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W A N T E D We can sell your Canadian or foreign stamp collections or accumulations on consignment for the nominal fee of 10%. Please enquire before forwarding material. R.F. NARBONNE Telephone 1-613-278-1555 Call Toll Free 1-800-247-5619 (Canada Only) GREENWOOD STAMP COMPANY PO Box 102 McDonalds Corners, Ontario K0G 1M0 – Since 1962 – 76 • the CP / le PC • MA06
Paper Fluorescence of the Self-Adhesive Flag and Iceberg Stamp By Tony Edward The project started by clearing some of the numerous hoards of different stamps I have accumulated over time. Specifically this research features the 46¢, domestic rate, “Flag and Iceberg” stamp, issued by the Canadian Post Office on the December 28, 1998. This stamp was issued in counter panes of 120 stamps and Booklet 214 with a pane of 10 stamps, both printed by Canada Bank Note Company on Tullis Russell Coatings paper. The “Flag and Iceberg” stamp was also issued on the same date in Booklet 215 with a pane of 30 selfadhesive stamps printed by Ashton-Potter Canada Ltd. on JAC Paper (Canada) paper. Because of the difficulty of detaching these self-adhesive stamps from the envelope pieces, I had delayed soaking this hoard of booklet 215 stamps far too long. However, the time now was right. I soaked a large handful of these self-adhesive stamps; air dried them in the usual manner and proceeded to investigate the stamps’ tagging under my ultra-violet light. I was not prepared for what I observed. I use a Raytech LS-88, 115 Volt ultra-violet light box with a dual switching range of 2500 Ångstroms (short wave) or 3000-4000 Ångstroms (long wave) capability. Using the long wave (3000- 4000 Ångstroms) setting, I viewed the booklet 215 self-adhesive stamps on the gum side and immediately noticed considerable variation in the stamp paper fluorescence on the back of these stamps. I next divided my soaked stamps into relative degrees of fluorescence. To my astonishment, I found a combination of ten distinct fluorescent levels with considerable variation of the quantities of stamps in each level. I arbitrarily labeled these ten levels Dead, None, Dull -, Dull, Dull +, Low -, Low, Low + and Medium fluorescences. In total, I examined 544 individual stamps with a range of fluorescences in these ten categories. The quantities of stamps I found in each fluorescence level are shown in Figure 1. When inspecting stamps still attached to envelope pieces, under the long wave ultra-violet light, I have often observed that the envelopes themselves exhibit a variety of distinctive fluorescent levels. I suspected that fluorescent chemicals leaching from each individual envelope into the stamp caused the variation in the fluorescence of the “Flag and Iceberg” stamps. Other philatelic researchers have alluded to the problem of fluorescence migration. Robin Harris, in his book Centennial Definitive Series 1967-1973, states: “Stamps that have come into contact with highly fluorescent materials (such as the envelopes used in the mailing process) and have been subsequently over-soaked, may become contaminated with what appears to be (under an ultraviolet light) fluorescent material” (Page 96). Two thoughts occurred to me. First, when it is so difficult to soak these self-adhesive stamps from the envelope pieces, why should it be so easy for individual stamps to become so easily and variously contaminated with fluorescent material from its envelope? Second, although I had no idea of the relative fluorescence of the envelopes my initial stamps came from, I do remember there being several red, green and manila envelopes in the batch. Why, then, was there no red, green or manila colour staining apparent on any of the self-adhesive stamps? If, indeed, fluorescent chemicals are penetrating the self-adhesive gum and contaminating the stamp paper, this will become evident by selecting envelopes with a particular level of fluorescence and observing the fluorescence of the individual stamps soaked from these envelopes. An experiment ensued. Figure 1. MA06 • the CP / le PC • 77
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