Need Help With Nova Scotia One-Cent Stamp Identification (Scott #8/8A)

I bought these two stamps together as a Scott #8/8a set, but I don't know which is which. My understanding so far is that #8/8a are distinguished by paper color, but the information I've found online is sparse, and seems conflicting. Info on other catalog (other than Scott) numbers would be appreciated, too.

Please take a look, and educate me if you would. Thanks!

The toned paper variations exist on some of the values of the Nova Scotia cents issues. However, as they are often found white and toned paper on the SAME sheet, I do not consider them true varieties worth a separate catalog variety.

The early dealers tried to slice the bread very thin on the stamps of Nova Scotia. You might find the website I did here of the Fred Mayer Nova Scotia collection of interest.

http://www.frmfoundation.org/NovaScotia/index.php

Thanks, Richard. I did come across your website in my searches. Well done!

Your comments on the toned paper make perfect sense. Do you know if Scott (or other) catalogs still list 8 and 8a separately? I'd still like to know which number they are associating to which variety. I'm seeing the toned stamps being described as having "yellowish paper" on ebay.

My 2014 Scott Classic catalog lists 1c black #8a as being on white paper, 2c #9a as yellowish paper, 5c #10a as yellowish paper, 8.5c #11a as white, 10c #12 as yellowish, 12.5c #13a as white. >>>> Really a load of rubbish.

Thanks again, Richard. What you just spelled out is what I referred to as "seems conflicting" in my original post--that 8a is referred to as the white paper variety, but 9a and 10a are referred to as the yellowish paper variety.

As a 35-year collector of US classic stamps, and new collector of Canada provinces, your responses will help me not get caught up in paper color as I continue to build on this collection.

Another aspect of these classics caught my eye:
The left stamp seems to have a pattern just below the top of 'failed' perforations - like the perf holes are only slightly cut, and not fully.
Have anybody seen any similar on N.S. stamps? Is it a known variety - a perforation 'freak' - or something of private origin?

I thought those raised circles below the top perforations were impressions of perforations from another sheet of stamps laid on top of this stamp, maybe when the sheets were still wet.

The blind perfs are common on those stamps.

Thanks whizard Common, but still quite cool, I think.