THE 3d WALES (PLAIN) PRINTED ON A HIGHLY FLUORESCENT PAPER.
Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2021 11:11 pm
One particular example of note being that of the 3d plain stamp for Wales listed in the specialised catalogue as being printed on 2 different types of paper, the original cream paper version which was initially issued on the 18th of August 1958 and later being replaced by a whiter paper version on the 30th of April 1962.
The difference isn't always that easy to discern when viewed from the front, having a cylinder block is one of the easiest ways to detect the difference as only cream papers were printed from cylinder 1 and only whiter papers from cylinder 3, both papers can be found to have been printed from cylinder 2, here are both cream and whiter papers along with the unlisted variety, the fluorescent paper whereby additional optical brightening agents have been deliberately added to the mixture whilst the paper was still in the pulp stage of its production ! Another way of telling the difference between cream and whiter papers can usually be found in the opaqueness or translucent difference as seen from the gummed side of the stamp, cream papers have a tendency to be more opaque whereas whiter ones are more translucent, there are exceptions, but very few.
On inspecting some of these 3d plain stamps from several hundred smaller blocks and singles I noticed that one or two of them reacted quite differently when introduced to long wave ultraviolet light, being neither cream nor whiter but of a highly fluorescent nature, originally, I thought I had made an error and that I had mixed some non-watermarked versions that had been printed on chalky paper with the plain stamps, but on inspection I found they had a watermark and was without phosphor bands.
Here is a specimen regarding this type of stamp.backlit in order to show the watermark in the paper. With a further attachment of the same stamp, as seen under long wave ultraviolet light. How can a stamp that is so different from the other two be treated as a whiter paper and not be described and listed in the specialised catalogue as being printed on a fluorescent paper.
This is the difference between a cream paper and a fluorescent one.
You can't mistake them, as they are so distinct ! Once again I must reiterate that the quantities sold and printed of these particular stamps on fluorescent paper will be quite low in comparison to the other two that are currently listed, the SG specialised quotes a cumulative total sold of 902,289,240 which includes both papers, just how many stamps were printed on the fluorescent paper as against the other two ?
Taking specialisation to a further degree on this particular stamp, I can report an additional finding of the fluorescent paper with added optical brightening agents as being of two variations that emitted a medium and a high luminescence when radiated, see attachment below ↓ Have you got one of them in your collection ? Worth finding !
Further coverage on other variations of paper on different values is to be followed up on separate threads concentrating on the unlisted ones.
Should there be anyone with something constructive to report on this subject then please give details, or is silence still absolute ?
Thank you WM.