PANTONE metallics (871–877) we print
Printed metal flake, not foil. A sheen, never a mirror — and worth knowing the difference before you specify it.
On-screen approximation — not a colour-accurate reference. Match to a physical PANTONE® chip before you sign off.
What to know before you specify one
- 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.
- 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.
Colours with a full write-up
Common questions
- Do these metallics (871–877) shift on uncoated stock?
- Yes, dramatically. Metallic flake needs a sealed surface to stay bright. On uncoated the flake sinks into the fibres and you lose most of the sheen — plan on a duller, sandier metal.
- Can I get these metallics (871–877) on dark paper?
- Not as a standard ink hit. Offset and letterpress inks are translucent, so on dark stock the colour underneath wins. For light colour on dark paper we foil stamp or run an opaque screen pass instead.
- Can you match one of these in CMYK instead?
- Sometimes, and it depends what the colour is doing. A process build is usually fine inside imagery or small type, and usually visible on a large flat solid or a brand mark. We will tell you which case you are in.
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.