John Collects Stamps - Episode 25 - Watermark Identification : Hit or Miss?

In this episode I attempt to identify some watermarks on some GB Postage Due stamps.
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[@michaelwest1]

Good to see someone else struggle with watermarks 🤣 My watermark tray is the lid from a jar of instant coffee. Sometimes trying to find the watermark takes turning one way then another, turning it in and out if the light and then squinting like those magic eye photos from the 1990s. Suddenly, you see a glimmer of recognition. I watched it on the big tv and a lot of the ones you couldn't make out looked like multiple crowns. Thanks for another great video. Please make a video about George V Downey and 1912/22 definitive colour shades.

[@johncollectsstamps]

Thanks Michael, I'll be revisiting the unidentified watermarks this weekend, hopefully I can resolve what they are! Downey Heads? Sure, I have a specialised collection (with many gaps!) but something I can do in a future video.

[@danielste-marie779]

Thanks for sharing John.

[@alunpugh6301]

Brilliant video John, looks like I'll have to get myself some lighter fluid and a watermark tray. Thank you, roll on the next one.

[@seandolan8502]

You are a true blue collector. It never goes smoothly does it. I go through this with those dog gone phosphor bands

[@johncollectsstamps]

All par for the course haha

[@grumpyoldgit1944]

I bought the SG watermark detector. It was over £100. I've yet to see one watermark using it.

[@cb01ttr]

Interesting. I did some watermark detecting last night for the first time. Quite hit and miss. Sometimes all you see is the print from the front even with mint stamps.

[@dennisvandenreek86]

Great video again, John. It is great to see this experiment work out in a few cases. I was wondering one thing. The ones you identified, will you be able to see the watermarks in daylight? Also, at 11:09 the watermark is the Multiple St Edward’s Crown, making it the D59 (unfortunately).

[@johncollectsstamps]

Thanks Debbis. I noticed the Multiple crown watermark when editing, but thanks for spotting and pointing out.

[@paulwright-kd7hy]

Probably best to remove hinge remains first, there is another fluid for this. It is also probably best to put the stamp on the black tray and then add just enough lighter fluid to soak it in order to minimise the fumes! Sometimes the watermark is visible to some extent by holding up to the light and unused is also easier.

[@bobzahm8758]

Video would be more useful if the focus had been on the watermarking tray and not the stamps to be watermarked. Still, enjoy seeing someone else's work with watermarks. Sometimes very clear, sometimes really, really tough like when it comes to US single-line "USPS" watermarks. Ugh! One of the messages needs to be - when watermarking used stamps, first make sure to have cleaned the formerly adhesive-containing side of all hinges, paper, etc.

[@Horsa-sr8oz]

You may want to remove whatever is stuck to the back of the stamps. The no watermark series has chalk surfaced paper. The watermark in the QE2 issues can sometimes be difficult to see.

[@johncollectsstamps]

I'll give them a soak and try again, thanks.