Gotta Love A Collection That Tells A Story

This small check collection was in Eric Jackson's auction this week, and while it cost me more than I had hoped, I was willing to stretch a bit for it.

It traces the use of 2-cent revenue stamps from the advent of the tax in October 1862 through the late 1860s through the lens of a single company's checks.

The checks themselves are great aesthetically, having been printed in two contrasting colors. Additionally it has an example from the second day of tax, October 2, 1862, which are quite rare. This is only the second example I've ever seen, and I'm still searching for a first-day usage.

I'm leaning towards keeping the collection intact rather than breaking it down.

Brilliant display!

Is there a way to keep it intact and build upon it at the same time?

I think the government also realized that by making the documentary tax stamps orange when they came out with R15 and leaving the proprietary stamps blue, that they could check the legality of the payments much more easily and make accounting simpler.

that is a wonderful group of checks that explains nicely both the use and problems of the users and makers of the stamps. it is fortunate that the archive survived long enough for someone put it together. thanks for showing it.

Although I don't collect revenues, I thought it was an interesting display!

Thanks for sharing!

Dan

I do not collect USA revenues but this collection is fantastic. Not easy or impossible to duplicate.
Thanks for sharing

I am mot a revenue guy either but whenever I see legacy collections like this one I always stop and look. Just amazing material and tells a great story that, if broken up years ago might never have been reassembled. I have been fortunate to acquire a few legacy
Collections in my collecting areas a few times and I always consider myself to be the lucky when I do.

Dan,

Very nice.

So nice, I won't even ask you to soak the early ones for me despite needing the first two 1862 dates

Keep that together. It is great to see the timeline of the various stamps they used.

Great addition to add to your website as well!

Thank you for postin the full collection. Quite interesting even to one who doesn't collect revenues.
It is wonderful that it is intact!

Great collection. With the August 1865 check National is written on each check above the bank name. I wonder if they received a national charter at this time? Thank you for posting.

Worth,
Yes.
"The National Bank of Cohoes" received charter number 1347, which dates it to mid-1865.

Spectacular

We don't see penmanship like that anymore.

Jack Kelley

Congratulations on your acquisition. This type of documentation is invaluable. Thanks for sharing.

Wonderful collection revenuecollector

Thanks for sharing.

Dianne