Plate Blocks

A general question if you please. Last night as I was soaking more
stamps I ran across a number of plate blocks of older stamps. I
understand that MNH PBs are collectable by some folks and was curious if
the same holds true for used?

What got me wondering was as I picked up a set with tongs, the PB
portion decided to seperate from the block of 4 stamps. I guess it had
been folded numerous times along the perfs as just the weight of picking
it up by the PB was enough. That made me wonder if I'd mesed up
something I shouldn't have - not for monetary value but from a hobby
collectability standpoint in general.

12/14/2003 9:10 AM

A general question if you please. Last night as I was soaking more
stamps I ran across a number of plate blocks of older stamps. I
understand that MNH PBs are collectable by some folks and was curious if
the same holds true for used?

Depends on what the collector likes. If there are X number of collectors in
the world, there are X number of preferences for what they collect. Collect
what you like! Personally, stamps with readable cancels or fancy cancels are
far more interesting and collectible than mint stamps. I collect mint stamps
if I want an example which shows the design clearly, and I almost always try
to obtain good used copies as well.

What got me wondering was as I picked up a set with tongs, the PB
portion decided to seperate from the block of 4 stamps. I guess it had
been folded numerous times along the perfs as just the weight of picking
it up by the PB was enough. That made me wonder if I'd mesed up
something I shouldn't have - not for monetary value but from a hobby
collectability standpoint in general.

I would say that your mistake was picking up the wet plate block with tongs.
Such pieces need to be carefully supported by your very own sensitive
fingers as they are removed from the water, because the weight of the wet
stamps alone can be enough to tear the stamps apart, especially if the
perforations have been creased. IMHO, tongs are dangerous instruments when
used with wet stamps.

Bob Ingraham

Real plate blocks, that is, ones with plate numbers on them as opposed to
the "inscribed" blocks of modern issues, are collectible in that they are
proof that the stamp examples are printed from a specific plate. This is
only significant if more than one plate was used in the life time of the
issue, of course. The mint or used aspect is the same as for mint and used
stamps in general (i.e, collector's preference)

The inscribed blocks of modern issues (i.e., not printed from engraved
plates) are collectible also as they often include an identification of the
printing run. If you don't have the print run number on the selvedge, there
sometimes is no way of knowing which print run a stamp came from in the case
of multiple print runs.

"Tony Brown" wrote in message
...
Real plate blocks, that is, ones with plate numbers on them as opposed to
the "inscribed" blocks of modern issues, are collectible in that they are
proof that the stamp examples are printed from a specific plate. This is
only significant if more than one plate was used in the life time of the
issue, of course. The mint or used aspect is the same as for mint and used
stamps in general (i.e, collector's preference)

The inscribed blocks of modern issues (i.e., not printed from engraved
plates) are collectible also as they often include an identification of
the
printing run. If you don't have the print run number on the selvedge,
there
sometimes is no way of knowing which print run a stamp came from in the
case
of multiple print runs.


I was under the impression that modern stamps were printed with the same
plate used thousands of times, but the "plate number" changing automatically
as each sheet is fed thru or being added later - much like the serial # is
put on paper money. Also what about the printing methods that do not use
plates? SO it's not really a plate number but a sheet number. Or is my idea
wrong?


--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.

I was under the impression that modern stamps were printed with the same
plate used thousands of times, but the "plate number" changing
automatically
as each sheet is fed thru or being added later - much like the serial # is
put on paper money. Also what about the printing methods that do not use
plates? SO it's not really a plate number but a sheet number. Or is my
idea
wrong?

The number that appears on a plate block is the plate number, not a serial
number of the sheet the block of stamps comes from. Plates used in printing
bills, bonds, stamps, etc., are numbered for control and audit purposes.
Stamp collectors are interested in the plate number because stamps printed
from different plates, even if they have the same design, have perceptable
differences.

The inscriptions on stamps that are not printed from numbered plates usually
contain information about the stamp's designer, printer, colours used (the
"traffic lights"), perhaps some explanatory info about the subject matter,
and, if more than one printing, as is often the case with definitives, a
print run number (i.e., a simple number like "1" or "2" indicating first
printing, second printing, etc.).

and, if more than one printing, as is often the case with definitives, a
| print run number (i.e., a simple number like "1" or "2" indicating first
| printing, second printing, etc.).

In Oz, interestingly, instead of a number we have an image code.
in the selvedge one will see images of Koala's, the number of which
refers to the print run.

In Oz, interestingly, instead of a number we have an image code.
in the selvedge one will see images of Koala's, the number of which
refers to the print run.

In a similar vein, I have seen "traffic lights" in the form of images that
match the subject matter of the stamp. The Canadian $2 Polar bear issue, for
example, has traffic lights in the form of four little polar bears, each
corresponding to the colours used in the printing of the stamp.

By the way, I consider this sort of thing as part of "selvedge art" and
have published an article on it at
http://www.rpsc.org/Library/selvedge/selvedge.html.

Malaysia low value definitives issued in 1986 are still being used
until today. The definitives portray agro-products when first issued
in 1986 had block number 1A. The number of the Blok number has since
been increased. Block numbers of 5A (issued in 1991), 6A (issued
1992), 8A (issued in 1994), 9A (issued in 1995) and so on came into
existence. During the long period of production of these long-run
definitives, various of perf., gum types and paper types appear.
Malaysia has 13 states and one Federal Territory, and each of these
states and territory issues these definitives (the different among
them is the state arms on the stamps). Therefore, the collection of
block number for these definitives has become very challenging and
interesting. It keeps me busy all the time looking for them. You may
view some of the block numbers of these stamps in my collection at
following url:

http://www.geocities.com/rocoto98/agro.html

Ian


"Rodney" wrote in message ...
and, if more than one printing, as is often the case with definitives, a
| print run number (i.e., a simple number like "1" or "2" indicating first
| printing, second printing, etc.).

In Oz, interestingly, instead of a number we have an image code.
in the selvedge one will see images of Koala's, the number of which
refers to the print run.

Peter Aitken wrote:
"Tony Brown" wrote in message ...

Real plate blocks, that is, ones with plate numbers on them as opposed to
the "inscribed" blocks of modern issues, are collectible in that they are
proof that the stamp examples are printed from a specific plate. This is
only significant if more than one plate was used in the life time of the
issue, of course. The mint or used aspect is the same as for mint and used
stamps in general (i.e, collector's preference)

The inscribed blocks of modern issues (i.e., not printed from engraved
plates) are collectible also as they often include an identification of the
printing run. If you don't have the print run number on the selvedge, there
sometimes is no way of knowing which print run a stamp came from in the case
of multiple print runs.

I was under the impression that modern stamps were printed with the same
plate used thousands of times, but the "plate number" changing automatically
as each sheet is fed thru or being added later - much like the serial # is
put on paper money. Also what about the printing methods that do not use
plates? SO it's not really a plate number but a sheet number. Or is my idea
wrong?

I have seen souvenir sheets and booklet panes with what seem to be
serial numbers - different on each sheet or pane. But modern US stamps
still have "plate numbers" which appear the same on a great number, if
not all, sheets of a given issue.

= Eric