Colour trials and were printed for both stamps. All colour trials were made with the final design and were therefore taken from the printing plate.
The trials therefore also served as plate proofs.

The 2d (1/-) was printed in just the single shade used for the final colour.

Prestige Philately estimates that 1d to 2d proofs exist in a ratio of about 100:1.


There are maybe six examples of the 2d (1/-) colour trials recorded.

  • They were printed in bright reddish-violet.
  • The watermark was the same as for the issued stamp - Q over Crown upright.
    This feature distinguishes the colour trial from the proof (which is on a thicker card with no watermark).

  • The six known examples are shown below.
    • 1d single design


    Printed in violet and had good margins all around.

    • has a protrusion on TRC;
    • extra line above frame running from TRC;
    • long stretches of double lines in three places on the right vertcal frame

    Provenance: Dubois Collection,
    Corinphila June 2024, Lot 40152.

    1d single design


    Printed in violet. Wide right margin and good finish to top right corner.

    • rough border for lower half of right frame.

    Provenance: Bernie Manning, Johnstone.
    Prestige Philately June 2009 Lot 1210.

    1d closs cut at top


    Printed in violet.

    • cut close at top;
    • small colour protrusion 3.5 m down from top right corner.

    David Feldman May 2014 Lot 41567.


    Printed in dark violet.

    • surface abrasions in the top right corner;
    • a small crease in the top of the paper at the margin - almost certainly made at the time of the printing.

    Affixed to the Presentation Sheet.
    Corinphila Besaçon Sale, May 2018, Lot 3195.


    Printed in violet.

    • Has the lower margin trimmed and reaching the frame under TWO PENCE.

    Provenance: Spink Sale 16030, Lot 1176.
    Millennium Auctions, April 2003 Lot 588.


    Printed in violet.

    • a protusion from the top left corner,
    • a blurring of the left frame towards the base;
    • an uneven left border thinning about halfway and a wide right border.

    Provenance: Spink June 2023 Lot 3107
    (with ten 1d Colour Trials).