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Viewing Light-Coloured Stamps
(Back-Lighting)
Something that may help your search is something I wrote about many years ago in the Canadian Re-entry Study Group of BNAPS Newsletter ... the use of a photographer’s light box is an incredible help in seeing the details on any light coloured stamp. This allows you to see the stamp through back-lighting and it is amazing how the details then ‘jump’ right out at you. I use a small unit I purchased many years ago at Black’s. It is basically a 6“ X 5“ X 1.5“ box containing a fluorescent bulb with a 5 “ X 4 “ piece of white frosted glass set into the top. It uses four ‘C’ batteries, or an AC adapter. You simply place the stamp on the glass and proceed to examine it with your magnifier as usual. I like to use 10X when using it myself. An alternative is to hold the stamp up in front of a strong light source. However, the disadvantage to this method is (a) your arm gets tired quickly, and (b) heat, if you get the stamp too close to the bulb. This really does work; give it a try. Bill Simpson was amazed when I showed him this little trick!