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 Replies: 10 / Views: 1,712 |
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Valued Member
United States
225 Posts |
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I like to putter around ebay and do random searches for cities and towns around where I live. I came across http://www.ebay.com/itm/CIVIL-WAR-E...em3a8b37ffcb on the back there is a stamp attached and pen canceled. During the Civil War did people have to pay a tax to have their picture taken? Or what was the purpose of the stamp? I'm just curious is all. -MV |
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Rest in Peace
720 Posts |
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It takes money to wage a war. The Civil War was no different! There was a tax on many things in the Civil War and the tax was paid by special stamps. |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
6433 Posts |
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Photographs were taxed between August 1, 1864 and August 1, 1866. An excellent treatise on the subject is Bruce Baryla's award winning exhibit "The Civil War Sun Picture Tax": http://web.newsguy.com/bruceb/london/exhibit01.htmThe exhibit has since been broken up, at which point I acquired many of the cancel and plate variety items for my collection. |
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| Edited by revenuecollector - 04/26/2015 7:51 pm |
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Valued Member
United States
225 Posts |
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Bedrock Of The Community
United States
10628 Posts |
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Bruce is a very nice man who had a great collection, I was lucky enough to be around when he explained it. |
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Valued Member
United States
225 Posts |
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Just finished viewing the link above and all I can say is wow! Do you think the ebay lot above is priced reasonably or not? I have no idea. -MV |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
856 Posts |
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In my opinion, that particular lot is way overpriced. In the same CDV category, do a search for "stamp" and you will find many examples at much lower prices. To be worth $50.00 or more, there needs to be something special about the photograph, the stamp, or the cancellation, and I don't see any of those things. |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
2830 Posts |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
6433 Posts |
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Valued Member
339 Posts |
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Thanks Dan for a very informative link. I had come across a photo quite some time ago with a revenue stamp attached and simply thought it being stuck there was a odd...never thinking it was actually there paying a tax. I appreciate you sharing this.
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Valued Member
United States
225 Posts |
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That's good to know that you all think it is overpriced. As I said, I had no idea.
-MV |
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Replies: 10 / Views: 1,712 |
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Posted 04/26/2015 7:24 pm
