Correct Stamp-Codes

[footy68]

To all Contributors and Editors of the Stamp-catalogue.

Thanks a lot for all your amazing work for colnect! We all have made colnect better and better in the last months. But we also know, that there is still enough to do. (You all can see the forum threads)

But...

We actually have the great problem, that there are definitively too much duplicates in the catalogue.

This is caused by the different printed catalogs the contributors use, but it is also caused by using the wrong codes.

Not all contributors and editors use the correct code. In the last days a lot of duplicates were merged. Most of them were very old, but every day we find duplicates, were the duplicate stamp was uploaded a few days (or hours) ago.

By uploading the NIF´s we have no change to eliminate the duplicates automatically, because some Codes are not correct.

And Klaus (lola22) cannot check all the codes. It is definitively too much work.

So, please look carefully to the correct codes. It is the most important field in the NIF. If a stamp-code exists, the item cannot be uploaded. It will be eliminated automatically.

This is also of great interest for the editors. If we change a correct code into an incorrect code, we cannot use the automatic finding of duplicates. (e.g. "NZ 840C" is not the same as "NZ 840 C")

So I will give a short reminder for the correct Codes:

For stamps:

Correct:

XX 123C (Country-Code, blank, number, suffix)

XX-YY 123C (Country-Code, blank, number, suffix)

XX 1

XX PA123 (YT)

XX C123 (Stamp number)

XX P23 (postage due)

not correct:

XX 123 C (one blank too much after the number)

XX123 (no blank between country-Code and number)

XX 001 (we need no zeros in front)

XX PA 123

XXC 123

XX-123

For souvenir sheets:

Correct:

XX BL123 (for Mi.)

XX BL123A (for Mi.)

XX BF123 (for YT)

not correct:

XX Bl. 123

XX BL 123

XX BL 123 A

XX 876-878 Bl.123

XX 876-878 block 123

I hope, that in future all Contributors and Editors use the correct codes, so that other Editors don´t have the problem to change the wrong edited codes back to the correct codes. The complete stamp-catalogue should have the same rules. (I know, that there are a lot of wrong codes, but we work together to correct them).

Happy colnecting,

footy68 (stamp coordinator)

[bjardini]

OK..

I am adding Michel number to Brazil stamps

OK, with this rules.

I just keep the RHM number in Brazil also BR C-124 (commemorative 124), because it´s more usual in Brazil, and almost all RHM number in colnect is in this way.

And it´s just in RHM, that´s only to Brazil

Thanks

[DarioDeSantis]

Good job.

May I suggest something about the most convenient prefix to use for different categories of stamps?

For example, Yvert-Tellier has airmail stamps and sheets at the end of the listings. If we use PA (poste aérienne) as prefix for an airmail stamp, it will be shown after sheets with prefix BF (blocs et feuillets), but if we just use A (aérienne) it will follow the original sort order.

not so nice: 1001, 1002, ..., 1999, BF1, BF2, ..., BF19, PA1, PA2, ..., PA19

nice: 1001, 1002, ..., 1999, A1, A2, ..., A19, BF1, BF2, ..., BF19

For the same reason we use to prefix D for official stamps and P for postage dues in Michel numbers (short for Dienstmarken and Portomarken, exactly as they appear in the catalogue).

[Serphil61]

would be good to define the correct codes for all types of stamps, at least for the four main catalogs.

in example:

Commemorative/Definitive : Sn XX 123 - Mi XX 123 - Yt XX 123 - SG XX 123

Airmail: Sn XX C123 - Mi XX 123 - Yt XX PA123 (or A123) - SG XXX

Postage Due : Sn XX J123 - Mi P123 - Yt T123 - SG D123

Service : Sn O123 - Mi D123 - Yt S123 - SG O123

and so on

would be appropriate to also address two other aspects:

- missing types (such as charity stamps / extra charge ecc. example Sn Semi-postal XX B123)

- the confusion between types and uses of stamps.

I try to explain the second aspect:

-the type of stamp is given by the purpose of the release, typically Commemorative or Definitive.

-the use of the stamp instead identifies the field in which the same can be used. Such as Standard, Airmail, Service, etc..

These are two different aspects that are often confused and the current Colnect situation reflects this confusion.

There may be a commemorative airmail stamp, and another definitive, but now I have to choose whether to indicate the type or the use. If I indicate the type, I merge this airmail stamp with the normal; if I point to the second definition renounce the use.

The situation is very evident in series that contain, for example, standard and airmail stamps.

Optimal would be the possibility of managing two separate fields.

Only my opinion

[DarioDeSantis]

While the official answer should exclusively come from coordinators, I can only guess Serphil61 is on the right path. Depending on the Emission and Format of the stamp taken, its prefix must be necessarily standardized. Some catalogues already have a prefix cast with the number, others do not: that is where we need to agree.

Much confusion still reigns on the Tax category. If you look at all Dutch colonies (and Netherlands itself), you might think Tax stands for Semi-Postal (stamps with a surcharge for charity purposes). If you look at Slovenia, though, you immediately understand what Tax is really for. Probably, if we included Semi-Postal in the Emission field from the beginning, we would not have all those Dutch stamps erroneously flagged.

[footy68]

Commemorative/Definitive : Sn XX 123 - Mi XX 123 - Yt XX 123 - SG XX 123

Airmail: Sn XX C123 - Mi XX 123 - Yt XX PA123 - SG XXX

Postage Due : Sn XX J123 - Mi P123 - Yt T123 - SG D123

Service : Sn O123 - Mi D123 - Yt S123 - SG O123

That´s ok!

--

At the moment most of the airmail-stamps are coded with XX PA123 in Yt-catalogue and I think that this should be the correct code at the moment. We can discuss about everything, but there are really more important things to do.

--

Btw.: In the french section often the "Timbre Taxe"-stamps are wrongly marked as "Tax" in the emission field. The correct emission is "Postage Due".

[Serphil61]

Btw.: In the french section often the "Timbre Taxe"-stamps are wrongly marked as "Tax" in the emission field. The correct emission is "Postage Due".

It's true ! I'll try to look for these issues and correct them in the coming weeks.

On my opinion (and I think Dario can agree) "Tax" must be used only for the stamps that really have this use (in example mandatory taxes or additional government fees) while the stamps with an additional value (not valid for postage) for different scope should find a place in an actual missing choice "Semi-postals" in "Emission" field.

Sergio

[footy68]

actual missing choice "Semi-postals" in "Emission" field.

Sergio

That´s right. A lot of semi-postals are in the emission "commemorative", too.

I will make a ticket in the PMR, to create this emission.

Guido

[Serphil61]

I tried to create a table for the main prefixes for the various categories.

I added the ones I had in memory, we need to control others.

Codici.jpg

This can be a starting point for the assessments to be done.

Those in red are types that are not recognized in Colnect.

greetings

Sergio

[footy68]

I tried to create a table for the main prefixes for the various categories.

I added the ones I had in memory, we need to control others.

Codici.jpg

This can be a starting point for the assessments to be done.

Those in red are types that are not recognized in Colnect.

greetings

Sergio

I will check it.

Btw.: Semi-Postals now exist.

[mitanisch]

What do you mean with semi-postal? You translate this in German as "Zuschlagsmarke".

According to an old Michel-Catalogue "Zuschlagsmarke" is a "surtax stamp". Or do you mean "Zwangszuschlagsmarke"? But this is "oblibatory stamp".

Or do you mean stamps with an additional charity value? In German "Wohltätigkeitsausgabe", in English "charity issue".

In this catalogue there are translations of many philatelic terms from German into English, French, Spain and Portuguese. Maybe it might be interesting for you.

Greets

Michael

[DarioDeSantis]

If I am not mistaken, Semi-Postal stamps are translated into German as Sommermarken. The only international catalogue listing these separately from the rest of Postage stamps, uses the name Semi-Postal, not charity stamps or else.

[mitanisch]

I've never heard of "semi-postals" or "Sommermarken". And I have been collecting for over 40 years.

[DarioDeSantis]

I was mistaken, Sommermarken is the term used only for sets of Dutch Semi-Postal stamps issued on a yearly basis (maybe in the summer ). Sorry, I do not speak German.

There is always something new to learn, even after collecting stamps for many years. For more information:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-postal.

[Serphil61]

Surely "Semi-postals" is not "Zuschlagsmarke"or "Zwangszuschlagsmarke". "Wohltätigkeitsmarke" is a better translation.

These are the stamps that combine a value valid for franking with an integration for some charity scope. The integration can be implicit or explicit. We can have, in example : 10+5 where 10 is the value useful for shipping and 5 the extra for charity, or only 10 on the stamps with an extra 5 paid when purchasing. A few souvenirs sheets have a face value but are sold at a higher price.

In some countries (Germany, Benelux) are common, while in other countries are much more occasional.

Regarding to their postal value (10) are considered by many stamp catalogs along with standard stamps, even if their use is much more limited, runs generally lower, and the destination (in many cases) is the collectors' market.

Americans cataloging them separately, with a specific number (B), but conceptually they are still an item other than a standard postage stamp. I think it is correct then give them a specific position that also helps to find and identify them.

A "Zuschlagsmarke" is, correctly, a "surtax stamp". It can also have a purpose beneficial that is reached with the use togheter with the necessary normal postage stamp. Some examples are issues for Red Cross.

A "Zwangszuschlagsmarke" is an "obligatory surtax stamp". The purpose, although supporting for particular activities, is defined by the state and its use is mandatory for the agreed period.

This is what I have learned over time ..