More Tagging Questions.

Can the same stamp have different tagging marks? Or does all of the same stamp have the same tagging marks?

Is tagging easy to identify on stamps. On two particular issues, it was easily and clearly to see the tagging. Others just impossible. I have used the light on over 1,500 stamps and found only 4 strips of 20 of the same stamp with tagging. All others I did not see a thing. Example, the United States 6 cent UN stamp looks identical with and without the light.

Can anyone tell me what to look for on that particular stamp. What about the 6 cent Daniel Webster stamp. I have several blocks of those and it would help to know what to look for.

thanks again,
Robert

Robert, could you please use Scott numbers when you ask a question like that?
And yes, tagging can look totally different on two stamps with the same number.
Since you are mentioning a 6 cent stamp - these are usually not tagged. Tagging in the US did not seriously start untill sometime in the sixties!

Peter

The 1969/70 6 cent UN and Webster stamps have overall tagging. The majority of the stamps after Scott 1323 5 cent Grange are tagged.

Angore, why would the OP not see any tagging? Maybe he can tell us hat UV lamp he uses?

Peter

I would suspect the lamp is not very good (maybe not on?) or operator error. There is something he had not told us.

I am using a Unisafe U453 Super UV Lamp I purchased from ebay.

I have the light on and the two stamps side by side. I can clearly see tagging on one but not the other.

Maybe I need to get a better lamp?

Thanks again,
Robert

I have that same light or one very similar & I don't like it for checking tagging. The light it emits is just too bright, making the tagging hard to see(basically impossible for new issues).

I also have another light that has 2 wave lengths. It works like a charm. It will wear out with regular use; bulb will get dimmer, uses batteries quickly, but it works great.

The only difference I can see between the two is the wavelength. Yours is 256nm & the other is 254nm. I'll post a link here as an example. Shop around though & you should be able to locate one for ~$20 + Shipping. Hope this helps!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lighthouse...100005.m1851

Robert, I have no idea about this lamp. But if you are looking for untagged errors as you stated in another post it is definitely not powerful enough.
Personally I use a cheaper, portable unit when I go to a show or a club meeting. I try to use fresh batteries whenever possible and try not to use rechargable ones. But for serious work I use a higher wattage plug-in model.
Another factor to look at is whether your stamps are mint or used. Used stamps, when soaked off a cover can loose much of their tagging properties.

Peter

Robert: At a guess, your UV lamp is under-powered. You also need to know that the tagging on virtually identical stamps can vary widely in intensity. This is especially true of stamps produced prior to the prephosphored paper era. The U.S. stamps from the 60s & 70s especially come to mind. Moreover, while rather unusual, I have seen a case where taggant was accidentally transferred from one stamp to another. For overall & block tagging, the taggant is applied over the printed design. You can actually rub some of the taggant from the surface of the stamp.
I purchased my UV lamp at the end of 2010 and immediately started collecting minor tagging varieties. Initially I planned to buy a cheap UV lamp, but after consulting with an expert, I opted for a more expensive Raytech lamp. As I recall, it cost a bit under $200. I have never regretted the additional cost and have returned numerous (nearly 50) items purchased on ebay and elsewhere as untagged. My UV lamp told me the truth ... in some cases the tagging can be very light and in these cases it takes a good lamp to detect the tagging. This is especially critical when looking for tagging omitted items. But be forewarned ... tagging omitted (TO) errors are not easy to find. In my 7 years of looking, I have detected only one TO item that I had assumed was tagged. On the other hand, I have purchased many stamps described by the seller as TO in that same timeframe.
Be forewarned that a TO stamp must not exhibit even a trace of tagging. I have purchased 3 or 4 copies of 1551b at auction and returned every one of them. Each showed at least a trace amount of tagging.

I have yet to see an example of 2257 (10c Canal Boat) or 2260 (15c Tugboat) that doesn't have a trace of tagging.

Here's one of my favorites from my tagging omitted collection:

Plate # Block of 4: #2195a