The catalog started out as a price list for the dealer Hugo Michel of Apolda. By 1920 it was split into two volumes, for "Europe" and "overseas", and eventually grew to a present-day size of about a dozen volumes covering the entire world, with additional specialized volumes bringing the total to some forty catalogs.
Scope
It extensively covers specialized Germany collecting including the complex World War II era stamps of Germany, occupied territories, and provisional stamps. Unlike Scott, Michel does not issue a complete set of catalogs every year, instead updating only several of the volumes. Michel is also more detailed, with quantities issued, sheet formats, and so forth. Also of significance to some collectors is its coverage of countries and periods omitted by Scott for editorial or political reasons. For instance, US embargoes against Cuba, Iraq, and North Korea are reflected by Scott's failure to show market values for those countries' stamp issues, and Michel is one of few sources for that information. Michel also documents stamps issued apparently with little or no intent of being used to pay postage and stamps issued by regions or areas with dubious political status. Scott excludes many issues that were unlikely to be actually used to pay postage.
Catalogue publications
There are 15 main catalogues, all issued in German; about 400,000 are printed annually. Their information is also accessible on the Michel internet pages.
Germany
The standard Germany catalogue covers all German stamps issues. A more detailed specialized catalogue is available. For young collectors a simplified "Junior Catalogue" is available. All these catalogues are published on an annual basis.
Europe
Called "Europa-Katalog " these catalogues appear annually and are divided as follows:
Called "Übersee-Katalog " these catalogues appear about every three years. As of 2014 there are 10 issues, some in two volumes. In contrast to the European catalogues the number of stamps printed is not indicated. Not all issues are represented by images.
Aside from Germany, a number of other countries are covered in specialized catalogues that indicate more details such as variations and first day cancellation. Specialized catalogues are available for Austria, Switzerland and Lichtenstein, Great Britain, United States, Croatia, and the United Nations. In addition, other philatelic titles are published.
English issues
Recently Michel publishers has issued some English-language titles, viz.: - Gulf States ; - Germany Specialized Vol. 1, Vol. 2 ; not covered up to now old German states and post-1949, probably in a Vol. 3. The Germany specializeds are issued in co-operation with the APS affiliate German Philatelic Society.
