SC 81 Russia Imperf ????

Cannot identify this stamp, imperf, with Scott Cat
Appreciate your help ! Excuse the blurring scan
Rene



*** Moved by Staff to a more appropriate forum. ***

Scott # 125 ?

Thanks again, Rod - I feel a bit embarrassed as I should have turned the page - !

Relax
It is a common disease, it's called "Catalogue blindness"
We all suffer from it occasionally.

rod,

I will sleep better tonight.!
Do you recommend waiting for my 2MP 1000X 8LED USB Portable Digital Microscope Endoscope Camera to check out better the laid paper of the Russia Stamps (and Romania I believe) ? This is a change of subject, fast, but dealing with same Country stamps

As if I could wait to begin examining the paper texture, and how it looks to the naked eye, the half dozen magnifying glasses I have, a binocular micro scope, and a 4800 dpi scanner. But you'll get a much closer look at the fibers of the paper with digital microscope.

That is going to be your own personal preference.
Personally, I have never seen the reason to buy a digital microscope,
Laid paper is easy to distinguish in my experience, perhaps try some lighter fluid.
Perhaps hold the stamp up to a light source (desk lamp) , looking at the rear of the stamp, with your Tongs.

There are collectors that swear by the microscope, let us see how you find it.

If you have problems with Romania stamps, let us know.

We will see....

Thanks again for the help and comments !

For general collectors, I would not recommend a USB microscope.

My first choice, a good quality loupe. A loupe allows for the most creative lighting setups which is often needed.

Second choice, a good quality scanner. They are most versatile, have the best resolution, are most accurate with colors, and have best optics.

Last choice, a USB microscope. They have the most limited functionality, are horrid for colors, many of the consumer models are nothing more than a webcam with a lens (very poor optics and terrible photographic sensors).

Now before the fly-speccers get angry, I would add that viewing fine printing details is about only area they are worthwhile (paper details? not so much because of the limited lighting options). They are good for a single purpose, zooming in for details. Another benefit, by using hand-held device you can zoom in without removing stamps from an album.

But for an average collector? Buy a good loupe, buy a good scanner and only spring for a cheap USB microscopes only if you need to be regularly zooming in on very fine printing details.

For Wert, look into getting a good 3D scanner. They might still be a bit pricey but you have always seemed to be interested in 3D imagery. There are many ways that philately might benefit now that consumer-grade 3D imaging is starting to take hold. You would finally be able to look at the z axis of stamps like paper thickness and ink depth/height!
Don

Very interesting comment, Don. I for one should have a better scanner but the $17 USB microscope might be a cheap tool to look at details and will not affect my budget- LOL !
Thanks again. Wert will probably have his say !