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How to Tell a Revenue Usage When You See One

Many higher face-valued stamps from certain countries were used more often to collect taxes than to pay the fee to transport mail. Stamps used to collect taxes are called revenue stamps and are usually completely different looking than those stamps used for mail. In some countries, postage stamps were also used as revenue stamps. This practice is most found in the area of British Colonies. For many high-value stamps, postal usage was a lot rarer than revenue usage; and from a collecting stand point, a revenue cancel on a stamp is considered a defect and it affects its value greatly in a negative sense. Stamps with revenue cancels are usually worth less than one tenth of catalog.

Telling revenue usage is mostly a thing of experience. Listed below are things to look for that can indicate revenue usage: -Purple cancels on British Colonial stamps usually indicate revenue use. -Oval cancels in purple usually indicate revenue use. -Mute cancels (ones that do not contain a town and country name) usually indicate revenue use. However, some parcel cancels can look like revenue cancels. -Cancels that say Stamp Duty or have the name of a government office in them indicate revenue usage. -If the cancel is embossed or is “printed” or is in an odd color, it may have seen revenue use. If you are looking at a higher value stamp or even a lower value for that matter that has one of the above characteristics, be suspicious that it may be a revenue and don’t buy it unless it is at a significant discount from the regular price. Stamps from the Straits Settlements are notorious for having revenue cancels. Be aware also that many dealers don’t care if the stamp has a revenue cancel when they sell it, but be assured that they do care when it comes to buying.

Ken Stewart