Stanley Gibbons' new GB Concise catalogue - confusion ahead

The 2011 edition of Stanley Gibbons' Great Britain Concise catalogue has been published and, as expected, there is a wholesale revision of the Machin Security Stamps.


Many dealers keep their stock according to SG numbers because that is what the collectors use.  Others use Deegam, which is only useful for the really specialist dealer who also uses that; some use Connoissuer and some use the Machin Collectors' Club catalogue.  Many fall back on SG for at least the basic listing.


Well I started my numbering before Gibbons, so I had to guess!  And Gibbons acknowledge that the current numbers are only temporary - they will change them to accommodate new stamps.  In fact they have already had 3 numbers for the Recorded Signed For stamps, in only a year!

The smaller RSF stamp is listed as
Concise 2010: U2916a;
Collect British Stamps: U2940;
Concise 2011: U2981.

I must admit that using 2916a and 2916a.0 for the two versions so far issued is clumsy, and some of our listings will change.   (Gibbons haven't caught up with the 2010 printings yet, so they will need a new number.)  But nothing is happening this week, as a 2-week holiday starts at the end of the week and this subject is far too complex to rush.

So for the time being - and the forseeable future - our numbering will be unchanged, especially as it is more comprehensive that Gibbons.  But do look at their new prices, and also those for Faststamps!