Stamps Under Ultraviolet Light
You owe it to yourself to look at Ukrainian stamps in a different light -- ultraviolet, that is. It's like discovering hidden treasure.
A lot of Ukrainian stamps show some sort of reaction to ultraviolet light. Either the paper itself exhibits florescence or there is a florescent pattern or incription, including:
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Hidden Treasure: the Ivan Kupalo stamp features a UV enhanced fire. |
Although it is relatively easy to view the florescence yourself, it's a real challenge to photograph the effect. Originally, I tried using my camcorder on a tripod, overriding the automatic settings, and using frame-grabbing software. These that you see now were captured with an HP PhotoSmart digital camera, which allows me to get as close as several inches from the stamp. I think the results are pretty good.
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Three Ukrainian Stamps under Ultraviolet Light A bold Ukraina, diagonal pinstrips, and a year-date are just some of the ultraviolet effects you'll find. |
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K-Class Transportation |
Day of Children (UNICEF) |
Writer A.J. Krymskij |
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The stamps are a little difficult to catch on camera, but they are splendid with the naked eye. I think it's worth the effort buy or borrow a UV light. You might want to be careful if you intend to buy: there are long wave and short wave versions of ultraviolet light. An incandescent UV light failed to illuminate my stamps, and a special battery-powered UV light specifically made for stamps also performed poorly. The best light for my money is a basic florescent tube UV light that I bought at a novelty poster store!
