Panini, please explain NT printing plates

[michaelpatko]

I've been confused about printing plates in general for years.
I would expect them to be a reverse negative of the final card.
As we see so many coming from National Treasures, there appear to be both reverse negatives and non reverse in appearance.
For example, those from Prizm are reverse negatives.

I imagine the printing process varies from different products.

Thanks

[vegaspuck]

Optichrome and Acetate require the reverse printing. Regular card stock does not.

[Drewk86a]

The cards with foil backgrounds (Select, Prizm) have the player image printed, in reverse, on a clear acetate sheet which is the laid over the foil background stock.

[Rraincock]

ok, fair enough.... but I can't figure out how regular card printing plates work.... if the ink goes from plate to card... wouldn't it have to be reversered?

[Drewk86a]

Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but I think the image is transferred twice from the plate to a clear film, then from the film to the card.

If that is correct it would account for the right orientation plates. The plate is a true image which transfers a reverse image onto the clear film. The clear film transfers the image onto the card stock re-reversing the image to it's original true orientation.

Is that right? I dunno, but it sound good!