PNC is the acronym for Plate Number Coil.

25 years ago on April 24, 1981, the United States Postal Service introduced a plate number actually printed, at regular intervals, on the coil in the margin under the stamp design. The first PNC was on the 18c Flag  'Sea to shining sea' stamp, which was issued for the new 1 ounce First Class Rate effective March 22, 1981.  The interval between plate numbers was 52 stamps.

Plate numbers on coil stamps have existed for decades .  In most cases you will not see them, as they are printed on the selvage and trimmed off during production.   In the case of a miscut coil, the plate number can be seen along with the stamp on the coil.  Usually this results in only a partial plate number remaining, although full plate numbers are found.

Most Intaglio printed stamps, which are normally one color,  have a single digit to designate the actual printing plate, while most offset type printers assign one plate number to each color used on the stamp. When plates are replaced due to wear or other factors, a new number is usually assigned. In one instance, the plate combination A 14 12 11 11 11 was eventually used.

The printing plates employed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP), since the first stamp it printed in 1894, have been sequentially numbered starting from plate 1. They were used for accounting purposes and as an aid in determining which plate was involved when there was a problem.

Up until 1981, when the new method of identifying plates went into effect, actual plate numbers were assigned to a printing plate and that number appeared on the selvage of the stamps.  The newest format utilizes a representative number, which is a single digit for each color on the stamp.

The purpose of plate numbers on coil stamps has probably changed within the last decade and certainly since the advent of stamp printers other than the BEP.  Formerly the plate number was printed on the outside row of stamps and the interval usually matched the number of rows across the web.  Over the years, the plate number interval has ranged from a high of 52 to a low of 12.  A notable exception to this was the issuance of two experimental self adhesive coils without liner backing in 1997.  These were sold to collectors in strips of 7 with a plate number.  The 21c Bison stamp, issued February 22, 2001 has the plate number spaced every 5 stamps.

For the same reason that people collect anything:  It's challenging, relaxing, satisfying, and it's FUN.

As many different ways as there are people collecting them!  The vast majority of collectors save MINT examples as a strip of 5 (P#S5) with the plate number on the center stamp. Many opt for a strip of 7 (P#S7)with the number also centered.  A declining number of pncers save a format with three stamps.  There are also those who collect plate number singles, instead of or in addition too, the other formats.

There are those who collect 'Back numbers', EFO's, 'Gap Positions', Tagging Varieties, Imperfs, Purple Machine Cancels, Gum Varieties and Die Cut Varieties.

Used (canceled) PNCs are saved primarily as single stamps, although many save them in multiple strips.  Collectors also save them on First Day Covers, Personal and Commercial mail, and USPS Souvenir sheets.

Back numbers were introduced on large coil rolls to aid in the process of determining how many stamps remain on the coil.  This is useful for internal auditing in the post office, and for those organizations applying postage to mailings using large format rolls.

Depending on the starting point of the back numbers, the coil can be either 'odd' or 'even'.  An 'even' coil is one where the back number will appear on the reverse side of the stamp with the plate number.  Many collectors try to get a full set with the back numbers on both sides of the plate number plus a # on # hit.

Gaps fall into two areas. There are Precancel Gaps and Tagging Gaps.

Precancel Gaps are indicated by the unprinted space between the ends of the horizontal lines used in the precancel process, where the two precancel mats abut each other.

Tagging Gaps also exist on tagged stamps.   This is an untagged area, normally between stamps.

EFO is the acronym for Errors, Freaks and Oddities *** More on this later.

In the early days of collecting PNCs, most people saved the stamps in strips of three, and as a result, there are very many early strips of 5 with high price tags. Plate #6 of the 18c Flag stamps in a strip of 5 retails, depending on condition, near $3000 and a used single goes for close to $500.

Many other PNCs, even those issued within the last 5 years are extremely scare and command huge premiums.

The vast majority of PNCs retail in the range of 3 to 5 times face and are very affordable.

The standard reference is the Scott Catalogue.  Both the Scott Volume 1 and the Scott Specialized list PNCs in strips of 3 and 5.  In addition, many varieties are listed and priced.

In 1998, Krause-Minkus published its' "Standard Catalog of U.S. Stamps" for the first time in many years.  In the initial and subsequent editions, Krause-Minkus, in addition to the normal catalog entries, has a separate section listing prices for Plate Number Coils.

Each year, Linn's Stamp News publishes a "Trends" listing of average retail prices for all current PNCs. The 2002 listing is also on our web site.

Stamp Dealers' price lists are a good source of information on how much the stamps are selling for. Several of our member dealers can be contacted through the Dealer link on the Home Page. 

Many other dealers handle and sell PNCs at local stamp shows, by mail order and on the web.

Many PNCs are sold at auction, including the twice yearly PNC3 Club Auction and a list of 'prices realized' would help your quest.

Since the inception of  'those pesky little numbers' the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) has until recently handled the production of all coils.  Since the early 90s, the Postal Service has contracted out stamp production to commercial printers.

Major printing contracts have been awarded to Guilford Gravure, Inc. and Multi-Color Corp., both subcontractors for American Bank Note Co.;  J. W. Ferguson & Sons who is a subcontractor for Stamp Venturers; Ashton-Potter; Avery Dennison; Banknote Corporation of America; and Sennett Security Products.

Most current issues can be bought right at the post office, but you usually have to buy a full coil of 100.  Stamps from larger coils of 500, 3000 and 10,000 can be purchased from Philatelic Fulfillment Services in Kansas City, MO.  They have a free catalog available. Many post office lobbies have machines that dispense coils from larger rolls.

Most PNC dealers have a 'new issue service' and will supply you with all the new issues and all the different plate number combinations.

Many collectors have formed trading networks, either on-line or off, relying on the telephone or the US Mail.  You can participate or make your wishes known by joining the PNC3 Club sponsored chat board on Delphi. 

There are, of course, many, many dealers and collectors who sell on-line, not only the older material, but the new issues as well.

The same is true for older issues that are off sale at the post office.  They can be purchased at many venues, including but not limited to: Mail Auctions, Bourses (dealer shows), Dealers, Other Collectors, On-line.

Are you aware that you can buy current First Class postage at a discount?  It's true!  You probably are wondering if something illegal is going on.  Far from it.

Most modern US stamps, and that includes those dating back to when it cost three and four cents to mail a letter in the late fifties and early sixties, were being bought by people in full sheets 'for investment'.  Sad to say, the value of these stamps did not increase because so many people owned so many of them that there was no market for them.  Many of these stamps can now be bought for well under face, sometime in the neighborhood of 80 to 85%.

Recent US coils, including the current 37c stamps, can also be bought at a good discount from face, but for a very different reason.  PNC collectors and dealers save the coils in strips with the plate numbered stamp in the center of the strip.  After this process is completed, there remains a lot of scrap, that is, stamps that were between the strips being saved.

Some of this will be used for postage by the person involved, but after a while, it tends to accumulate to the point where there is more than will be used in a lifetime.  Dealers usually have arrangements with other dealers to sell them the scrap at a discount.  Some of the scrap may be donated to a charity, with a deduction for the face amount.  Others sell the scrap to local businesses.

After every avenue is exhausted, there invariably remains more scrap, and this is quite often offered in ads in Linn's, Stamp Collector and on the  Internet at good discounts from face.