A Peroxide Transformation

Breaking down a collection I recently picked up and noticed this severely oxidized 6 cent Washington.

First one is the original
Second is after a plain water soak
Third is after 30 seconds in a peroxide bath
Fourth is after a 2nd bath
Final pic is after a 10 hour peroxide bath

Great experiment. I'm surprised that the peroxide didn't change the paper color much.

Wow! I'm impressed.

Great post, Mike. I'm a visual learner, so I like seeing the results with the steps.

Are there any instances where the peroxide messes up the paper or runs the colors? Anything to watch out for?

How did you get the peroxide out after the 2nd bath?

If you think of it, could you let us see the stamp again in 6 months? That way if there are any long term effects we can get a sense about it. Is that possible?

Sure, I'll hang on to this stamp - think I should stick it in an album or leave it in the open air?

I rinsed under running tap water after each peroxide bath.

I actually left it in a 3rd peroxide bath in a cabinet when I went to work today so I'll have 5th picture when I get home this evening :)

I put a lot of loose older stamps (still on paper and needing soaking) in storage in the 1970s. Recently I was shocked to see just how many of the stamps now have 'foxing' and other discoloration from acids migrating from the paper to the stamps. The storage area was climate controlled; 68-70F with <65% humidity at all times.

This prompted me to do some research on archiving paper over long periods. What I have found so far has been fairly disturbing; paper simply does not last that long when you are talking over many centuries. Here is one of the disturbing articles I ran across from the Library of Congress; The Deterioration and Preservation of Paper: Some Essential Facts
http://www.loc.gov/preservation/res...rochure.html

In other words, rusting is like aging in that oxidation (water and/or oxygen) wears things down. From what can be seen above, only used stamps (not mint) can be bathed in hydrogen peroxide.

An actual bath is not necessary. The fumes will work if the stamp is suspended in them, although it might take longer. People have been doing this for many decades; I have not heard of any problems with the paper.

Can a humid box like stamp lift be used with peroxide instead of water on the bottom and with the stamp on the top grill?

This is a new! To me anyway. Why would I want to do this? Does it change the value of the stamp?

It just restores the original appearance of the stamp. Don't think a heavily oxidized stamp would have much value anyway. Guess it would depend on the particular stamp. Just makes it more presentable as far as I'm concerned.

Don't think I'd want to sell a stamp that this was done to without disclosing it though.

Mike33, do you still have this stamp? if so, how's it look?

Very interesting indeed & I like the side by side comparisons. By doing this I'm assuming your increasing the value of the stamp correct? I know from collecting coins that you never clean them as you will diminish their value.

It may or may not add value depending on the item.

I was quite interested in the 3c 1851 colors, and I had a lot of lousy copies to play with, so by applying H2O2, I would end up with, what always seemed to be something closer to the original color. Is this more valuable? If its prettier then potentially, yes. Other times, not necessarily.