New Revenues From An Old Album

Found a few interesting items in a $20 album I bought. The "Potato Tax" stamps are no big deal, but I've never owned any before. Double vertical perfs on a 2c Third Issue revenue, and a very tall-in-the-saddle 10c Contract.

The "POTATOES" rev's are gorgeous! always love the US stuff too.

Double perfs are really common on all revenues from 1862-1875 because the perforating wheels were sold as scrap around 1890, just as many other archival philatelic items were. Nearly all went to stamp dealers (surprise). Double perfs were very popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, so there was a considerable effort to bring these items to the public by creating as many as possible using those scrap wheels. Most revenue collectors consider them to be worth less than a normal stamp. Even when tied on a document there is a real reluctance to pay any premium.
The potato tax stamps were never actually used and so are only known mint because the tax act was declared unconstitutional shortly after being passed.