Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
I'm not too familiar with US material and don't really know the answer. He was referring to blocks issued in the 1980s. Thanks.
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A plate block always has the plate number. If it has the zip logo instead, it's known as a zip block. Most older mono-color engraved plate blocks are blocks of 4, but there are exceptions (e.g. Zeppelin plate blocks of 6 since the plate number was not in the corner) and many modern stamps with multiple plate numbers requiring blocks of 8 or 10 or 12.
Lars
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You've answered a question that I never really had an answer to. At times, I would tear the zip logo off and thought I ruined a plate block. Thanks for the clarification.
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while a ZIP block isn't a plate block, that doesn't mean it's without value or interest; there are many collectors of ZIP blocks, although they are not scott-listed
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The Scott U.S. Specialized Catalog does list Zip Blocks. My oldest U.S. Specialized catalog is 1983 and it lists Zip Blocks also. The Scott World Wide Catalogs do not list Zip Blocks nor Plate Blocks in the U.S. section.
Jim
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Some plate blocks can be quite valuable. Even plate singles are useful for identifying Type differences in many instances. The is a special catalog (Durland) just for US plate blocks and PNCs (plate number coils).
Lars
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thanks for the correction, James. so, ZIPs are listed.
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My wife, bless her heart, helped me enter over 57,000 plate block numbers in the Stamp Smarter online database. It contains the plate block numbers for ever US stamp including most of the Back of Book stamps. The resource is handy for 'reverse lookups, i.e. you have a plate block in hand and want to know which catalog number(s) it is. And you can't beat the cost... free.
http://stampsmarter.com/features/PlateBlockHome.html
Don
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Further question for defining a plate block:
Does it require the margin/selvage/selvege on 2 sides? Or is margin/selvage/selvege only on the side with the plate # sufficient for it to be called a plate block.
My feeling is that it needs margin/selvage/selvege on two sides.
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Plate blocks should have selvage on two sides except as Lars pointed out issues like the US Zeppelins the plate number was in the center of the selvage so a Zeppelin block should consist of a block of six with the number next to the center stamp.
Here is another type of block. They are listed in Scott as inscribed margin blocks.
I picked these up on ebay last week to add to my US collection. There is a total of thirteen in the series, I am showing the first eight.
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There also are "slogan blocks". These appeared on US panes in the 1970s with slogans such as "Mail Early in the Day", "Use ZIP Code", the US Bicentennial emblem and slogan, and others. These are usually found in the margins, so are considered to be Margin Blocks. Scott lists most of these too, while some are footnoted.
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Early plate blocks had the Bureau of Engraving & Printing logo adjacent to the plate number. These were in the center of the sheet, so there would be no corner perforations.
Here's a partial sheet of Philippines 226 to illustrate the positions. Note that in the printing process, there are four sheets centered, with the selvage and plate information around the edges. So there would be blocks in 8 different positions. Both illustrations are from an upper left sheet.
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The overrun countries that vinman posted do not actually have plate numbers, just the country names. The Durland Plate Number Catalog refers to these blocks by the country name and states that Greece is the most desireable for some reason.
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Below a nice example of plate numbers from Bohemia and Moravia. These were printed in large and small sheets.
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Approvals
Someone asked if a block of four is a plate block. What he was referring to are blocks of four that have either copyright or zip code logo on them. Does a plate block only have a plate block number in order for it to be a plate block?
I'm not too familiar with US material and don't really know the answer. He was referring to blocks issued in the 1980s. Thanks.
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re: Defining Plate Blocks
A plate block always has the plate number. If it has the zip logo instead, it's known as a zip block. Most older mono-color engraved plate blocks are blocks of 4, but there are exceptions (e.g. Zeppelin plate blocks of 6 since the plate number was not in the corner) and many modern stamps with multiple plate numbers requiring blocks of 8 or 10 or 12.
Lars
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Approvals
re: Defining Plate Blocks
You've answered a question that I never really had an answer to. At times, I would tear the zip logo off and thought I ruined a plate block. Thanks for the clarification.
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this post
re: Defining Plate Blocks
while a ZIP block isn't a plate block, that doesn't mean it's without value or interest; there are many collectors of ZIP blocks, although they are not scott-listed
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this post
re: Defining Plate Blocks
The Scott U.S. Specialized Catalog does list Zip Blocks. My oldest U.S. Specialized catalog is 1983 and it lists Zip Blocks also. The Scott World Wide Catalogs do not list Zip Blocks nor Plate Blocks in the U.S. section.
Jim
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re: Defining Plate Blocks
Some plate blocks can be quite valuable. Even plate singles are useful for identifying Type differences in many instances. The is a special catalog (Durland) just for US plate blocks and PNCs (plate number coils).
Lars
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re: Defining Plate Blocks
thanks for the correction, James. so, ZIPs are listed.
Login to Like
this post
re: Defining Plate Blocks
My wife, bless her heart, helped me enter over 57,000 plate block numbers in the Stamp Smarter online database. It contains the plate block numbers for ever US stamp including most of the Back of Book stamps. The resource is handy for 'reverse lookups, i.e. you have a plate block in hand and want to know which catalog number(s) it is. And you can't beat the cost... free.
http://stampsmarter.com/features/PlateBlockHome.html
Don
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re: Defining Plate Blocks
Further question for defining a plate block:
Does it require the margin/selvage/selvege on 2 sides? Or is margin/selvage/selvege only on the side with the plate # sufficient for it to be called a plate block.
My feeling is that it needs margin/selvage/selvege on two sides.
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this post
re: Defining Plate Blocks
Plate blocks should have selvage on two sides except as Lars pointed out issues like the US Zeppelins the plate number was in the center of the selvage so a Zeppelin block should consist of a block of six with the number next to the center stamp.
Here is another type of block. They are listed in Scott as inscribed margin blocks.
I picked these up on ebay last week to add to my US collection. There is a total of thirteen in the series, I am showing the first eight.
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09:52:17am
re: Defining Plate Blocks
There also are "slogan blocks". These appeared on US panes in the 1970s with slogans such as "Mail Early in the Day", "Use ZIP Code", the US Bicentennial emblem and slogan, and others. These are usually found in the margins, so are considered to be Margin Blocks. Scott lists most of these too, while some are footnoted.
Login to Like
this post
re: Defining Plate Blocks
Early plate blocks had the Bureau of Engraving & Printing logo adjacent to the plate number. These were in the center of the sheet, so there would be no corner perforations.
Here's a partial sheet of Philippines 226 to illustrate the positions. Note that in the printing process, there are four sheets centered, with the selvage and plate information around the edges. So there would be blocks in 8 different positions. Both illustrations are from an upper left sheet.
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re: Defining Plate Blocks
The overrun countries that vinman posted do not actually have plate numbers, just the country names. The Durland Plate Number Catalog refers to these blocks by the country name and states that Greece is the most desireable for some reason.
Login to Like
this post
re: Defining Plate Blocks
Below a nice example of plate numbers from Bohemia and Moravia. These were printed in large and small sheets.
Login to Like
this post