Postage stamp color
Encyclopedia
The color
s of postage stamp
s are at once obvious, and among the most difficult areas of philately
. Different denominations
of stamps have been printed in different colors since the very beginning; as with their successors, postal clerks could distinguish the Penny Black
and Two pence blue
more quickly by color than by reading the value, and the practice generally continues today. In practice, the actual color of a stamp may vary, and while collectors will pay high prices for rare shades, it may not be easy to tell those apart from variations caused by age, light, chemicals, and other factors. Stamp colors are routinely described by color name
rather with any sort of a numerical system like CMYK; several color guides showing a selection of colors have been produced, but are not especially popular with collectors.
Nearly all stamps get their color from ink
s printed on white or light-colored paper
; the handful of exceptions include early issues of Natal consisting only of embossing on colored paper, some recent stamps embossed on gold foil or with foil blocking to achieve a metallic appearance, and the Uganda Cowries
produced on a typewriter
. A number of early stamps were printed in black on differently-colored papers; the most famous example is the British Guiana 1c magenta
.
Initially, countries typically made a random choice of colors for denominations. In 1896, the members of the Universal Postal Union
agreed on green
, red
, and blue
as the standard colors for standard printed matter, postcard, and letter rates, respectively, when sent abroad. This convention was gradually abandoned as inflation created too many exceptions from the 1930s and onwards.
Stamps with two colors ("bi-colored") began to appear very early, although typically reserved for higher values, due to the added expense of multiple print runs. Multicolored stamps appeared along with the development of color printing techniques; they now account for the majority of modern stamps, although single-color designs are still common, more so for some countries than others.
of 1893 was normally printed in ultramarine
, but a handful were printed in blue, a shade with distinctly more green; these are worth in the US$10,000 range instead of the usual $10.
Inks may also be diluted or applied more thinly, as for instance the WWI stamps of Germany
and WWII stamps of the United Kingdom
. It can also happen randomly, if a printing plate is accidentally under-inked.
Ultraviolet light is destructive to a great many pigments, and can cause considerable lightening. In addition, some countries have used water-soluble materials known as fugitive inks to prevent postage stamp reuse
. Stamps of this type may be much lighter in color after being soaked.
Some dramatic color variations occur as a result of chemical action; such stamps are called color changelings. Examples include sulfuretting (often misnamed "oxidation"), a reaction involving lead that may turn a blue or green stamp to black, and the effects of salt water, famously seen in stamps of New South Wales
recovered from the wreck of the Colombo. Forgers have also used chemicals to try to produce seeming rarities, although by now experts know how to identify these attempts.
s in matters of color nomenclature, even though the different catalogs are not consistent with each other. Although there are a great many named colors, the selection used by philatelists is limited to several dozen, modified by adjectives such as "dark", "light", "pale", "bright" and "deep". In addition, two color names may be combined, as in "gray green" or "brown orange", where the first name indicates the direction of modification to the second color. Thus "brown orange" is a duller and darker orange, while "orange brown" has a tinge to it that is more orange than would be seen with a "yellow brown" or "red brown". This system becomes less clear when extended to other colors, and few collectors could describe precisely how "carmine rose" is different from "rose carmine". Certain colors such as "lake", a shade of red which often commands a price premium, have a traditional, but somewhat uncertain, meaning which differs from general usage of "lake" in terms of pigments and dyes.
Originally, government-issued official descriptions merely gave out a primary name such as "red" for a whole range of shades. In more recent years, the descriptions have become more precise, such as "dark sage green", though not necessarily enlightening collectors any more than previously.
Color
Color or colour is the visual perceptual property corresponding in humans to the categories called red, green, blue and others. Color derives from the spectrum of light interacting in the eye with the spectral sensitivities of the light receptors...
s of postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
s are at once obvious, and among the most difficult areas of philately
Philately
Philately is the study of stamps and postal history and other related items. Philately involves more than just stamp collecting, which does not necessarily involve the study of stamps. It is possible to be a philatelist without owning any stamps...
. Different denominations
Denomination (postage stamp)
:This article deals with the price of a postage stamp. For other meanings of the word 'denomination' see Denomination .In philately, the denomination is the "inscribed value of a stamp"...
of stamps have been printed in different colors since the very beginning; as with their successors, postal clerks could distinguish the Penny Black
Penny Black
The Penny Black was the world's first adhesive postage stamp used in a public postal system. It was issued in Britain on 1 May 1840, for official use from 6 May of that year....
and Two pence blue
Two pence blue
The Two Penny Blue was the world’s second official postage stamp, issued after the Penny Black.It was issued in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and was first sold to the public at the London Inland revenue office in the afternoon of May 8th 1840. Except for its denomination of the...
more quickly by color than by reading the value, and the practice generally continues today. In practice, the actual color of a stamp may vary, and while collectors will pay high prices for rare shades, it may not be easy to tell those apart from variations caused by age, light, chemicals, and other factors. Stamp colors are routinely described by color name
Color name
A color term, also known as a color name, is a word or phrase that refers to a specific color. The color term may refer to human perception of that color , or to an underlying physical property...
rather with any sort of a numerical system like CMYK; several color guides showing a selection of colors have been produced, but are not especially popular with collectors.
Nearly all stamps get their color from ink
Ink
Ink is a liquid or paste that contains pigments and/or dyes and is used to color a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Ink is used for drawing and/or writing with a pen, brush, or quill...
s printed on white or light-colored paper
Postage stamp paper
Postage stamp paper is the foundation or substrate of the postage stamp to which the ink for the stamp's design is applied to one side and the adhesive is applied to the other...
; the handful of exceptions include early issues of Natal consisting only of embossing on colored paper, some recent stamps embossed on gold foil or with foil blocking to achieve a metallic appearance, and the Uganda Cowries
Uganda Cowries
The Uganda Cowries, also known as the Uganda Missionaries, were the first adhesive postage stamps of Uganda. Because there was no printing press in Uganda the stamps were made on a typewriter by Rev. E. Millar of the Church Missionary Society, in March 1895, at the request of C. Wilson, an official...
produced on a typewriter
Typewriter
A typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical device with keys that, when pressed, cause characters to be printed on a medium, usually paper. Typically one character is printed per keypress, and the machine prints the characters by making ink impressions of type elements similar to the pieces...
. A number of early stamps were printed in black on differently-colored papers; the most famous example is the British Guiana 1c magenta
British Guiana 1c magenta
The British Guiana 1c magenta is regarded by many philatelists as the world's most famous stamp. It was issued in limited numbers in British Guiana in 1856, and only one specimen is now known to exist....
.
History
Universal Postal Union
The Universal Postal Union is an international organization that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system. The UPU contains four bodies consisting of the Congress, the Council of Administration , the Postal Operations Council and the...
agreed on green
Green
Green is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
, red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
, and blue
Blue
Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal...
as the standard colors for standard printed matter, postcard, and letter rates, respectively, when sent abroad. This convention was gradually abandoned as inflation created too many exceptions from the 1930s and onwards.
Shades and color changes
Color shades have several different causes. The printer may use a different ink; in the early days, inks were made up in batches as needed, and were rarely consistent. In such cases, the shade provides information about when the stamp was made, and possibly even identify a particular printing. Extreme variations may be considered color errors; for instance, the 4c value of the US Columbian IssueColumbian Issue
The Columbian Issue, often simply called the Columbians, is a set of 16 postage stamps issued by the United States to mark the 1893 World Columbian Exposition held in Chicago...
of 1893 was normally printed in ultramarine
Ultramarine
Ultramarine is a blue pigment consisting primarily of a double silicate of aluminium and sodium with some sulfides or sulfates, and occurring in nature as a proximate component of lapis lazuli...
, but a handful were printed in blue, a shade with distinctly more green; these are worth in the US$10,000 range instead of the usual $10.
Inks may also be diluted or applied more thinly, as for instance the WWI stamps of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and WWII stamps of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It can also happen randomly, if a printing plate is accidentally under-inked.
Ultraviolet light is destructive to a great many pigments, and can cause considerable lightening. In addition, some countries have used water-soluble materials known as fugitive inks to prevent postage stamp reuse
Postage stamp reuse
In the earlier days of the postage stamp, postal officials worried much about the problem of postage stamp reuse, and invented a number of schemes to mark or deface the stamps....
. Stamps of this type may be much lighter in color after being soaked.
Some dramatic color variations occur as a result of chemical action; such stamps are called color changelings. Examples include sulfuretting (often misnamed "oxidation"), a reaction involving lead that may turn a blue or green stamp to black, and the effects of salt water, famously seen in stamps of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
recovered from the wreck of the Colombo. Forgers have also used chemicals to try to produce seeming rarities, although by now experts know how to identify these attempts.
Nomenclature
In general, collectors follow the stamp catalogStamp catalog
A stamp catalog is a catalog of postage stamp types with descriptions and prices.The stamp catalog is an essential tool of philately and stamp collecting...
s in matters of color nomenclature, even though the different catalogs are not consistent with each other. Although there are a great many named colors, the selection used by philatelists is limited to several dozen, modified by adjectives such as "dark", "light", "pale", "bright" and "deep". In addition, two color names may be combined, as in "gray green" or "brown orange", where the first name indicates the direction of modification to the second color. Thus "brown orange" is a duller and darker orange, while "orange brown" has a tinge to it that is more orange than would be seen with a "yellow brown" or "red brown". This system becomes less clear when extended to other colors, and few collectors could describe precisely how "carmine rose" is different from "rose carmine". Certain colors such as "lake", a shade of red which often commands a price premium, have a traditional, but somewhat uncertain, meaning which differs from general usage of "lake" in terms of pigments and dyes.
Originally, government-issued official descriptions merely gave out a primary name such as "red" for a whole range of shades. In more recent years, the descriptions have become more precise, such as "dark sage green", though not necessarily enlightening collectors any more than previously.