New South Wales 1865 — Embossed 'ONE HALF PERCENT' Stamp Duty Proof (Specimen)
Archival embossed proof prepared for the New South Wales Treasury in 1865, showing the crowned arms of the colony and the inscription 'ONE HALF PERCENT' surrounded by laurel wreaths. Produced on Cowan & Sons watermarked paper, this piece combines colourless embossing with printed blue 'Specimen' text and framing lines, representing the official presentation format used for fiscal die approval. This proof belongs to the earliest generation of Australian government fiscal printing, created to authenticate legal documents and financial instruments before the widespread adoption of adhesive revenue stamps. ... Read more →
AustraliaFiscal Proof1865One Half PercentUnissued archival proof (colourless embossing, printed SPECIMEN) SpecimenFiscal ProofEmbossedNew South WalesCowan & SonsDe La RueColonial1865AustraliaRevenue Paper