Signed Canada War Tax Stamp

We have in our possession a 5 cent Canada War stamp that was 1 of 24 made. Each stamp was initialed by thee Government officials in Victoria, B.C.
For some reason the special document had to be sent from Victoria to Tokyo Japan. Before it was dispatched a Japanese officer offered to take it back to Japan and the offer was accepted.
The 24 stamps were ordered destroyed but the Government official kept 12 and gave my wife's grandmother one of them as they were friends and he knew she was a collector.
He asked her not to say anything until he passed as it may have caused him a lot of trouble.
We are now wondering were to go from here regarding the stamp. If anyone has any suggestions, it would be greatly appreciated
Thanks in advance

Interesting! Can you scan an image and post it?

Welcome to the forum. First suggestion: Please post a scan off said stamp - that would help a lot.

Peter

From my research the blue 5 cent stamp had Inland Revenue WAR TAX imprinted on it, this one does not

sorry for the scan but I don't have original here, it is safely put away. That's the best I can do right now.

There were two 5¢ blue overprinted War Tax stamps. The Inland Revenue War Tax, as you mention {WR2Bi (Unitrade Catalogue) / FWT4 (van Dam)} and another overprinted with just WAR TAX {WR2B (Unitrade Catalogue) / FWT1 (van Dam)}, which is what yours looks to be. I can just make out the X of TAX on His Majesty's chest.
I don't know about the veracity of your story, and without a better image, it's difficult to say what the red markings on your stamp are.
It would be helpful if you were able to do more research into the story, though I understand that may be difficult, of not impossible. For example, were these 24 stamps on the 'special document' that was taken to Japan? These were used as revenue stamps on various documents, cheques, stock certificates, deeds etc. Sometimes they were initialed to cancel them.
Intriguing to be sure.

My554dr, your photo is way too dark to tell anything. Is it possible for you to scan this stamp and then post it?

Peter

The following is the letter and stamp that was scanned by my Sister-in-law, I don't have the original. I reads pages 1^3 and page 2 was the backside. IF I can get her to take a picture and send it to me rather than a scan I will post it here.

that was a letter from my father-in-law explaining the stamp. since he has deceased that's all the info we have.

So if I understand this story, a document was to be sent to Japan from the provincial government in Victoria BC. The plan was to send the document via the mail, (why not diplomatic pouch?) but since there were no stamps for official government mail available (the federal government, Department of Finance to be exact, started perforating regular issue stamps with OHMS - On His Majesty's Service - in 1923 for use by provincial offices. The Post Office Dept. took over responsibility in 1935. This is according to Unitrade. I am unaware of Canada issuing Official stamps, like they do in the USA, but I could be wrong.), the government officials in Victoria created their own provisional Official stamps by signing 24 5¢ stamps. I guess we can assume that they had these War Tax stamps available. Interesting since these overprinted War Tax stamps were not intended for postal use, and government officials should have known that.
So that's $1.20 postage to get it to Tokyo. But because the Japanese officer offered to take the document, the stamps weren't necessary and were ordered to be destroyed. Twelve of the stamps were saved and this is one of them.
An interesting story, sadly there's no proof other than this letter. If these are actually provisional official stamps, they'd have some value, I would think. But certification would be necessary, and again, proof would be needed.

Hi,

WAT TAX on it

here is a better image of the stamp, and I was told that it is only stuck to the paper in one corner