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watermark detection

rolew1946rolew1946 Posts: 181
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This subject may have already been discussed before I joined the board. Clarity watermark fluid is of course the best and it has the price tag to prove it. Are there any other good products at a less expensive price the members of this board may have used?

Has anyone tried the light systems (no fluid required)? I think there are several on the market.

By the way, I collect 19th century. 1961 issues and large banknotes. I have an ok collection of fancy cancels but I was really impressed with the four leaf clover I saw posted.

Comments

  • dougwtxdougwtx Posts: 566 ✭✭
    Most other watermark fluids are cheaper. I believe the reason why Clarity is higher is because it is marketed as non-toxic. Most others contain heptane.

    I've never used the non-fluid systems. One guy recently acquired one of those $200 Safe systems, but I haven't asked how it worked out.

    I have just now started to pay attention to fancy cancels. I never thought of them much, but then a trading partner started using Skinner and Eno designations on some interesting looking ones. Guess along with the Skinner and Eno, there is Weiss, Cole, and Herst with supposedly well documented books on these.
  • rolew1946rolew1946 Posts: 181
    Thank you for the response. I know I can't continue paying high prices for Clarity but I am not sure of which way to go. The heck of it is that I am not using it for the normal watermarks, I am using it on 19th century stamps to identify "stitch watermarks", and "laid paper" on the 1861 issues. A person can go through a lot of fluid checking for this items.

    Fancy cancels. Watch out, they are very addictive. I have S&E, Cole, and Herst. Herst is ok but has some limitations. I prefer Cole for the banknotes and S&E for the 1861-1867 issues. There are many cancels that I have found that do not show in any publication. The only way I have been able to validate them is by looking at all the cover sites and downloading copies of ones I have off cover. By the way, don't overlook the targets and concentric circle cancels. I have found over 40 variations in color, number of rings, size, and etc.

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