Embossed seal
A seal pressed into paper to raise the design, leaving no ink.
Made with a hand press or a desk press that squeezes the sheet between two dies. The result is felt as much as seen, which is what made it hard to forge before photocopying.
It does not photocopy or scan well, which is exactly why documents that need to survive as files moved to inked and digital marks.
Related terms
- Common seal: The formal seal of a company, historically pressed into paper to execute a deed.
- Wax seal: A blob of melted wax stamped with a die, historically used to close and authenticate a letter.