2008 Blackbook Price Guide to United States Stamps

For the price, most collectors can benefit from the pricing information found in the 2008 Blackbook Price Guide to United States Postage Stamps. This handy little guide has been a staple for pricing in the stamp collecting community since the 1970s. However, collectors looking for a stamp identification guide may need to look elsewhere since the 2008 Blackbook is mostly illustrated in black and white and doesn't contain detailed information for the stamp issues.

Pros

Cons

The 2008 Blackbook Price Guide to United States Postage Stamps is a comprehensive annual price guide that contains current market prices for most United States stamp issues. Started in 1978 by Tom and Marc Hudgeons and their father, the Blackbook has developed into a respected price listing used by collectors and dealers alike.

The 2008 Blackbook Price Guide is an excellent pricing guide for beginning collectors. Its $8.99 price makes it one of the lowest price guides on the market today, yet the low price doesn't mean a lack of useful information. In addition to the stamp price listing, the 2008 Blackbook contains advice on buying and selling, information on preserving your collection, a stamp term glossary, a stamp type identifier, and a listing of stamp publications and organizations.

Collector's looking for a stamp identifier, may not find what they need in the 2008 Blackbook. With the exception of the full-color insert, the majority of stamp issues are in black and white, so stamp identification is not as easy as in a full color catalog. The price guide also lacks detailed stamp information, making finding a particular variety a bit difficult.

The 2008 Blackbook Price Guide to United States Postage Stamps is a great little pricing guide for the price. Most collectors will benefit from the information in this pocket-sized guide, but may need to look elsewhere if looking to identify stamps in their collection.