Hand Stamped & Rubber Stamped?

Hi Everyone,
I don't usually post in the USA categories, but I have this stamp and I find it interesting, well it is to me LOL

My question is....
I have not seen anything with the way this stamp has been "cancelled" with DEC 24 1900 though I don't think it is really a cancel mark is it?

Was it standard back in 1900 to have the Postal worker initial the stamps?

I wished I had more documentary stamps... they are nice!

Thank you,
SueStamps

Both the initials and the date mark look typical to me for document stamps.

These didn't pass through the postal system.

I'm sure there are other members who could give you more information, but I've seen many US document stamps and like I said, this looks typical.

~~ Mary-Jane ~~

I agree, the rubber date stamp is quite often used on revenue stamps. As Stamphound already noted, this is not a postage stamp and therefore did not go through the postal system. The cancellation was merely to document the date and initials of the firm that used the stamp.

I wonder if the "PRR" initials might have been for the Pennsylvania Railroad?

This is a Revenue stamp and known as a battleship revenue. I actually need one of these.

I would say Yes. I have a number of Penn. RR cancels and 3 have exactly the same penmanship and letter formation.

hi wt1,
I did not know that this type of stamp, does not get cancelled like a postage stamp does. Can you or anyone tell me... what is a revenue / documentary stamp? What was it used for?

If it did not go through the postal system, where did one puchase the stamp, and what did they put the stamp on?

Thank you and thanks to everyone for educating me more and more each day! I love this Board!
SueStamps

Hi I_Love_Stamps,
What is a battleship revenue?

What did the Pennsylvania Railroad do with these stamps? So fascinating!
Thank you,
SueStamps

In order to raise funds the US gov't taxes certain thing such as documets. When the Spanish American war began in 1898 the gov't in order to raise funds issued these revenue stamps (battleship) that had to be affixed to certain documents. A lawyer doing a deed transfer would put the stamps on the deed, cancel them with his signature and collect the money from the individuals. He previously purchased the revenue stamps and paid the gov't. the tax. Some individuals/businesses would have hand stamps made up to cancel the revenues.

The battleship was selected because we were at war with Spain.

There were many categories of revenue stamps and they go back to the Civil War. Those are neat and I like the ones on the backs of old pictures. Also the ones for playing cards.

Prior to that the stamps were embossed on the document. Remember the Boston tea Party, due to the tax on tea.

If you can get a copy of the Scott's Stamp catalog US Specialized they revenue stamps will be in the back.

State governments also issued their own revenue stamps and you could have a combination of both state and Federal tax stamps on one document.

PP

Thank you so much PP, I love the information / history behind the stamps! Wonderful!! I copied everyone's info and hav it saved and printed with the stamp!
Thanks again,
SueStamps

Here's a good primer on some of the uses of the various revenue stamps that were issued through the years:

http://www.rdhinstl.com/revs.htm

I'm curious about the revenue stamps on the backs of old pictures. I promised a friend of mine that I would take a look at a stamp that is on the back of an old picture. From her description it sounds like a revenue stamp. Was there a type of revenue stamp that was placed on the back of pictures?

~~ Mary-Jane ~~

Does anyone have any from the playing cards that they can upload a photo of? I have heard of them but don't know what they look like.

I just went through some of mine, and found some cigarette, wine and other odd misc. stamps that I will upload with a new thread soon. So fascinating!

Thank you,
SueStamps

Stamphound:

During the Civil war period when a photographer sold you a photograph he collected the tax from you and signified that by putting a revenue stamp on the back of the photograph and signing across it, canceling it. I'll have to pull some of the pictures I have to check but I think most were 2c Proprietary blues and maybe some USIR orange 2cent. Both of these are common. I have about 20 pictures w/revs from the period.

If I get a chance I'll post a few. Right now my better half (yeah right) has me putting a floor in our attic.

PP

Philatelic Pfool,

Thanks for the explanation! I couldn't figure out what a revenue stamp would be doing on a picture and now I know.


~~ Mary-Jane ~~