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 | Oct 10, 1876 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 2 | Oct 14, 1876 | — | — | “4” inverted, black spandrels | 1 |
| 3 | Oct 16, 1876 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 4 | Oct 17, 1876 | — | — | — | 3 + 1 |
| 5 | Oct 18, 1876 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 6 | Oct 19, 1876 | — | — | — | 4 + 2 |
| 7 | Oct 20, 1876 | — | — | — | 8 + 1 |
| 8 | Oct 24, 1876 | — | — | — | 4 + 1 |
| 9 | Oct 25, 1876 | — | — | — | 4 + 1 |
| 10 | Oct 26, 1876 | — | — | — | 3 + 1 |
| 11 | Oct 26, 1876 | — | — | “BEFORE HARDENING” | 7 + 1 |
| 12 | ;no date | — | — | Basic Die Proof | 2 + 2 |
| 13 | no date | — | — | Cut down | 1 |
Institutionalised/Total: 10/51.
3s. Die Proofs
The dates on some 3s die proofs are difficult to read. Oct 26 is often misread as Oct 23 or Oct 25 as the “6” in the day position is weak at the left and flat on top. SG lists Oct 23 B/H and Oct 25 B/H, neither of which exist. All “BEFORE HARDENING” are Oct 26.
These examples of “5” and “6” can easily be distinguished with a little practice:
No. 1 — Oct 10, 1876 — no image.
Not seen by us.
No. 2 — Oct 14, 1876 — reconstruction.
“4” inverted in date.
Head in circle with black spandrels at three corners of octagon.
Ex H. T. Jackson.
No. 3 — Oct 16, 1876
Date in unusual position.
No. 4a — Oct 17, 1876
No. 4b — Oct 17, 1876 — reconstruction.
Ex R. E. (Bob) Philipps.
No. 4c — Oct 17, 1876
No. 4d — Oct 17, 1876 — reconstruction.
Langmead Collection.
No. 5a — Oct 18, 1876
Fig. 97 in Langmead and Huggins.
Ex Klempka Family.
No. 5b — Oct 18, 1876
No. 6a — Oct 19, 1876
No. 6b — Oct 19, 1876
No. 6c — Oct 19, 1876
No. 6d — Oct 19, 1876
No. 6e — Oct 19, 1876 — reconstruction.
Langmead Collection.
No. 6f — Oct 19, 1876 — reconstruction.
Phillips Collection.
No. 7a — Oct 20, 1876
No. 7b — Oct 20, 1876
Ex R. E. (Bob) Philipps.
No. 7c — Oct 20, 1876
Ex H. T. Jackson.
No. 7d — Oct 20, 1876
No. 7e — Oct 20, 1876
No. 7f — Oct 20, 1876
No. 7g — Oct 20, 1876
No. 7h — Oct 20, 1876
Ex Chuichi Ota.
No. 7i — Oct 20, 1876 — reconstruction.
Langmead Collection.
No. 8a — Oct 24, 1876
Ex Klempka Family.
No. 8b — Oct 24, 1876
No. 8c — Oct 24, 1876
No. 8d — Oct 24, 1876
No. 8e — Oct 24, 1876 — reconstruction.
Langmead Collection.
No. 9a — Oct 25, 1876
No. 9b — Oct 25, 1876
Ex R. E. (Bob) Philipps.
No. 9c — Oct 25, 1876
Ex A. J. Lowe.
No. 9d — Oct 25, 1876
No. 9e — Oct 25, 1876 — reconstruction.
Langmead Collection.
No. 10a — Oct 26, 1876
No. 10b — Oct 26, 1876
Ex R. E. (Bob) Philipps.
No. 10c — Oct 26, 1876 — reconstruction.
Pencil sketch of the Queen’s face, since been erased.
No. 10d — Oct 26, 1876 — reconstruction.
Langmead Collection.
No. 11a — Oct 26, 1876
No. 11b — Oct 26, 1876
No. 11c — Oct 26, 1876
No. 11d — Oct 26, 1876
Ex R. E. (Bob) Philipps.
No. 11e — Oct 26, 1876 — reconstruction.
Ex A. J. Lowe.
No. 11f — Oct 26, 1876
No. 11g — Oct 26, 1876
No. 11h — Oct 26, 1876 — reconstruction.
Langmead Collection.
No. 12a — no date — reconstruction.
Ex R. E. (Bob) Philipps.
No. 12b — no date
No. 12c — no date — reconstruction.
Langmead Collection.
No. 12d — no date — no image.
Royal Philatelic Collection.
No. 13 — no date
Cut down, possibly was dated, or more likely not genuine. Only seen on eBay.