Orange River Colony 1903 KEVII 2½d Die Proof After Hardening

1903-04 DIE PROOF of KEVII 2½d (SG 142) frame plate only in black on glazed card dated (in blue) 10 JUL 02 and marked AFTER HARDENING. Superb, and an uncommon state of the die. (Typically only a single such impression was taken for checking of the master die roller at each of the after hardening, before striking and after striking production stages.) This particular plate would have fallen into disuse as the low values were printed as monocolours from single plates.