Types of proofs
Beside numbered prints, a fine-art edition usually includes artist's proofs. These proofs, designated P/A (in Spanish, prueba de artista). The number of these proofs is customarily 5-10% of the total number of the edition. (More would be considered abusive.) So an edition of 50 would have a maximum of five artist's proofs. Sometimes these proofs are numbered with Roman numerals, e.g.: I/V, II/V, III/V, etc.

Some of the most valuable proofs do not form part of the edition. These are the trial proofs (P/E, in Spanish pruebas de estado) which the artist pulls in the process of creating the final print. A series of trial proofs represents a unique record of the work in process and, as such, is highly sought after by fine-art print collectors.

One sometimes sees "H/C" written on the margin of a print. This is a French annotation "hors de commerce," which usually indicates that the print was a gift or was unsuitable for selling.

In addition, every edition has a single "bon à tirer," which is the artist's final proof, the ideal which all the prints of the edition must emulate.

Additional documentation
Nowadays many artists like to accompany their prints with a "certificate of authenticity," (in Spanish, certificado de autenticidad) with addtional information, a detail which is appreciated by many collectors. This certificate usually includes, besides the artist's signature, the following data about the print:

• The total number of the edition
• The number of the print
• The workshop where the print was made and who did the actual printing
• The date of printing
• The techniques employed