Taking the Mystery Out of the PANTONE Numbering System

Have you ever received a call from one of your customers asking, “What is PMS 232?”? Of course you have, we all have. To start off, the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM is no longer referred to as PMS. Its correct terminology is PANTONE and the number! In this case, it would be PANTONE 232. What are all these names and numbers?

HERE IS HOW IT WORKS

Each PANTONE Color System uses a unique coding scheme. This key will help you find which System a particular PANTONE Color number or name is associated with:

Solid Color System (examples PANTONE 185 C, PANTONE Rubine Red U, PANTONE Cool Gray 1 M)
There are over 1,400 solid (a.k.a. spot) colors that comprise the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM for printing ink on paper. The majority of these colors are referred to using a three- or four-digit number followed by a C, M or U. The letter suffix refers to the paper stock on which it is printed: C for coated or gloss paper, U for uncoated paper and M for matte or dull paper. There is a small selection of colors in this System that uses names or name and number combinations, such as the 14 base colors (i.e., PANTONE Reflex Blue C, PANTONE Orange 021 U) and grays and blacks (i.e., PANTONE Cool Gray 5 C, PANTONE Black 3 U).

Four-color process (examples PANTONE DS 1-4 C, PANTONE DE 250-1 U)
The PANTONE 4-color process guides offer a collection of over 3000 CMYK colors. These colors are not part of the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM and do not have any relationship with the solid (spot) color system. PANTONE Process Color references start with either DS or DE followed by a one- to three-digit number, a dash and a single digit number (i.e., PANTONE DS 21-6, PANTONE DE 291-9). The DE designation is used in the European version.

Process simulations of solid PANTONE Colors (examples PANTONE 185 PC)
The PANTONE color bridge guide provides side-by-side printed comparisons of solid (spot) PANTONE Colors and their closest simulations in four-color process (CMYK). The process simulation for each solid color in this guide is referenced using the standard solid color numbering system followed by PC (i.e., PANTONE 185 PC), or EC for the European version. Previously, this guide was called PANTONE solid to process guide.

Hexachrome
The PANTONE solid in Hexachrome guide provides printed simulations of PANTONE Colors using the six-color Hexachrome process (CMYKOG). The process simulation for each solid color in this guide is referenced using the standard solid color numbering system followed by HC for Hexachrome Coated (i.e., PANTONE 185 HC).

Metallics
The Metallic color numbers are three or four digits and always begin with 8. For example 871 C or 8020 C.

Pastels
The Pastel color numbers always begin with 9. For example 9042 C or 9181 U. There are additional PANTONE Numbers that have not been included in this discussion because they are not a part of printing. They include numbers from the PANTONE Fashion & Home, PANTONE Architecture & Interiors and PANTONE Plastics systems. If you require the number codes for these systems, please inquire.

We wish to thank Krista Vetere of Pantone, Inc. for her contribution of the text used in this article. We would also like to thank Lithco, Inc. for providing this information in their weekly newsletter, The Weekly Word, and making it available to us. PANTONE and other Pantone, Inc. trademarks are the property of Pantone, Inc.