1899 ½d Green - Die 3 Colour Trials

This page is a census of known examples of the 1899 ½d green stamp (the so-called Widows Weeds) colour trials.

What Scudder refers to as Die 3 was produced in September 1898, and the colour trial examples are from the miniature proof sheets from this die, with the exception of the slate-lilac on blue. They are known in black, and dull red on unwatermarked paper and in slate-lilac on blue watermarked paper in addition to the Universal Postal Union (UPU) approved green colour on unwatermarked paper. All were without gum and were perforated by the 12 gauge line machine. 

According to Scudder there are also colour trials which have been cancelled to order and which may have been printed at a later date, but I have yet to see any. 

These trials differ from the issued stamp being of a different colour (apart from the green examples) and having the year 1837 in the left tablet and 1897 in the right tablet - issued stamps have blank tablets.

Miniature Proof Sheets

Dull Red

Based on the number of examples seen by me, at least 4 miniature sheets in dull red must have been produced

Seen in Corinphila auctions 

Seen in the Henry Luke White Collection in the State Library of NSW

Green

Seen in Spink auction no 12043 lot no 1381. Ex Griffiths

Seen in the Henry Luke White Collection in the State Library of NSW

Black

Seen in the Henry Luke White Collection in the State Library of NSW

Dull Red

Seen in Spink auction no 12043 lot no 1382. Ex Alan Griffiths

An example from my collection. Ex Bernard Manning

Another example from my collection

Seen in Prestige Philately auction no 152

Seen in Abacus auction no 259 lot no 232

In the collection of Dave Elsmore

Seen in the Henry Luke White Collection in the State Library of NSW

Seen in the Henry Luke White Collection in the State Library of NSW

Black

In my collection

In the collection of Carl Burnett

Seen on Ebay

Seen in Spink auction no 12043 lot no 1383. Ex Alan Griffiths

Seen in Prestige Philately auction no 146 lot no 1197. Ex Bernard Manning. This was subsequently separated with the right hand copy surfacing as a single on Ebay in March 2025

Seen in Corinphila auctions

Seen in the Henry Luke White Collection in the State Library of NSW

Seen in the L'estrange collection in the Queensland Museum

Green

Seen in Prestige Philately auction no 152. Ex Manning

Seen in Spink auction no 12043 lot no 1383. Ex Griffiths

Seen in the L'estrange collection in the Queensland Museum

Seen in the Henry Luke White Collection in the State Library of NSW

Slate-lilac on Blue

Seen in Spink auction no 12043 lot no 1383. Ex Griffiths