Stamp collecting is a popular hobby because it has learning and enriching value of different countries’ name and culture. More importantly, the older a postage stamp, the higher value it will be.

Nowadays, most stamp collectors use Scott Catalogue as reference materials when buying, selling, or trading stamps at either online or offline stamps marketplace although some of them use Stanley Gibbons Stamp Catalogues. All the stamps value in Scott Catalogue listing are stated in retail value which is an amount you could expect to pay for a stamp in the grade of Very Fine with no faults.
Besides referring to Scott’s value, a stamp price is often judge according to Stamp Grades in terms of Superb, Very Fine, Fine, Good and Poor conditions. There are other conditions such as Overprints and Perfins, Postmarks, Perforations, Errors and so on can also determine a value of stamp.

When trading a stamp, normally stamp seller will sell it at the value of about or lower than the value listed in Scott Catalogue to the buyer. Here is a little useful information to help you in understanding Scott Catalogue Listings.

The stamps listed in Scott Catalogue are according to the format of:
1. Scott Number
2. Scott Illustration Number
3. Paper Color
4. Listing Style
5. Basic Information about a stamp or set
6. Denomination
7. Color/ Description
8. Year of Issue
9. Catalogue Values
10. Changes in basic set information
11. Total value of a set

To learn more about each part of the listing, you can have a look on:
Understanding Scott Catalogue Listings at LINNS Stamps.