Xmas 1898 Paper Types

I was wondering if anyone had any information on one of these being on dark brown paper. Maybe hard to tell from the scan, but noticeably darker in hand.
It was stored in the same book with the one above it for many years, so I don't believe it's due to poor storage. Thanks for the help!

If you would just search this forum you will find several posts, most important the ones by Wert, pertaining to these stamps
You may find that there are two printings of this stamp that are distinctively different



Peter

Thanks Peter! Rather than the variations of plating, etc., I was more curious about the paper itself and why the 85 paper is much darker than the 86 as shown above. I couldn't find any talk about paper variations, but I did like your Bermuda Triangle comment on one of Wert's posts :p
Very clever!

Stephen-P, you are showing two different stamps. Your question would be more interesting if it was the same issue.

Here is a link on a study of these stamps. The stamps had several printings which may explain why there are paper variations.

http://www.rpastamps.org/presentati...amap1898.pdf

(Edited to add link)
(edited to fix link)

Germania, something wrong with your link


Peter

Thanks Germania! If you can get that link working I would be very interested. I've searched tons of images and haven't found any on brown paper for either issue. I included its counterpart because it resembles the paper you would normally see on both examples. Nothing more than that.

A toned stamp would also look just like that.
Don

I agree Don. The OP ought to show a picture of the stamp on brown paper


Peter

Link should work now. Here it is again:
http://www.rpastamps.org/presentati...amap1898.pdf

I had the idea of toning when I saw it, but it just didn't sit right with me. Usually a heavily toned stamp would appear more "used" (handled), matted-down, since it is literally the effect of bacteria eating away at the paper. We can also see examples of toning in the website Germania sent, particularly with the proof.
Both of these, however, are as perky as the day they were made.
Could be wrong, though.

Here's a picture as per request:

Toning is a chemical process where components in lignin break down; technically it is hydrolysis of glycoside bonds and oxidation reaction. This chemical process results in acidification of the paper.
Don

Absolutely. Hydrolysis is a broad reaction but does not address the cause, of which in this case is usually some form of bacteria. Something from the outside has to initiate the reaction, and the reaction for which we we are talking about now (toning) is always to the 'degradation' of the stamp and never the 'enhancement' of it. This is why we can notice other physical changes in the toning (destructive) process similar to how oxidation results in the cracking of the ink rather than simply a color change.
Coins, precious metals are essentially the same. We will never seen a toning process for any material where only the color changes and the original luster (freshness) remains fully in tact.

Please provide reference that bacteria are involved.
Don

I am confused in the answers.

Is the darker paper caused by it starting life as a different colored base, different print runs, different chemical composition, due to bacterial interference or different stamps (85 and 86)?

I think the OP has his own theories but as he has disagreed with all reply's so far or knew more than the posted answer I am still none the wiser.

The paper is toned. Nothing more and nothing less.

My own view is that the darker paper may have had a longer exposure to light. Somehow, somewhere even in a glassine envelope, the sun does change the paper color. I have experimented with modern stamps and how light affects the paper as well as the colors. Red is the most fugitive so in looking at this I doubt that I am right. Makes me curious also. Do they show any differences under black light?