Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Co. - 1929 dated Railway Stock Certificate

Stock printed by International Bank Note Co., New York. 9 Revenue Stamps! The first revenue stamps in the United States were briefly used during colonial times, most notably in connection with the Stamp Act. Long after independence, the U.S. government issued its first revenue stamps during the American Civil War to help cover the significant costs incurred by the conflict. Even after the war ended, revenue stamps and their associated taxes remained in use.

Revenue stamps were used to pay tax duties on items that fell into two main categories: Proprietary and Documentary. Proprietary stamps were used to tax goods such as alcohol and tobacco, as well as various services, while Documentary stamps covered duties on legal documents, mortgage deeds, stocks, and other transactions. These stamps often bore their respective designations, though they sometimes shared the same designs with minor variations. The first U.S. revenue stamps were issued in 1862 and remained in use for over a century. For the first twelve years, George Washington was the only figure depicted on them. In 1875, an allegorical figure of Liberty appeared on a stamp for the first time. These stamps were produced in various designs and denominations and are now highly sought after by collectors and historians. Revenue stamps were officially discontinued on December 31, 1967.