Existing comment:
The American Civil War (1861-1865) necessitated implementing the country's first sales taxes, to finance the North's war effort. Taxes were levied on a wide range of goods and services; a revenue stamp affixed to a document or product proved that the tax had been paid.
Revenue stamps, though not valid for the payment of postage, are usually produced by a government authority. However, in the 19th century, a provision of the tax law allowed companies to produce their own revenue stamps. The government, when spared the cost of producing and distributing the stamps, offered businesses a tax break. Many companies seized this advertising opportunity and produced "private die proprietaries."
"Sin taxes" stamps. The United States Internal Revenue produced "sin taxes" stamps for alcoholic beverages and other luxury goods. Many of these had backgrounds suggestive of stock certificates. The "Narcotic" stamp would have been affixed to a bottle of tonic combining opium and coca. Occasionally, documentary revenue stamps were overprinted for non-documentary uses, such as silver and cigarette tubes. |