Why Is The Plate Position Of A Stamp Of Interest To Some Collectors?

There are a couple of examples with U.S. classics where plating is important, and one that is basically required:

Required-- The difference between a U.S. #10 and a U.S. #11 is more than a #10 or #10a being orange brown. By definition, a #10/10A must be from plates 1 early, 1 intermediate, 2 early, 2 intermediate, 5 and 0. So, it's safest to have a plated copy to ensure that it's a 10/10A.

Important-- and the reason I started to learn to plate the 1c 1851-57 Franklin is that I wanted to understand the difference between Type V and Type Va. Many collectors think that if there are no side scratches on the stamp, that it is a Type Va. This is incorrect, and the stamp must be from plate 5, and some plate 5 stamps are not even Type Va. So it's best that the stamp be plated.

Hope this helps! Ray

Just to add to the conversation - even current US stamps can be fun to collect all plate positions from different plate numbers. You could pursue with the current low denomination US stamps an assemblage of all plate positions for the current plate numbers. What I find interesting about it is that people don't always consider this area. I think it is due to the press sheets of commemorative stamps without die cuts that are quite popular with collectors and the vast venues to explore with the classic stamps as showin prior responses that overshadow this area. Still it is another one to consider and not expensive, it can just be cumbersome as you will get duplicates of plate positions or have to pay a small premium from the secondary market to avoid that. This is what I found when I completed all plate positions of some of the American Design series low denomination stamps as well as some of the fruit low denomination ones.

Anyway, as has been implied, there are many rewarding avenues in philately to explore.