For those new to the Plate Statistics DataBase, this short section will reveal how to get the best from the data presented.

      We will take you through step by step, showing you how to get to the information you require and access the extra details that are available for each plate.

The first screen you come to gives you the option to see all of the Line Engraved issues or to select just a particular value Here the choice is yours, however, for the purpose of this run-through I have selected "All Line Engraved" issues

      Once you click on the link the page that loads should look like the one illustrated below

      The first thing we see is that as well as all the text data presented, some plates have notes indicated by the small book icon. By clicking on this icon we can see additional information such as the plate was not completted as in the case of the halfpenny plate 2 or with later plates where repairs were carried out, the lettering of the impressions that were treated.

      In the case of the text entries, it will be noted that some of these appear as underlined links. These will open a new window that will bring up scans of the referenced items. In the case of the earliest known date, this will be the item referenced or with the plate number, this will bring up the scan of the imprimatur sheet. In general, these pictures are larger than they are presented in this presentation, (being scaled down to fit the page), however you can save the picture by right clicking the mouse on the picture and selecting 'Save Picture As' from the options presented. Once on you local machine, the scans can be enlarged for greater use.

      With the imprimature sheets, the pictures are in black and white. Where these include colour impressions, these are imprimature copies that have been removed from the sheet and are in the hands of pivate collectors. These have been placed in their correct possitions so as to give as full a reference as possible.