Guatemala Spring Fair of 1960 perforation varieties
Recently a reader of the blog asked if (pre-printed) stamp album pages provide spaces for all the issued stamps and (essential) varieties. My response to question was negative: if catalog editors can’t agree on simple facts on what to list as major/minor numbers, then how could those making album pages manage better on deciding what spaces to include on album pages? Here’s a simple example to prove how messy things can get: a 1963 Guatemala airmail stamp to commemorate the Spring Fair of 1960.
For long time I have had two copies of this stamp with different perforations:
1963 Guatemala. Spring fair of 1960; perf 11 and 12½.
In Michel this stamp is #680. A 1997 edition of Michel states that this stamp exists in perf of 11; from 2004 (and later) editions the perforations listed are 11½ and 12½. That’s right – here’s a classical case where catalog information has changed. In just few editions my copy of perf 11 stamp has turned into an unlisted variety 
Seriously speaking I have a feeling that 11½ perf is errata/typo from editors of Michel, and it’s been fortunate enough to pass through for nearly an decade. Anyway, it got me digging deeper into other catalogs.
My copy of Scott (2008), states the perforation of stamp (#C270) is either 11 or 12½. This matches the stamps I have.
My copy of Yvert (1998) lists the stamp (#283) as perf 11 only; possibly later editions list additional perforations. Anyway, if looking at Yvert alone I would have yet another unlisted variety in my hands
As I don’t have Stanley Gibbons pt.15 (Central America), I can’t comment what might lurk in there. Additionally, I know that ISGC publishes a specialized catalog of Guatemalan postage stamps. If anyone has access to these catalogs, I’d love to hear what they states as the perforations of this stamp.
Anyway, lesson of this story: catalogs and stamp album pages should not be treated as bibles. Their content is always subjective to editorial decisions, and it can have a huge effect on how stamps get listed (take for example stamps of Trucial states). They might also contain errors, typos etc. that will make the poor collector even more confused. So what to do? The best advice I can give is, if trying to collect more than just face different stamps, then a collector should be armed with as many different resources and references as possible. I know it’s a lot of work, but it’s also lots of fun 
Out of interest, I did check if Steiner’s stamp album pages contain spaces for varieties of this stamp. Sadly there’s just one space, and not a word about varieties. Even more disturbingly, Michel and Scott don’t provide any minor numbers for perforation varieties of this stamp: there’s just major number. If this stamp was from “more popular” area (such as US or Germany), I’m pretty sure these varieties would have separate minor catalog numbers/identifier. But c’est la vie…
Till next time, happy collecting!
Want more?
Sign-up to weekly newsletter and get notified when new articles like the above are published at Stamp Collecting Blog. The email-newsletter is sent to You once a week (during the weekend) and it contains a summary of latest new entries and discussions.
Show that you liked this article - and support Stamp Collecting Blog!
Clicking the Like-button below promotes this article on FaceBook:
Clicking the +1 button below promotes this entry on Google and GooglePlus.
Thanks for your support!
Hi Keijo
Good post showing that no album (because even catalogues don’t agree) will include all variations of a stamp in every case.
But to carry the “bible” analogy a bit further…
If one wants to choose a “bible” with a certain “catalogue” translation ( michel, a scott etc), than a “(pre-printed) stamp album pages providing spaces for all the issued stamps and (essential) varieties” that relies on that “bible” with all major numbers given a space is, IMHO, clearly available.
The reality is most collectors do follow, however naively, a “bible”.. er catalogue for their collection.
Most likely the stamp collecting faithful will choose a “scott” translation in the U.S.,a “SG” translation in the British world, and a “michel” translation in much of Europe. Then an album following that “bible” (i.e. the Steiner for Scott) is there for the collector.
But to your point: the reality of course is the faithful might find certain passages are handled better in competing “bibles”.
Jim
@Jim… I so much agree that most collectors will likely choose and follow “one catalog, one album” path. And I can’t blame them. There’s a certain charm to it…
Just discussed this stamp on SCF-forum, and finally got the perforation details from (specialized) I.S.G.C. catalog. This stamp comes in 3 different perfs: 11.1 being the common, and 12.4 and 10.8 being types A and B.