Metallics (871–877) · spot ink
PMS 877 U
Pantone® 877 Uncoated — PANTONE 877 on uncoated stock
Metallic — sheen, not a mirror. Printers write it PMS 877 U; brand guidelines usually write it Pantone® 877 Uncoated. Same ink, same plate — the letter is the paper it lands on. On coated stock the same colour is PMS 877 C, and it does not look the same.
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 | 877 C | Denser and brighter. Ink sits on a sealed surface, edges stay sharp. |
| Uncoated | 877 U | Softer and less saturated. Fibres absorb the ink; expect a step down in punch. |
How it behaves in production
- Metallic silver — aluminium flake. The same rules as 871: a sheen on coated, and a noticeably flatter grey on uncoated.
- Next to a real silver foil it reads as grey. If the two ever appear on the same piece, the ink will lose.
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 is usually the honest answer and metallic ink is the budget one.
Browse the paper directoryCommon questions
- What does PANTONE 877 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 a printed sample before you sign off.
- Can you print PANTONE 877 on dark or coloured stock?
- Not as a standard ink hit. PANTONE 877 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 877 be matched in CMYK?
- Sometimes. A process build is usually acceptable inside imagery or small type and usually visible on a large flat solid or a brand mark. If this is your brand colour, keep it a spot.
- Is PANTONE 877 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 is usually the honest answer and metallic ink is the budget one.
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 877 on Gmund Action Electric Blood
PANTONE 877 on Gmund Action Electric Blood. Ink is translucent: on a fluorescent red sheet the printed colour shifts toward the paper. Sign off against a printed sample, not the chip.
Compatibility matrix
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PANTONE 877 on Gmund Bier Lager
PANTONE 877 on Gmund Bier Lager. Uncoated fibres drink the ink, so expect it a step softer than the coated chip — that softness is the reason to do it.
Compatibility matrix
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PANTONE 877 on Gmund Bio Cycle Cannabis Hanf
PANTONE 877 on Gmund Bio Cycle Cannabis Hanf. Uncoated fibres drink the ink, so expect it a step softer than the coated chip — that softness is the reason to do it.
Compatibility matrix
Start this combination