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How do I tell the difference between ordinary and chalk surfaced paper?

If you rub a silver coin (an old one with high content of actual silver) on a stamp with chalk-surfaced paper, it will leave a black mark.

There may be other ways of testing that will not mark the paper (which you wouldn't want to do on a mint stamp); hopefully other members will be able to provide further details

Finely powdered chalk is rolled onto plain paper, to make "chalk faced" paper.

Like printing on gloss rather than newsprint. Superb for fine engraved detail.

Costlier, and tones FAST!

A good example in this 1938 "ordinary" and "chalk" paper - easy to spot at a glance.

I would very strongly suggest people do not employ the "silver test" as it will leave marks on mint or used stamps!

After a while you get used to handling stamps and can usually tell fairly accurately just by holding between thumb and forefinger. Chalk copies are thicker and generally a lot smoother paper (look out for hinge remnants making false impression of thickness!).

Speaking solely for GB issues , you can also usually tell under 10x magnification on a white section of the stamp there is usually tiny "craters" on the chalk paper copies, also surface rubbing is much more common on chalk paper copies where surface colours have "smudged".

Not sure about other countries issues but many of the GB Edward VII issues were printed on different types of chalk papers of varying thicknesses and some of these tests do not always apply to the OCP (The thinner Original Chalk Paper)

Another good test is under the long wave UV lamp where the chalk papers look a lot whiter (the plain unprinted areas) in comparison with an ordinary surface copy (if indeed the issue was produced on different paper types). The OCP copies incidentally fall in-between the other two in terms of brightness and thickness.

All in all then , enough ways to tell without damaging your stamp!

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Long interest in stamps from Great Britain. Avid collector always after good pre 1930 lots

In addition to the silver test possibly damaging a stamp, I have heard that the silver test can be unreliable for stamps issued on green paper. De La Rue printings do not react to the test as well as Harrison printings. Again, look at the stamp and the chalk surfaced paper should have a much sharper image.

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Regards, Jay

As a general guide, where a stamp is printed on both plain paper and chalk surfaced paper, the chalk surfaced is thicker and immediately obvious when compared against a plain paper version (as with Glen's examples of the thick and thin paper stamps above)

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Peter
Hawthorn - AFL Premiers 1961, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 2008.

Hi All,

initiated by this thread I took my microscope up from the cellar into my study.
Under 100x magnification I could easily distinguish both papervarieties.
Ordinary paper shows the fibres of the paper very clear and the inking has irregular edges.
Chalky paper shows a very smooth surface with little craters every now and then and the inking is very sharp and detailed.
I went through my stamps of GB and British Colonies from the period of KG7 and came additional to the beforementioned points to this conclusion:
Often the chalky paper is thicker than ordinary paper - but not always!!!
Often the printing is darker and clearer on chalky paper - but not always!!!

Maybe a magnification of 10x might be okay too, but since I've got my microscope already, I prefer 100x.

Regards, Lars

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from beautiful SW-Germany

Personally , I use the blackboard test.
If the nails grate on the nerves, and the teeth tingle, the earth moves, and the neuron system registers a "10", it is the chalk version

>Andrew,
If you look at the copies from Straits/BMA 5c & 12c they are only available in chalky paper (so says the ISC catalogue) the outer frame line should look solid whether they are mint or used.
If you look at the 50c - $5 purple&orange (all ordinary paper) the lines will look mouldy with tiny white specs all over, mint or used.

Sorry for the poor scan but here it is.




2nd right is chalky paper

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Stick with stamps

Hahaha. You're welcomed.
Get a high resolution scanner instead and just tell your missus its for 'work'.

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Stick with stamps

I was taught back in the 60s to test for a chalk-surfaced paper by the Late Keith Buckingham in the UK a little trick that seems to work for me. It is difficult to explain here, but I will have a try.
Hold the stamp/s in tweezers gently and offer the printed surface to a dry lip (I find the upper one a little more sensitive) and stroke it over your lip-edge. OP vibrates, but K does not. In time and with experience one can tell the difference. That was, until I grew a mustache, now I use the lower. Non-destructive testing! But, make sure a mint stamp is the right way round.
Warning, it is not fool-proof. Regards, Ray

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Member of BSAP

Hi Ray,

that sounds very interesting and shows a simple non-technical solution to this problem - if it works. I think, I'll try it sometime soon.

Regards, Lars

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from beautiful SW-Germany

Ray states

I hope you have added a T in drty as opposed to missing an I

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Long interest in stamps from Great Britain. Avid collector always after good pre 1930 lots

OK! Highlander, sorry about that little slip, but well spotted and good fun, well taken. Where are you lucky enough to live, in the Highlands, I adore the area and its people. Most years I tow my touring caravan to the Islands and Highlands and I have a splendid time there. I spent 7 weeks on the Outer Hebrides and Skye in 2008 video-ing the fauna and flora of the west side. Mid-2007 we toured the East Coast and camped by Dunnet Bay. We are retired too, but this year I was very unwell so we missed out. Roll on next years visit.

I used to collect GB from the penny black onwards including postal history, but early Aussies also bit me and that is what led me to the Stampboards. That is why I will probably break down my GB and sell it off this winter as I find it consumes so much time. I don't know how I had any time to go to work!!!

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Member of BSAP

Hi Ray, glad you took it in the way it was intended to be taken not everyone on these boards shares my sense of humour

Without giving to much away publicly , I live in the Aviemore area currently looking out over a fairly snowy outlook but a bit warmer than last nights -10!

You are always welcome to contact me privately if heading North next year or indeed if looking to sell your GB collection, especially any Edward VII material I would love to see and make an offer on please.

Certainly correct about the time consumption element of the hobby. Must go now to look for the next typo

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Long interest in stamps from Great Britain. Avid collector always after good pre 1930 lots

The Silver test is what the (mainly) Anglo Saxons philatelists use for testing the special stamp papers their Post Office introduced to prevent a re-use of postage stamps after washing off the cancellations.

In the coating applied on the surface of the stamp, the chalk reacts to a silver object, a coin or so...




Several stamps of the UK and the Commonwealth exist both on "normal" paper as on "chalky" paper with the Chalky version often getting a much higher price...







Of the 3 stamps only the utmost right stamp had a coating!




But what had happened to the back of the stamps????

Informative thread But which is which in these two examples please ?

Thanks !

The chalk-surfaced is the top stamp.

Clive

Thanks Clive

Hello.

I am a collector of BMA Malaya stamps so the question of chalky and ordinary paper is of considerable interest.

I find it can be very annoying to look closely at chalky BMA stamps and find the tell tale black mark! To my mind it reduces its value considerably.

I am a follower of the observation test. I use a Ruper pocket lens. The one I have is a 10x and 20x. Looking on the web it seems to be their 5124 model, and not particularly cheap, but is readily portable to take to stamp fairs etc. such that you can often buy chalky at ordinary paper stamp prices and not purchase "chalky" stamps just on the say so of the vendor.

Using the 20x magnification you have to hold the stamp very close to the lens for it to be in focus. By looking closely at the white areas to the left and right at the bottom of the vignette you can clearly see the paper surface.

Look at the 5c brown as a guide. It is only printed on chalky paper which is smooth with blow holes which gives rise to "the surface of the moon". On ordinary or substitute paper you can clearly see the strands in the paper, sometimes with the "odd blow hole". After a little practice I feel sure you will be 90% sure one way or the other.

Note that cheap 20x, and more, magnification loupes do not produce this clear view of the paper. It seems to be the magnification and very short focal length which works for the Ruper.

I have yet to carry out a satisfactory silver test on the green 50c stamp. The surface of the moon impression is particularly strong on some of these stamps. I find about 50/50 which makes Gibbons valuation difficult to believe.

Some catalogues suggest that the thin striated paper stamps are "chalky" but in view of their price I would not want to silver test them. Hold them at an angle to the light looking from the side and the "lines" should be fairly readily visible or hold them up to a strong light or put them face down on a matt black surface where you can often clearly see the watermarks in the thin paper. They also have off white gums.

While mentioning the BMA Malaya stamps it is well worth examining your 10, 25 and 50c stamps under a UV detector.

In the 10c stamps, if I remember correctly, being away from home at the moment, you will find some where the head changes colour and some where the whole stamp changes colour. This I think tends to correspond with those used ones which when soaked off show purple on the back of the head area only or the whole stamp. On the 25c on one variety the head changes colour. On the 50c stamps look at the red BMA overprint, on many the red will stand out. This occurs on both surface of the moon and ordinary paper stamps.

The best reference source I know of for BMA Malaya stamps is a Gibbons Stamp Monthly article by the Rev. W. G. Cameron dating back to 1950. It is not infallible but better than anything in a catalogue that I know of. It makes a lot of sense on the varieties in colour of the 10c, where Gibbons does not seem to acknowledge the "reddish purple" stamps, and many other areas.

It used to be free on Gibbons website but believe you now need to subscribe to Gibbons on line to access it.

Happy collecting.

Hello
I have recently begun to gather Yugoslavian stamps. Is there anyone who can tell me what the difference is and how to tell the difference between chalk paper and plain paper.
skumbago

Hi skumbago, best bet is to type the subject into the google search box at top of page and there has been plenty written about it on here already to help you.

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Long interest in stamps from Great Britain. Avid collector always after good pre 1930 lots

Hi skumbago, welcome to stampboards!

Your question is probably re small defins depisting cities, right? If so, and if you are collecting them mint then difference is obviouse, chalky paper has a shiny surface due to deposited layer of chalk, and on used and washed stamps it is experience and comparing stamps among themselves

Ignore any suggestions about a 'silver test'. This has been discredited in recent years - and it marks the stamps irreversibly.

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Ian Billings - Norvic Philatelics GB stamps info: http://www.norphil.co.uk - also /catalog for our ecommerce site, blog.norphil.co.uk, shop.norphil.co.uk and Ian_norvic on twitter

Actually there is no need for specific tests, mint stamps are obvious and used (where chalk has been dissolved by water) can be recognized by comparing them to other stamps.

Most of this stamps (and only stamps from Yugoslavia that come to my mind are mentioned defins where this problem exists) are widely available, there are also differences in perforations and some flaws so it makes nice and cheep area for mini specialized collection specially if you want some usages since this stamps were in wide use.

Thanks for your reply I will try to use them.
skumbago

skumbago - can you add a photo of what stamps you are having problems with?

I've found with used stamps that a chalky will feel 'cooler' when rested against your top lip. Just make sure your lip is dry !!

I found the reference that I had forgotten, an extract from:

Murray Payne - KG VI papers; chalky and ordinary - Dickon Pollard & Iain Murphy - Murray Payne Ltd


It is important to read the full article.

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Ian Billings - Norvic Philatelics GB stamps info: http://www.norphil.co.uk - also /catalog for our ecommerce site, blog.norphil.co.uk, shop.norphil.co.uk and Ian_norvic on twitter

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Welcome to the Moon!

groetjes, Rein

Congratulations Rein.

Your second picture probably adds more to helping identify "chalky" paper visually by looking at the plain paper areas than many words can.

Apologies for duplication. Impatient finger syndrome.

Perhaps a moderator can remove.

That's the method I use too - taught to me by a reputable GB dealer.

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Regards,
Leamphil

Somerset Postal History Blog
Leamington & Warwick Philatelic Society

Has anyone used a digital USB microscope in this regard?