```python
def stamp_table(dies: list) -> dict:
    table = {}
    for fragment, price in dies:
        if not isinstance(fragment, str) or not fragment:
            raise ValueError("a die fragment must be a non-empty string")
        if isinstance(price, bool) or not isinstance(price, int) or price <= 0:
            raise ValueError("a die price must be a positive integer")
        if fragment in table:
            raise ValueError("die listed twice: " + fragment)
        table[fragment] = price
    return table


def stamp_cover(label: str, dies: list) -> int:
    if TODO: validate the label, build the table with stamp_table, and
    # find the cheapest sequence of die presses spelling the label
    # exactly
    reject a label no    sequence can spell.
    raise NotImplementedError
```