Essay
Also: stamp essay, design essay, unadopted design
An essay is a proposed stamp design that was submitted or produced for consideration but was not adopted in that form for the issued stamp.
Glossary Term
Die
A die is the original master engraving or design from which the printing plates for a stamp are made, especially in recess (intaglio) and embossed printing.
Also known as: master die, original die, die proof
A die is the master image of a stamp design, cut or engraved by hand or machine, from which the printing surfaces are created. The term is most important for recess-printed (engraved or intaglio) stamps and for embossed stamps, although it is also used more loosely for the master design in other printing methods.
How a Die Is Used in Recess Printing
The classic recess process works in three stages:
- Engraving the die. An engraver cuts the design in reverse into a small piece of soft steel. When complete, the die is hardened.
- Making the transfer roll. A soft steel roller is rocked under great pressure over the hardened die, picking up the design in relief. The roller is then hardened in turn.
- Laying down the plate. The transfer roll is rocked onto a printing plate again and again, entering the design as many times as there are stamps on the sheet.
This process — called siderography — lets one engraved die produce many identical plates. It also explains many varieties: double transfers, re-entries and misplaced entries all arise when the roll is applied imperfectly to the plate.
Dies and Types
If an original die is worn, damaged or modified, a new or altered die may be created. Catalogues list the results as types or dies — Die I, Die II and so on. Distinguishing them often depends on tiny details: the number of shading lines, the shape of a letter, or a missing dot. Specialist catalogues illustrate the differences.
Die Proofs
Before plates are made, printers pull die proofs to check the engraving. These proofs are printed directly from the die, often on thin India paper mounted on card, and in some cases in several trial colours. Because they are made in tiny quantities and show the design at its sharpest, die proofs are among the most prized items in specialised collections.
Embossing Dies
For embossed stamps — including many 19th-century British high values and a great deal of postal stationery — the die is used to press the design into the paper in relief, sometimes with colour and sometimes without. An inkless strike produces an albino.
Frequently Asked Questions About Die
What is the difference between a die and a plate?
The die carries a single image of the stamp design. The printing plate carries many repeated copies of that image — enough to print a whole sheet — and is made by transferring the design from the die, directly or via a transfer roll.
What are die proofs?
Die proofs are impressions pulled directly from the die, usually on card or India paper, to check the engraving before plates are made. They are typically printed in small numbers and are highly collectable.
What does 'Die I' and 'Die II' mean in a catalogue?
When a die is re-engraved or retouched, catalogues distinguish the versions as Die I, Die II and so on. The differences may be tiny details in shading or lettering but are listed as separate types because they come from different dies.
Related Terms
Plate Number
Also: plate block, plate number block, PNC, plate number coil, cylinder number
A plate number is a number printed in a sheet margin — or sometimes within the stamp design — identifying which printing plate produced the stamps.
Proof
Also: die proof, plate proof, colour trial, trial colour proof, stamp proof
A proof is a trial impression of a stamp design taken from the die or printing plate before or during production, to check the engraving, colour or plate before stamps are issued.