A few years ago I casually started collecting Scott # RNs (revenue-stamped paper), but quickly became overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the possibilities, either from a budget perspective (trying to complete a set of all the RN types including minor letters), or with respect to scope (trying to build anything even remotely complete when it comes to states, cities, and businesses), so my interest trailed off and I ended up selling off many of my RNs.
I've decided to come back to it, but in a different manner... this time approaching it strictly from aesthetics (vignettes, color contrast, complex printing) or unusual document types or businesses, i.e., whatever catches my eye or piques my curiosity.
This first one is about as mundane as it comes with respect to design... but is incredibly scarce (and to date the most expensive RN I have purchased). It is believed the extant population is in single digits. Since I have two Civil War era pawn tickets with adhesive revenue stamps, I thought this would make an excellent companion piece.
Unlike financial or legal documents, pawn tickets, railway passes, steamboat passes, passage tickets, and baggage tickets (to name a few) were ephemeral... nobody had any reason to keep them once the task at hand was complete. And so all of those document types are extremely scarce since nobody ever saved them.
It has a small purple handstamp on the back "E. L. Green", presumably an owners mark. The only reference I can find to that person is a similar handstamp on the back of a beer stamp in a Siegel auction. It's presumably not "Colonel Green" of inverted Jenny fame, as those initials are different (E. H. R. Green). Any idea who this person was?
Some specimens.
A facsimile imprint.
Extremely ornate underprinting.
Printed in metallic gold ink.
Ditto.
Very stark, almost monochromatic design, but the RN imprint is actually brown, just an extremely dark shade compared to the norm.
Beautiful facsimile. Made out to Alexander Stephens, vice president of the Confederacy, later elected to the House of Representatives, and also Governor of Georgia.
Printed in metallic gold ink.
The gold portion is metallic ink.
Gorgeous design, a sight draft on the account of "Steam Towing".
Lastly a beautiful design, both the vignette at upper left but more importantly the city map underprinted in green. Second image isolates the green portion for readability.
Posted 11/28/2024 9:55 pm
