Two Butterfly Gold butter dishes. Notice a difference? Collectors have discerned it long enough to call them "light" and "dark". The original Butterfly Gold pattern debuted in 1972. In 1979, it was redesigned with a different pattern and color scheme. Although butter dishes were not included in the redesign, we often fail to consider they continued to be marketed through the end of 1983, an additional five years. The new design color palette included colors both lighter and darker than the original '72 pattern's gold. Let me be the first to say I prefer certainty over speculation, but I think I may have a plausible explanation for the difference in these two butter dishes. It would make sense that, after the pattern was redesigned, Corning would not continue to stock the original shade of paint just to decorate what catalogs reveal would have been less than a handful of tabletop ware items. It would make more sense to use a shade they already had plenty of on hand. The lighter, yellow shade of BFG '79 would have been so low in contrast as to be noticeable; the darker shade, not used as decoration on plain opal, would likely not have raised any eyebrows. As I said, just a theory on my part, so please don't repeat as fact. Thanks to FB user Jo A. for the photo.