found a couple books on stamps, the first two editions of United States Stamps and Stories.

First published in 1973, Stamps & Stories was a small paperback put out by the United States Postal Service and edited by stamp collecting giant Scott Publishing.   It is largely a catalog and price guide, its data compiled from the Scott Catalogues of the time, but the ’stories’ part includes various tales and trivia regarding the subjects of the stamps  through history.  The most remarkable thing about these books is that they are in full color throughout, printed on heavy, glossy paper, which these a step up in quality from  most stamp catalogs.  In these older editions, unfortunately, the glue has dried out quite a bit, which means for careful page-turning to avoid cracking the binding and losing pages.   Through the 1970s and 1980s, the USPS advertised these books as an easy-to-read encyclopedia of stamp collecting, and they were quite right.  Although the books aren’t quite as thorough as the Scott’s catalog from which they are derived, they provide a significant eye-catching and engaging reference for casual or new philatelists, and includes practical information from prices to basic collecting terminology and identifying features of rarer stamps.

In 1982, Stamps & Stories changed its name to The Postal Service Guide to U.S. Stamps, and continued its full-color catalog of stamps and philatelic tips.   Modern editions of the Guide have grown in size from those early mass-market paperback sized books, now measuring about 8½” x 11″ and spiral- or comb-bound to lay flat.  Now in its 36th year, the newest edition of The Postal Service Guide to U.S. Stamps is available for purchase from the USPS and other major booksellers, along with the newest stamp yearbook.  The yearbook might be the Cadillac of collecting, with twice the pricetag to boot, but the Guide to U.S. Stamps stands as an expansive reference for all postage stamps through this year.