Treating Stamp Ink Oxidation With Hydrogen Peroxide

Hi All,

Sharing my results of using hydrogen peroxide to treat (reverse) the effects of oxidation on a postage stamp. This is not a new tecnique. My understanding is that it works best on orange and yellow inks which seem to oxidize more than other color inks.

Using a USA 6cWashington from 1916-1917 (Scott #468).
The image on the left is before. The image on the right is after about 20 minutes with hydrogen peroxide applied with a q-tip, then rinse in lukewarm water, then dry and press flat between pages of a catalog.




Dave N.

In 100 years from now is it likely the stamp will reoxidize back to what it previously looked like again before treatment? Or if kept out of light in album will it still reoxidize?

Thanks

No1philatelist:

I dont know what it will look like in 100 years from now, but for now it looks better.
I wonder if there are others out there that have used hydrogen peroxide on their stamps many years ago and can give some input.

You have given me the idea to identify this stamp (and some others I plan to treat) as to when I treated them and check on them in a few years to seeif they have re-oxidized.

Dave N.

Not knowing US stamps well; I don't know what the original color looked like but I must say that the stamp looks much better after treatment.

I have never treated any in my years of collecting but did wonder as stated above about what time will do. Thanks for showing that effect.

Mike

Here are some more that I have treated with Hydrogen Peroxide.
Scott # 506, from the 1917-1918 perf 11, flat plate, unwatermarked series of Washington/Franklins.

(I scanned these at 600 dpi instead of using my cel phone to take a picture)
In the top of the scan I have arranged them in order of oxidation.
I used a Hydrogen peroxide bath this time using a small plastic cup.
The stamps stayed in the bath for varying lengths of time from about 1/2 hour for the least oxidized, to over night for the most oxidized.
The bottom of the scan shows the same stamps post treatment and water rinse.

A big difference in the oxidized stamps, but not quite back to original color.

Dave N.

Dave,
Nice image, may I use it on the 'How To' Stamp Smarter page?
http://stampsmarter.com/learning/Ho...idation.html
Don

Certainly Don,

If you like, I can send you the original scans that are much larger... In case you need to manipulate them for your site.

Dave N.

so don't soak, only apply with q-tip, right?

I soaked used stamps for about 20 seconds before putting them in regular water to rinse. Works fine.

Q-tips or the vapor only for unused stamps

91stang,
In the group scan above the one with the Numeral 1 cancel was soaked overnight in Hydrogen Peroxide. Then a water rinse.

Dave N.

You haven't said how much hydrogen peroxide by solution, so I'll assume it's 100%. Is that correct? I wonder if trying other solutions like 50% with water would be worth doing. Would they give the same or different results?

In any case, those are impressive results.

Well there you go. I tried the q tip, not the results I wanted..will try the soak over night. AND only on Used. Thanks.

Always use a new bottle of hydrogen peroxide; hydrogen peroxide begins to degrade the moment you open it. Using a old bottle that was opened two years ago is likely to result in poor results.
Don

DrewM,
I used the hydrogen peroxide straight -not diluted.

It always niggles me people us the term "oxidation" incorrectly. Hydrogen peroxide is itself an oxidising agent - it is water with one extra oxygen atom. So when a stamp is trteated with peroxide the inks are in fact being oxidised back to more like their original colour. The darkening of red / oranges is normally caused by reactions of he ink with sulphur in varuious forms in the atmosphere. As there is less sulphur in th eair than there was 100 yeas ago any redarkening can be expected to be much slower that before.

ANother point is that there is no way to be 100% certain what colour any stamp was 100+ years ago - you can certainly get an idea but not be 100% sure.

Anyway enough of that. This web page is very interesting in relation to "improving" stamps. It is always good to knopw what those pesky dealers can get up to.

http://www.philaworld.ch/buecher/De...20stamps.pdf

AQ

hi,
Can Hydrogen Peroxide be use for removing rust and foxing of
stamps. Please.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers
tikithindi