1s. Die Proofs

Die proofs are printed in black on white glazed card, typically 92 x 60mm, unless otherwise noted. They are listed below ordered by date, with undated proofs following those with the same plate number. The rightmost column gives the number recorded in our database: in private hands + institutionalised.

The list of die proofs with unique dates is probably complete, and it’s unlikely that a proof with a previously unseen date will be found. However, the number of proofs within each date has not been recorded before, and it’s probable that additional proofs exist, especially for the second issue for which many more proofs were taken.

1	June 25, 1875	—	—	—	1
2	June 30, 1875	—	—	—	1
3	July 1, 1875	—	—	—	1
4	July 2, 1875	—	—	—	1
5	July 3, 1875	—	—	—	1
6	July 4, 1875	—	—	—	1
7	July 6, 1875	—	—	“BEFORE HARDENING”	5 + 2
8	no date	—	—	Basic Die Proof	0 + 1
9	July 14, 1875	1	BB	“AFTER HARDENING”	1 + 1
10	July 14, 1875	1	RA	“After Striking 15 Leads” (“JPS”)*	1*
11	Aug 4, 1875	2	LA	“After Striking 15 Leads”	1
12	Aug 12, 1875	3	TL	“BEFORE STRIKING” (“TR”)*	1*
13	Aug 12, 1875	3	FD	“AFTER STRIKING 81 Leads”, “JPS”	1
14	July 25, 1876	4	AB	“BEFORE STRIKING” (“FJ”)*	2*
15	July 25, 1876	4	MA	“After Striking 13 Leads”, “FJ”	1
16	Mar 16, 1877	5	—	“After Striking”, “HH”	2
17	no date	5	—	“WG”	2
18	Aug 17, 1877	6	—	“BEFORE STRIKING”	1
19	Aug 28, 1877	6	—	“AFTER STRIKING”	2
20	Apr 2, 1878	7	JB	“After Striking 59 Leads”, “SNE”	1†
21	Apr 6, 1878	7	—	“AFTER STRIKING”, “SNE” in blue	1
22	July 26, 1878	8	—	“Before Striking”, “CPK”	2
23	July 27, 1878	8	CB	“After 25 Leads”, “CPK”	1
24	Aug 14, 1879	10	—	“WG” in pencil, “JUT”(?) in ink	1
25	Apr 13, 1880	11	—	“After Striking”, “UGN”	1
26	no date	11	NC	“After Striking 50 Leads”, “WG”	0 + 1
27	no date	12	—	“UGN”	2