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 25, 1876 | — | — | Circles in corner letter squares | 1 |
| 2 | Oct 26, 1876 | — | — | — | 5 + 1 |
| 3 | Oct 27, 1876 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 4 | Oct 30, 1876 | — | — | Circles removed | 0 + 1 |
| 5 | Oct 31, 1876 | — | — | — | 4 + 1 |
| 6 | Nov 2, 1876 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 7 | Nov 3, 1876 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 8 | Nov 4, 1876 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 9 | Nov 6, 1876 | — | — | — | 12 + 1 |
| 10 | Nov 7, 1876 | — | — | — | 5 + 1 |
| 11 | Nov 9, 1876 | — | — | “BEFORE HARDENING”, flowers open | 9 + 1 |
| 12 | Nov 20, 1876 | — | — | “After Striking”, “FJ” | 2 |
| 13 | no date | — | — | Basic Die Proof, flowers closed | 1 + 1 |
| 14 | no date | — | — | Basic Die Proof, flowers open | 0 + 1 |
| 15 | May 12, 1877 | 2 | — | “After Striking”, “HA” | 2 |
Institutionalised/Total: 8/59.
6d. Die Proofs
The dates on some 6d die proofs are difficult to read. Oct 26 is often misread as Oct 25 as the “6” in the day position is weak at the left and flat on top.
These examples of “5” and “6” can easily be distinguished with a little practice:
No. 1 — Oct 25, 1876
Ex A. J. Lowe.
No. 2a — Oct 26, 1876
No. 2b — Oct 26, 1876
No. 2c — Oct 26, 1876
No. 2d — Oct 26, 1876 — “D”
Ex R. E. (Bob) Philipps.
No. 2e — Oct 26, 1876
No. 2f — Oct 26, 1876 — reconstruction.
Langmead Collection.
No. 3 — Oct 27, 1876
No. 4 — Oct 30, 1876 — reconstruction.
Circles in corner letter squares removed from this date onward.
Langmead Collection.
No. 5a — Oct 31, 1876
No. 5b — Oct 31, 1876
Ex R. E. (Bob) Philipps.
No. 5c — Oct 31, 1876
No. 5d — Oct 31, 1876
Ex Klempka Family.
No. 5e — Oct 31, 1876 — reconstruction.
Phillips Collection.
No. 6 — Nov 2, 1876 — no image.
Not seen by us.
No. 7a — Nov 3, 1876
No. 7b — Nov 3, 1876
Ex R. E. (Bob) Philipps.
No. 7c — Nov 3, 1876 — reconstruction.
No. 7d — Nov 3, 1876
No. 8a — Nov 4, 1876
Fig. 96 in Langmead and Huggins.
Ex R. E. (Bob) Philipps.
No. 8b — Nov 4, 1876
No. 8c — Nov 4, 1876
No. 8d — Nov 4, 1876
No. 9a — Nov 6, 1876 — “A”
No. 9b — Nov 6, 1876
No. 9c — Nov 6, 1876 — “C”
Pencil sketch of the Queen’s face, since been erased.
Ex H. T. Jackson.
No. 9d — Nov 6, 1876 — “D”
Three proofs have pencil “D” on this date.
No. 9e — Nov 6, 1876 — “D”
No. 9f — Nov 6, 1876 — “D”
No. 9g — Nov 6, 1876 — reconstruction.
Ex R. E. (Bob) Philipps.
No. 9h — Nov 6, 1876
Ex R. E. (Bob) Philipps.
No. 9i — Nov 6, 1876
No. 9j — Nov 6, 1876
No. 9k — Nov 6, 1876 — reconstruction.
No. 9l — Nov 6, 1876 — double “D”.
No. 9m — Nov 6, 1876 — reconstruction.
Langmead Collection.
No. 10a — Nov 7, 1876
No. 10b — Nov 7, 1876
No. 10c — Nov 7, 1876
No. 10d — Nov 7, 1876
No. 10e — Nov 7, 1876
No. 10f — Nov 7, 1876 — reconstruction.
Langmead Collection.
No. 11a — Nov 9, 1876
Solid flowers in side panels opened from this date onward.
No. 11b — Nov 9, 1876
No. 11c — Nov 9, 1876
No. 11d — Nov 9, 1876 — “D”
No. 11e — Nov 9, 1876
Ex A. J. Lowe.
No. 11f — Nov 9, 1876
No. 11g — Nov 9, 1876
Ex Chuichi Ota.
No. 11h — Nov 9, 1876 — reconstruction.
Ex R. E. (Bob) Philipps.
No. 11i — Nov 9, 1876
No. 11j — Nov 9, 1876 — reconstruction.
Langmead Collection.
No. 12a — Nov 20, 1876
No. 12b — Nov 20, 1876
No. 13a — no date
Circles removed and flowers closed date this proof Oct 30 to Nov 7.
No. 13b — no date — reconstruction.
Circles removed and flowers closed date this proof Oct 30 to Nov 7.
Langmead Collection.
No. 14 — no date — no image.
Flowers open date this proof from Nov 9.
Royal Philatelic Collection.
No. 15a — May 12, 1877
Ex A. J. Lowe.
Ex Klempka Family.
No. 15b — May 12, 1877