Some Nice Bobs

Quote:
It is hard to get a firm handle on the purpose of these. A proof sheet was included in an American Bank Note archive auction in 2008, but the listing said it was either an ABN or NBN product. Many other references claim ABN as the source.

Google Translate gives me this result from one Spanish source:

"Tax stamps for Stamp Company were issued in 1876 with the names of all the Spanish provinces. La efigie del centro representa al Reino de España. The effigy of the center represents the Kingdom of Spain. Como puede observarse carece de valor facial, ya que su función era estar adherido en la cabecera de los nuevos pliegos y servir de comprobante de que los sellos de correos y las pólizas suministrados a los estancos por la Sociedad del Timbre eran auténticos. As can be seen no face value, because its function was to be joined at the head of the new specifications and serve as proof of postage stamps and the policies delivered to the silos by the Society of the Ring were genuine. Se imprimieron en Estados Unidos por la imprenta estatal American Bank Note Company. Were printed in the United States by the state printing American Bank Note Company."


Which I read to say that the stamp functioned almost like an official stamp, verifying that the information on which it appeared could be relied upon. Perhaps a reader of Spanish can do better than Google's automated translation?

Here is the link to the auction item from 2008:
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/5237381