3 Cent Washington Blue/Green?

Hi

Having trouble cataloging this stamp. Scott lists blue/green but this stamp doesn't appear to be anything but blue. Any opinions from the forum are welcomed.

This is a common color changeling, sunlight has changed it from green to blue.
Don

Amazing. Never seen one like this before. Thanks.

I do not mean to be a stickler; but since it is common, couldn't it be another type? I mean to say, maybe there is a blue one to. I have not seen a picture of this before.

No, not a variety but rather a damaged stamp.

To test, take a green stamp, cover half of it with a piece of paper, place in a southern facing window, wait a week or two. You will have a half green/half blue stamp. Some inks are fugitive, so it is common to see this stamp with a 'blue' color.
Don

Thank you for that, I will.

The closest thing I could find is this stamp on the PF website:

The stamp in the OP is a color changeling as stated by Don. 99% sure of that.

Sorry, but the certified stamp shown is NOT shown in a #169 color. The PF images are not to be used selectively for color identification, if at all. Just ask the PF. In this case we are looking at a scan of a photograph here as shown by the presence of the cert number tag; hardly reliable for color ID. What I see here online is most definitely not the color of a #169, a stamp that does not come in a wide range of colors and shades. This is exactly why so many forum members don't trust scans for color ID. The best we can do is give it a shot when the stamp is shown in an clearly second generation form here on the forum. Further, the colors of the two stamps are not remotely close from what I can see.

If you doubt what Don said and think you have a used Special Printing, send it in for expertizing. However, you definitely will be wasting your money.

hy-brasil

I didn't post the image from the PF suggesting the image in the OP was Scott 169 based upon a color match. In searching PF I came across multiple Scott 158 also in a blue shade. I posted the second image only to show a blue stamp isn't that unique.

I have also seen these chemically changed (which I assume has been an attempt to "fool" others into believing it's a "unknown color"). The Scott catalog has certainly evolved over the years, (I'll reference the H and I grills as recent differentiation). But agree here in this case 100%, it's a changeling. The chemically changed versions of this stamp I have seen are much paler.

CP

Don't doubt it's not a natural color for this issue. Fascinating find for a novice. Posting it here on this forum to get the opinions of others who've been in this hobby long enough to gain the experience I lack only improves my skills and anyone else who happens upon this particular thread and has not encountered this type of changeling before. I've come across changelings on other issues but this is the first for this one. I have approximately 500 individual examples of the 3 cent Washington off cover and approximately 50 on cover. I have the Tasco booklet complete from 1939 for this issue which I use for identification. Neither Scott nor Tasco addressed a Blue version of this stamp. Showing this stamp to the largest stamp club on the planet seemed like the right thing to do. Appreciate all help received. No doubt others will also benefit from your knowledge. I know I have.

Hi,

I have a blue 3-cent stamp, too???

maybe the green color is omitted during printing and so there is a pure blue color.

Welcome.
No, it is a color changeling. It is very common, these green stamps turn blue when exposed to light. For more information see here http://stampsmarter.com/learning/Ar...gelings.html

If in doubt, you take a green stamp and place it in the window sill for a month or two.
Don

Buda,

Neither one of those two stamps are green-blue. One is blue and the other green. If sunlight changes the blue-green to blue, how do we account for pure green one?

Jack Kelley

Thanks guys,

@Don, I'll trying some green stamps to put in the windowsill for a while, let's see what happens!!?

Chemicals are also used...sometimes skillfully!