1888 Centenary issue, 1d lilac “View of Sydney”.

Updated August 7, 2026

New South Wales 1888 Centenary issue, 1d lilac “View of Sydney”.IdentificationCountry/Colony: New South Wales (Australian colony)Issue: 1888 Centenary of New South Wales (also called the Centennial issue) — widely regarded as one of the world’s first commemorative stamp sets. All values are inscribed “ONE HUNDRED YEARS.”Design: View of Sydney Harbour / city skyline within a circular frame, crowned at top, flanked by palm/fern fronds. Value tablet at bottom reads “ONE PENNY.”Colour: Lilac / purple-violet / mauve (shades vary).Catalogue numbers:Stanley Gibbons: SG 253 (basic listing; there are shade and perforation varieties)Scott: #77Technical details: Typographed. Watermark is normally Crown over NSW (type often listed as Wmk 40). Common perforations include 11 × 12 and others used during the printings (1888–early 1890s reprints/printings continued for a while).The green circular cancel is a typical NSW postmark of the period.

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