Design Is A161, Scott # 638 But Wrong Color

638 is supposed to be red orange, but my stamp is more like olive brown. Is this oxidation or do I have the totally wrong Scott #. Thanks for your help.

something happened to stain it or bleach it out

It's sulphurized. If you dip it in hydrogen peroxide it will return to the normal color.

Correct stamp -- problem is stamp oxidation an easily reversible. You need: two small cups; one to hold a solution of hydrogen peroxide obtainable at any drug store like CVS, Walgreens, Wal-Mart, etc.; one to hold plain warm tap water; and one to hold a some hydrogen peroxide. Dip you stamp in the warm water for about twenty seconds; remove the stamp and place the stamp in the bath of hydrogen peroxide for 30 seconds to a minute (you can actually watch the stamp as the oxidation reverses. (My nine-year old granddaughter loved watching the process happen before her own eyes.)

Remove from the hydrogen peroxide and place in the warm water again for about twenty seconds to rinse the stamp and stop the hydrogen peroxide chemical reaction. Repeat dipping in Hydrogen Peroxide bath until oxidation reverses -- WARNING: DO NOT LEAVE STAMP IN THE PEROXIDE BATH FOR AN EXCESSIVE PERIOD OF TIME OR YOU WILL BLEACH THE STAMP! When complete, dry stamp as you would normally soak'n'dry stamps.

Good luck!
Hal

Here is the same stamp after six hydrogen peroxide baths. Should I keep going? It didn't seem to change much at all after the first two baths. I used Hal's instructions; 30 seconds in bath then rinse in warm water for about a minute.

something about that orange color used on 6 cent stamps even the washington franklins, I have many that are a way off color

An alternate approach that some people use is to place the stamp in a cheap plastic food container; place a peroxide-soaked cotton ball in the container, not touching the stamp and spaced apart from it; seal the container and leave it overnight. If there's no change in the morning, you've done all you can do, and after six baths I tend to think you have achieved all possible reversal of the sulphurization. Depending on how the stamp was stored and exposed, it is not possible always to fully reverse the reaction.

My God, the stuff we learn on this site. Amazing.

Thanks Gups,
Jack Kelley

this is a 587 ( same stamp diff perfs) thats almost same color

Now I gotta try to find one that is of original color. Thanks for all the replies, folks.