John Walter Scott

John Walter Scott
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Born	November 2, 1845
Died	January 4, 1919
Nationality	USA
Children	Walter Stone Scott
Engineering career
Institution memberships	Collectors Club of New York American Philatelic Society
Significant projects	Created the first Scott catalog; conducted the first stamp auction; was America’s first major stamp dealer
Significant awards	APS Hall of Fame

John Walter Scott (November 2, 1845 – January 4, 1919) of New York City, was originally from England, but he emigrated to the United States to take part in the California Gold Rush. Unsuccessful at the prospecting trade, Scott began to sell postage stamps for collectors and in a short period of time became the nation’s leading stamp dealer. During his lifetime, he was known as “The Father of American Philately” by his fellow stamp collectors.

Philatelic literature

Scott published the first significant stamp journal in America in 1868, entitled American Journal of Philately. Also, in 1868, he issued his first multi-paged postage stamp catalog, “A Descriptive Catalogue of America and Foreign Postage Stamps, Issued from 1840 to Date.” In a short period of time, his “Scott catalog” became the leading stamp catalog in the United States. In 1885, he sold the rights to his business to the Calman brothers who renamed it the Scott Stamp and Coin Company.

Scott continued his stamp business after a legal battle over the use of his name (which he won) and continued publishing philatelic literature, such as The Metropolitan Philatelist, the J.W. Scott & Co., Ltd. Weekly News Letter, and the John W. Scott's Junior Weekly Letter, later renamed the John W. Scott's Weekly Bulletin.

Philatelic auctions

Scott was innovative in business methods, and conducted the first postage stamp auction ever held (May 28, 1870, in New York City). This was a success and he continued to organize and conduct auctions in the United States and in Europe. He also was the first, in 1882, to issue an auction catalog with full color plates of the stamps on sale. He was also the first to sell a postage stamp to collectors for over one thousand dollars.

Philatelic activity

Scott was active in organizing philatelic exhibitions and, in general, “selling” the stamp collecting hobby. He was one of the founding members of the Collectors Club of New York (1896) and active in the American Philatelic Society where he was president from 1917 to 1919.

Honors and awards

Scott was named to the American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame in 1941.

Legacy

Because of the continued existence and growth of the Scott catalog used by American stamp collectors, Scott’s name is not likely to be forgotten.

References

• John Walter Scott