April 15 is the annual deadline for American's to file their income tax forms with the Internal Revenue Service. For many procrastinators, tomorrow will be a very stressfull day indeed!
Luckily, I finished and submitted my tax forms electronically to the IRS last week, so all I have to do now is wait for my Tax Refund. Thank you to my lovely wife for keeping the pressure on me to "GIT 'ER DONE!"
In honor of April 15, I thought it most appropriate to post my favorite revenue stamps from my collection. And among US Revenue stamps, some of the most beautiful and whimsical were the Private Die Proprietary stamps.
These revenue stamps were issued to help alleviate the extraordinary financial demands of the American Civil War (1861-1865) on the US Federal Treasury. The Revenue Act of 1862 required revenue stamps to be affixed to boxes or packages of matches, proprietary medicines, perfumes, playing cards, and even documents.
Private Die Proprietary stamps came about when manufacturers were permitted, at their expense, to have dies engraved and plates made for their exclusive use. Many were willing to do this because of the obvious advertising value. These stamps were in use between 1862 to 1883.
(Click on the stamps to enlarge them.)
PRIVATE DIE PERFUMERY STAMP
SCOTT RT4, "CORNING & TAPPAN" FOR PERFUME
PRIVATE DIE MEDICINE STAMP
SCOTT RS64 "CHARLES N. CRITTENTON" FOR PIKE'S TOOTHACHE DROPS AND GLENN'S SULPHUR SOAP
PRIVATE DIE MEDICINE STAMP
SCOTT RS65 "OLIVER CROOK & CO." FOR DR. CROOK'S WINE OF TAR
PRIVATE DIE MEDICINE STAMP
SCOTT RS187 "NEW YORK PHARMACAL ASSOCIATION" FOR LACTOPEPTINE
PRIVATE DIE MEDICINE STAMP
SCOTT RS249 "S.R. VAN DUZER" FOR HAIR RESTORER
There were many other attractive designs. If you would like to see more, just let me know.
Happy Tax Day!
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