Editing Plate block (section)

[[File:Sudan stamp jubilee cylinder block.jpg|right|thumb|A cylinder block of the Sudan stamp jubilee issue of 1948]]
[[File:Stamp US 1895 2c type 3 plate strip.jpg|right|thumb|A plate strip of three of the 2-cent US stamp of 1895 includes the BEP's name.]]
[[File:1972OlympicWinterGames-USPostageStamp.jpg|right|thumb|A US plate block from 1972. Note the addition of a number for each color. This increased the cost of collecting plate blocks. That, plus the format change, discouraged many collectors.]]
A '''plate block''' is a [[Postage stamp block|block of stamps]] from the edge of the sheet which shows the ''plate'' or ''cylinder'' from which the stamps were printed.