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 vertical 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).


Another almost certain Colour Trial of the 2d (2/-) stamp is attached to an Official document for the Post & Telegraph Department.
It is not possible to obtain an image of the page because it is held by the Queensland Museum in the L'Estrange Collection.


The page appears to be relatively small - between A4 and A8 in size.
At the top is a Crest for the "QUEENSLAND POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT" surrounding the Colony's Coat of Arms.

The Colour Trial is affixed to the page. It is not a die proof because it has well trimmed margins.

Above and below the colour trial are the words "PATRIOTIC STAMPS/DESIGN AND COLOR APPROVED FOR 2d."