Italy Postage Due 1894 - 1903

These High Value, 50 Lira and 100 Lira, seem to have been in use for a period of 10 years or more. What was their specific function with such a large denomination for the time? Were they used solely in the role of Postage due or did they have a dual function of some sort as revenue stamps or as a payment method for some sort of "collect" parcel?

I asked a similar question on a recent topic in regards to high face value postage dues from New South Wales (pre-unification Australia) and Australia, specifically ten shilling and 20 shilling (or one pound) values, and posited the scenario in which you would almost by definition have had to go to the post office if you had a piece of mail requiring that much postage - presumably a heavy parcel - and, having had it weighed, and possibly measured, how would you then "forget" to put the stamps on, which in those days might well have amounted to half a week's wages for an unskilled laborer. Several replies to my question said that all the known examples were cancelled to order, so I wonder if that's the case with these Italian ones. The cancel on that 50 lire one looks almost too perfect. However, there is no note in Scott that makes this suggestion. The 2015 edition lists this set of 4, J21-J24 at $190 for the set in used condition, with the 100 lire blue listing for "only" $20. Considering that at the time, late 19th, early 20th century, the ordinary letter rate was probably 5 or 10 centesimi, this was a stupendously large amount of money,far too much for someone to have conveniently (or accidentally) forgotten to put on the package, so it seems to me that a genuinely postally used example would have to be exceedingly rare.

Yes. I haven't even gone there as far as the cancellations are concerned and, as with most of the High Catalogue stuff that comes my way, I automatically assume favour cancels at best. Two cancels are in the 1880s and one is 1907, after the catalogue stated period of use. And they all seem to be different towns. I was just curious about the original purpose of the issue with that high face and whether they were sometimes purchased and used as proof that government fees of some sort had been paid.

Did you see Tony Clayton's comment on these stamps below?

"These four stamps were used for internal Post Office accounting purposes and are therefore not found on cover."

http://www.italianstamps.co.uk/king...e/index.html

Another great reference. Exactly what I wanted to know. Thank you.