Sheet

A sheet is the complete unit of paper on which stamps are printed. The term covers two related things:

• The printer’s sheet (or press sheet) — the full piece that runs through the press.
• The post office sheet — the unit sold at counters, which is often a pane cut from a larger printer’s sheet.

Sheet Layout

A sheet contains stamps arranged in rows and columns, surrounded by margins that may carry plate numbers, cylinder numbers, printer’s imprints, colour registration marks and other inscriptions. Larger printer’s sheets are subdivided into panes separated by gutters.

Sheet sizes vary enormously. The Penny Black was printed in sheets of 240 (20 rows of 12), convenient because 240 pennies made one pound. Many later issues were printed in sheets of 100 or 200, and modern commemoratives are often issued in small sheets of 10, 20 or 50.

Positions on the Sheet

Each stamp occupies a defined position, and specialists describe positions by row and column or by a numbering system. For the Penny Black and other early British stamps, corner letters in the design identify each stamp’s position on the sheet. Knowing positions helps collectors:

• Locate constant plate flaws and varieties.
• Plate stamps — assign them to specific plates.
• Reconstruct sheets from single stamps.

Types of Sheet

• Sheetlet or mini-sheet — a small sheet of a few stamps, often with decorative margins.
• Souvenir sheet — a special commemorative sheet with one or more stamps.
• Press sheet — the complete uncut printer’s sheet.
• Booklet sheet — a sheet designed to be cut into booklet panes.

Collecting Full Sheets

Some collectors keep complete sheets of modern issues, especially those with attractive margins. Full sheets take up space and should be stored flat in archival sheet files. Older complete sheets are usually scarce and prized for the information they preserve.