Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark70Z
Steve...just so you know you were the one I was referring to when it came to going over the printing process in the past (I think it was in a thread referring to progressive proofs if I'm not mistaken). Anyway, if the modern cards have 4 plates, how many did the more vintage cards have? Was it one for each color? I've seen as many as 10 progressive proofs; does that mean they used 10 printing plates... We know in this example it's at least 6.
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The overall process specifics have varied over the years.
As Justin pointed out some modern cards ( I'm using "modern" to apply to cards printed with a typically 4 color processs of some sort, which is mostly postwar) Will be either CMYK - or without fancy names, pink blue yellow black, Or RGB - red green blue black.
Some Topps cards even into the 70's and 80's appear to have areas of solid color that isn't an overlaid color. Plus they have gloss and occasionally an underlayer of white which could be taken as colors 5 and 6. (The underlayer is more noticeable when it's on the back which is a straight two color printing until they added color pictures to it)
Much older processes like the one for T206 would often use a lot more individual colors, typically for T206 it's around 8 depending on the card, at least 6, although I suspect there are very few that are only 6 with most being 8 or more. Some cigar box labels are 12+ colors.
Then there's sets done with processes that are variable in colors, quality, and type. Like 49 Leaf, where there's at least 3-4 identifiable runs using different colors, Pink vs red, and sometimes there's shading sometimes there isn't.
On the 1962 plates, since some cards were on a sheet multiple times there could be two plate pieces of the same card/color.
Steve B