Internal Revenue Stamps

Hi y'all - I've recently dug out my deceased father's stamp collection, and two items intrigued me. I have 2 red mint US Internal Revenue stamps ... a $2 (with T. Ewing engraving) and a $20 (with Wm. M. Meredith). I believe they're from the 1960s, but possibly the 50s. Where can I find more info (Scott #s and values) for possible ebay sale? Thanks much. David

These stamps were issued from 1940 to 1957 overprinted "SERIES OF 1940, SERIES OF 1941, etc. They were also issued without a dated overprint up to the $20 in 1954 (the higher values were issued in 1958) which were used until 1967. Scott R670 and R678. Cat value combined is $11.

Great. Thanks for your help!

A little bit of trivia here: The portraits depicted on these (and other) Revenue stamps of that period commemorate those who held the position of US Secretary of the Treasury.

In the case of "T. Ewing" (Thomas Ewing), he was the 14th Secretary of the Treasury in 1841.

"Wm. M. Meredith" (William M. Meredith) was the 19th Secretary of the Treasury in 1849-1850.

In the matter of commemorating certain individuals on revenue stamps, does anyone know if the same limitation to non-living honorees, as on postage stamps, applied to the fiscal stamps too?

For the most part, although there was a short lived tobacco strip tax paid issue with some than current politicians on it back in the 1870's. There was a big scandal about it and they were replaced fairly quickly. I believe it was during the Grant administration if I remember correctly.

The private die proprietary (match and medicine) stamps featured images selected by the manufacturer of the item being taxed. Many of these stamps featured living people.

There was a very different set of rules for the match & medicines. The company paid the approximately $500 for the plate. The only requirements for them was that they say "US Internal Revenue (US Inter Rev was acceptable) and that they had a face value commensurate with the tax rate, which was one cent for every 25 cents of retail value. Aside from those two requirements they could put whatever they wanted to on the stamps, and several companies did put the CEO or owner on them. And they were not an attractive group.