About Plates

Photo of a man preparing postage stamp die.
Engraving a postage stamp die.
Image courtesy Smithsonian Institution Libraries.

Postage stamps are generally printed in large sheet form with 400 images for small format regular issues, or 200 images for standard size commemorative issues. The sheets are cut into four “panes” of 100 or 50 images respectively, for distribution to post offices. (There are a number of exceptions to these layouts, especially among more recent issues.)

The large sheets are printed from a metal printing plate that contains a reverse image of the sheet. For stamps produced by line engraving, also called “intaglio”, the engraver begins the process by recess engraving the stamp image in reverse on a soft metal plate called a “die”.

 

Die and Transfer Roll

3-cent Washington die essay
Example of a die.
Transfer roll with two impressions of horse and rider design.
Example of a transfer roll.
 

Making a Plate

Photo of a man transferring steel die to steel roll.
The die is pressed multiple times into a soft roll of metal, called a “transfer roll”, creating several positive images.
Image courtesy Smithsonian Institution Libraries.
A man transferring steel die to steel plate.
These images are transferred by mechanically rocking the transfer roll back and forth onto each stamp position on the printing plate, which is a flat piece of soft metal, thus creating a reverse image of the ultimate sheet.
Image courtesy Smithsonian Institution Libraries.

 

Certified Plate Proofs