Revenue imprints

Typical adhesive revenue stamp on stock certificate.

The American Civil War began in April, 1861 shortly after President Abraham Lincoln took office. The cost of waging war was radically higher than anticipated and forced the United States government to turn to alternative financing schemes within a year. One solution was to impose a small tax on financial transactions across the Union states.

The government printed and issued revenue stamps by late 1862 and required them to be affixed to practically every transaction that involved the exchange of money. Revenue stamps soon appeared on deeds, mining claims, mortgages, insurance policies, receipts, playing cards, and, of course, stocks and bonds. Revenue stamps are found in vast quantities on checks, drafts, and warrants. Adhesive stamps were cumbersome, so Congress enacted a law that authorized specially designed revenue stamps to be pre-printed on certain kinds of documents after October 1, 1862. Although authorized, imprinted revenues were not actually used until July, 1865. The number of different kinds of revenue stamps and imprints grew quickly with stamp denominations varying according to the amount of money that changed hands.

In the U.S., stamp collectors pay substantial values for rare varieties of adhesive revenue stamps. In some cases, revenues may be worth more than underlying documents, including securities. The question is not whether rare revenue stamps appear on stocks and bonds. The challenge is whether collectors and dealers have access to quantities of certificates and/or have time to spend searching for needles in haystacks.

Field Guide to Revenue Stamped Paper part 7 by Castenholz

The problem for stamp entusiasts is that most adhesive revenue stamps found on stocks and bonds are extremely common and have little measurable value. Consequently, this project focuses on certificates and ignores adhesive revenue varieties. Imprinted revenues are a different matter.

Scott's catalog for the stamp hobby references imprinted revenues as "RNs". They are larger and easier to inspect than adhesive stamps, but occur in greatly reduced numbers. While Civil War era adhesive revenue stamps were used between 1862 and 1878, RNs began late and disappeared early. They were printed between 1865 and 1872, but appear on stock certificates after that period as inventories of certificates were exhausted. During that period, the government authorized 23 varieties of RNs, only eight of which are known on securities. Like most other stamps, RNs were printed in color which led to inevitable color variations. Individual color variations are valued by philatelists, but generally ignored by stock and bond collectors.

Typical American and British revenue imprints

Twenty years after Civil War-era revenue stamps were discontinued, they became necessary again to help finance costs of the Spanish-American War. Some are known on railroad securities.

Collectors interested in adhesive and imprinted revenues are advised to consult the latest annual edition of Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps. Stock and bond collectors will find the Field Guide to Revenue Stamped Paper - part 7, Stocks, Bonds, RR tickets by B.J. Castenholz (1991) more applicable. That small booklet is out of print but still appears for sale on eBay, Amazon and other used book websites. Collectors interested in collecting revenue stamps are probably aware of the American Revenue Association and its website at http://revenuer.org/. Be sure to also visit Eric Jackson's site at EricJackson.com.

Sooner or later, collectors encounter imprinted revenues from the Netherlands, Great Britain, and France. (Collectors merely need to examine denominations of the imprints to determine countries of origin.) They are fairly common on bonds from U.S. railroad companies, but neither raise nor lower collectible prices unless they overprint attractive vignettes.

Catalog of revenue imprints

RN Scott Type A Denomination: 2¢ Size: 22 mm wide x 25 mm tall Design: numeral '2' in rectangular frame Colors known: black, orange, purple, green Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875)
RN Scott Type B Denomination: 2¢ Size: 31 mm wide x 48 mm tall Design: eagle looking left, wings raised Colors known: black, orange and several colors Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875)
RN Scott Type C Denomination: 2¢ Size: 109 mm wide x 49 mm tall Design: Washington in circle looking left with long panel behind Colors known: orange, brown, red, yellow, green Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875)
RN Scott Type D Denomination: 2¢ Size: 80 mm wide x 43 mm tall Design: Franklin in oval looking left, circular designs left and right, small '2's above and below Colors known: orange, brown, red, yellow Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875)
RN Scott Type E Denomination: 2¢ Size: 28 mm wide x 50 mm tall Design: Franklin in oval looking left on tall rectangular background, '2's in all corners Colors known: orange, brown, red, yellow Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875)
RN Scott Type F Denomination: 2¢ Size: 56 mm wide x 34 mm tall Design: Franklin in circle looking left, large '2's in circles left and right Colors known: orange, yellow Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875)
RN Scott Type G Denomination: 2¢ Size: 80 mm wide x 48 mm tall Design: Liberty in oval looking right, '2's above and below vignette, diamond shaped-design Colors known: orange, yellow Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875)
RN Scott Type H Denomination: 2¢ Size: 32 mm wide x 50 mm tall Design: eagle in circle with raised wings on rock facing right, '2's above and below vignette Colors known: orange Image style: engraved Printed by: Joseph R. Carpenter, Philadelphia (1866-1875) Image courtesy: Dan Harding
RN Scott Type I Denomination: 2¢ Size: 20 mm wide x 23 mm tall Design: head and shoulders view of Washington looking slightly left, '2's in four corners Colors known: orange Image style: engraved Printed by: Joseph R. Carpenter, Philadelphia (1866-1875)
RN Scott Type J Denomination: 2¢ Size: 105 mm wide x 40 mm tall Design: bust of Washington looking right, small '2's at left and right ends of imprint Colors known: orange, red Image style: engraved Printed by: Joseph R. Carpenter, Philadelphia (1866-1875) Image courtesy: Dan Harding
RN Scott Type K Denomination: 2¢ Size: 84 mm wide x 33 mm tall Design: Romanesque bust of Washington looking left, '2's in circular lathework medallions left Colors known: orange, brown, other colors Image style: typographed Printed by: Joseph R. Carpenter, Philadelphia (1866-1875)
RN Scott Type L Denomination: 2¢ Size: 50 mm wide x 33 mm tall Design: Romanesque bust of Washington looking left, small '2's left and right Colors known: orange, green, brown, other colors Image style: typographed Printed by: Joseph R. Carpenter, Philadelphia (1866-1875)
RN Scott Type M Denomination: 2¢ Size: 68 mm wide x 37 mm tall Design: head of Washington in circle looking left, large '2's left and right Colors known: orange, yellow, green, gray Image style: typographed Printed by: A. Troschler, Boston (1873-1875)
RN Scott Type N Denomination: 2¢ Size: 108 mm wide x 48 mm tall Design: eagle left, Civil War ship Monitor right, large numeral '2' center Colors known: orange, brown Image style: typographed Printed by: A. Troschler, Boston (1873-1875)
RN Scott Type O Denomination: 2¢ Size: 75 mm wide x 35 mm tall Design: Liberty in oval center looking left with staff and Liberty Cap, shield with 1871 in circle left, '2' and laurel leaves in circle right (similar to U.S. coin of era) Colors known: orange Image style: typographed Printed by: Morey & Sherwood, Chicago (1874)
Scott Type RN-P1 Denomination: 5¢ Size: 32 mm wide x 49 mm tall Design: Lincoln in tall frame Colors known: green Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875) Image courtesy: Eric Jackson Revenue Stamps KNOWN TO OCCUR ON RAILROAD CERTIFICATES
Scott Type RN-P2 Denomination: 5¢ Size: 32 mm wide x 49 mm tall Design: Lincoln in tall frame Colors known: brown Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875) KNOWN TO OCCUR ON RAILROAD CERTIFICATES
Scott Type RN-P5 Denomination: 5¢ Size: 32 mm wide x 49 mm tall Design: Lincoln in tall frame Colors known: orange Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875) KNOWN TO OCCUR ON RAILROAD CERTIFICATES
Scott Type RN-P6 Denomination: 5¢ Size: 32 mm wide x 49 mm tall Design: Lincoln in tall frame Colors known: red Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875) KNOWN TO OCCUR ON RAILROAD CERTIFICATES
Scott Type RN-Q1 Denomination: 5¢ Size: 28 mm wide x 56 mm tall Design: bust of James Madison looking right, tall design with '5's in all corners Colors known: orange Image style: typographed o., New York (1865-1875) Image courtesy: Eric Jackson Revenue Stamps KNOWN TO OCCUR ON RAILROAD CERTIFICATES
Scott Type RN-R1 Denomination: 10¢ Size: 32 mm wide x 49 mm tall Design: Lincoln in tall frame Colors known: red, brown, orange Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875) Image courtesy: Eric Jackson Revenue Stamps KNOWN TO OCCUR ON RAILROAD CERTIFICATES
Scott Type RN-S1 Denomination: 10¢ Size: 33 mm wide x 54 mm tall Design: bust of Washington looking left, small '10's in all corners Colors known: orange Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875) Image courtesy: Eric Jackson Revenue Stamps KNOWN TO OCCUR ON RAILROAD CERTIFICATES
Scott Type RN-S2 Denomination: 10¢ Size: 33 mm wide x 54 mm tall Design: bust of Washington looking left, small '10's in all corners; 'Good when the premium does not exceed $10' at base Colors known: orange Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875)
Scott Type RN-T1 Denomination: 25¢ Size: 33 mm wide x 40 mm tall Design: eagle looking left with wings raised Colors known: black Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875)
Scott Type RN-T2 Denomination: 25¢ Size: 33 mm wide x 40 mm tall Design: eagle looking left with wings raised Colors known: green Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875) Image courtesy: Eric Jackson Revenue Stamps KNOWN TO OCCUR ON RAILROAD CERTIFICATES
Scott Type RN-T3 Denomination: 25¢ Size: 33 mm wide x 40 mm tall Design: eagle looking left with wings raised Colors known: red Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875)
Scott Type RN-T4 Denomination: 25¢ Size: 33 mm wide x 40 mm tall Design: eagle looking left with wings raised Colors known: orange Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875) Image courtesy: Eric Jackson Revenue Stamps KNOWN TO OCCUR ON RAILROAD CERTIFICATES
Scott Type RN-U1 Denomination: 25¢ Size: 126 mm wide x 65 mm tall Design: head of Franklin looking left, large '25's in lathework circles left and right Colors known: orange Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875) Image courtesy: Damon Pritchett KNOWN TO OCCUR ON RAILROAD CERTIFICATES
Scott Type RN-U2 Denomination: 25¢ Size: 126 mm wide x 65 mm tall Design: head of Franklin looking left, large '25's in lathework circles left and right Colors known: brown Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875) KNOWN TO OCCUR ON RAILROAD CERTIFICATES
Scott Type RN-V1 Denomination: 50¢ Size: 32 mm wide x 41 mm tall Design: Lincoln looking slightly right Colors known: green Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875) KNOWN TO OCCUR ON RAILROAD CERTIFICATES
Scott Type RN-V2 Denomination: 50¢ Size: 32 mm wide x 41 mm tall Design: Lincoln looking slightly right Colors known: brown Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875) Image courtesy: Eric Jackson Revenue Stamps
Scott Type RN-V4 Denomination: 50¢ Size: 32 mm wide x 41 mm tall Design: Lincoln looking slightly right Colors known: orange Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875) Image courtesy: Paolo Bergeretti KNOWN TO OCCUR ON RAILROAD CERTIFICATES
Scott Type RN-W2 Denomination: 50¢ Size: 34 mm wide x 73 mm tall Design: bust of Washington in circle looking left, tall design Colors known: orange Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875) KNOWN TO OCCUR ON RAILROAD CERTIFICATES
Scott Type RN-W5 Denomination: 50¢ Size: 34 mm wide x 73 mm tall Design: bust of Washington in circle looking left, tall design Colors known: brown Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875)	No image available
Scott Type RN-W6 Denomination: 50¢ Size: 34 mm wide x 73 mm tall Design: bust of Washington in circle looking left, tall design Colors known: pink Image style: typographed Printed by: American Phototype Co., New York (1865-1875) Image courtesy: Eric Jackson Revenue Stamps KNOWN TO OCCUR ON RAILROAD CERTIFICATES
Scott Type RN-X1, H4, X5 (1¢) Scott Type RN-X6, X7 (2¢) Denomination: 1¢, 2¢ Size: 68 mm wide x 38 mm tall Design: Liberty looking left in oval, 'Documentary Stamp,' four '1's or '2's left and right Colors known: rose, orange, green, yellow Image style: typographed Printed by: numerous regional printers (1898-1902)