Revenue stamp

Revenue Stamp

A revenue stamp is a type of stamp used to collect taxes or fees on documents, tobacco, alcoholic drinks, drugs, playing cards, hunting licenses, firearm registration, and many other things. They are issued by governments and are similar to postage stamps, but they are not used for postal purposes.

History

The use of revenue stamps dates back to the 17th century. They were first introduced in the Netherlands and Spain and later spread to other countries. Revenue stamps were used to collect taxes on a wide range of items and services, including legal documents, tobacco, and alcohol.

Types of Revenue Stamps

Revenue stamps can be classified into several types based on their usage:

Documentary Stamps

Documentary stamps are used on legal documents to indicate that a tax has been paid. These include stamps on deeds, mortgages, and other legal papers.

Tobacco and Alcohol Stamps

Tobacco revenue stamps seized during a blitz.

These stamps are used to collect taxes on tobacco and alcohol products. They are often affixed to the packaging of these products.

Playing Card Stamps

A U.S. playing card revenue stamp.

Playing card stamps are used to collect taxes on decks of playing cards. This type of revenue stamp was common in the United States.

Passport Stamps

A passport revenue stamp from Cundinamarca, 1899.

These stamps are used to collect fees for the issuance of passports.

Notable Revenue Stamps

Western Australia

Western Australia 1898 Internal Revenue £1 Swan stamp.

The Western Australia Swan stamp is a notable example of a revenue stamp used for internal revenue purposes.

Malta

Malta 1922 Melita stamp used both postally and fiscally.

The Melita stamp from Malta was used both for postal and fiscal purposes, demonstrating the dual use of some stamps.

Bahrain

Bahrain 1924 revenue stamp.

Bahrain issued revenue stamps in 1924, which were used for various fiscal purposes.

Indian Princely States

Fiscal stamps from Indian princely states.

Several Indian princely states issued their own revenue stamps, such as those from Punadra, Khadal Ambaliara, Katosan, and Jawhar.

Related Pages

• Postage stamp
• Tax
• Philately
• Fiscal philately