Revenue Stamps


Revenue stamps, sometimes called tax stamps or fiscal stamps, are adhesive labels that can be very similar in appearance to postage stamps. But instead of being used to indicate payment for mailing an item, revenue stamps are used to indicate the payment of taxes or fees. Revenues have been used by many countries throughout the world, including the United States, Canada and Great Britain. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes - some are the size and shape of a regular postage stamp, while others are very large rectangles; still others are very long but narrow strips.

Revenue stamps have been used to collect taxes or fees on wines, beer, playing cards, hunting licenses, cigars, cigarettes, drugs, the recording of documents, stock certificates and many other types of items. They are normally affixed to the item being taxed.

Some revenues have cancellations, often the signature or initials of the person collecting the fee along with the date. But some cancellations are hand stamped and others are simply punch marks.

The use of revenue stamps is much less common now than it was in the 19th and 20th centuries. But they are extremely popular with certain stamp collectors, and they make for a colorful, intriguing and challenging specialty collection. Prices for revenue stamps range from the minimum catalog value to very expensive.