Metallics (871–877) · spot ink
PMS 871 U
Pantone® 871 Uncoated: Pantone 871 on uncoated stock
Metallic: sheen, not a mirror. Printers write it PMS 871 U; brand guidelines usually write it Pantone® 871 Uncoated. Same ink, same plate: the letter is the paper it lands on. On coated stock the same colour is PMS 871 C, and it does not look the same.
- Budget gold
- Large gold areas where foil would be cost-prohibitive
On-screen approximation: not a colour-accurate reference. Match to a physical PANTONE® chip before you sign off.
Coated vs uncoated, honestly
The same ink is not the same colour on the two stocks. On coated sheets the ink sits on a sealed surface: denser, brighter, sharper edges. On uncoated the fibres absorb it: softer, duller, slightly lighter, and warm colours lose the most punch. Some colours change character outright: brights go chalky, deep navies go grey-blue.
| Stock | Reference | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Coated | 871 C | Denser and brighter. Ink sits on a sealed surface, edges stay sharp. |
| Uncoated | 871 U | Softer and less saturated. Fibres absorb the ink; expect a step down in punch. |
How it behaves in production
- Metallic gold ink: bronze flake in a varnish base. It has a satin sheen and reads as gold across a large area, but it does not reflect like foil and it will not hold a crisp hairline the way a foil die does.
- Prints best on coated stock, where the flake sits on the surface and stays bright. On uncoated the flake sinks and much of the metallic effect is lost: plan on a duller, sandier gold.
On dark stock
Offset and letterpress inks are translucent. On a dark or coloured stock a light ink will not cover: it sinks into the sheet and reads tone-on-tone. For light colour on dark paper the answer is foil stamping or an opaque screen pass, never a straight PMS hit.
See the foil directoryMetallic ink vs foil
Metallic PMS is a printed approximation of metal: aluminium or bronze flake suspended in ink. It has a sheen, not a mirror. Foil is actual metal transferred under heat and pressure: reflective, sharp, and unmistakably different in the hand. If the brand asset is 'gold', foil gives a reflective highlight while metallic ink gives a satin sheen.
Browse the paper directoryCommon questions
- What does Pantone 871 look like on uncoated paper?
- Softer, duller and a touch lighter than the coated chip. Uncoated fibres absorb the ink instead of letting it sit on a sealed surface, so saturation drops across the board. The uncoated swatch here is modelled from the coated approximation: order the sample kit, or ask us to curate inks after you order.
- Can you print Pantone 871 on dark or coloured stock?
- Not as a standard ink hit. Pantone 871 is translucent, so on dark stock the paper colour comes through and the result is tone-on-tone. For this colour on dark paper we foil stamp or run an opaque screen instead.
- Can Pantone 871 be matched in CMYK?
- There is no CMYK equivalent. A metallic is a spot ink or a foil, never a process build.
- Is Pantone 871 the same as foil?
- Metallic PMS is a printed approximation of metal: aluminium or bronze flake suspended in ink. It has a sheen, not a mirror. Foil is actual metal transferred under heat and pressure: reflective, sharp, and unmistakably different in the hand. If the brand asset is 'gold', foil gives a reflective highlight while metallic ink gives a satin sheen.
PANTONE® is a registered trademark of Pantone LLC. Print Peppermint is not affiliated with or endorsed by Pantone LLC. Codes are referenced to identify the inks we print.
Pairs beautifully with
Three combinations that hold up on press. Open one and the Studio starts with the stock, the foil and the ink already locked in.
Pantone 871 on Materica Quarz
Pantone 871 on Materica Quarz. Ink is translucent: on a quarz, uncoated, slightly rough, visible fibre; pulp-coloured sheet the printed colour shifts toward the paper. Sign off against a printed sample, not the chip.
Compatibility matrix
Start this combinationPantone 871 on Savile Row Tweed Camel
Pantone 871 on Savile Row Tweed Camel. Ink is translucent: on a tweed camel, plain: slightly rough fabric-like uncoated; tweed: embossed herringbone tweed on both faces (over 100 gsm); pinstripe: tone-on-tone stripe formed on the paper machine (patented), stripes run parallel to grain (100 cm side) sheet the printed colour shifts toward the paper. Sign off against a printed sample, not the chip.
Compatibility matrix
Start this combinationPantone 871 on Sirio Color Agave
Pantone 871 on Sirio Color Agave. Ink is translucent: on a agave, smooth uncoated, pulp-dyed (colour through) sheet the printed colour shifts toward the paper. Sign off against a printed sample, not the chip.
Compatibility matrix
Start this combination