Fiscals/ Revenues

A revenue stamp, tax stamp or fiscal stamp is a type of adhesive label used to collect taxes or fees on various items. Many countries of the world have used them, for documents, tobacco products, liquor, drugs, playing cards, hunting licenses and other kinds of things. more...

Home
Africa
Asia
Commonwealth/ British...
Great Britain
Booklets
Collections/ Mixture
Commemorative
Covers
Edward VII
Edward VIII
Elizabeth II
First Day Covers
Fiscals/ Revenues
George V
George VI
Local Issues
Officials
Other British Stamps
PHQ Cards
Plate Block/ Multiples
Postage Dues
Presentation Packs
Regional Issues
Sheets
Victoria
Ireland
Latin America
Middle East
Philately/ Postal History
Rest of the World
Thematics
United States

While revenue stamps resemble postage stamps, they are not found on mail, nor do they (usually) receive a cancellation.

The use of revenue stamps goes back further than that of postage stamps; the stamps of the Stamp Act of the 18th century were revenues. Their use became widespread in the 19th century, partly inspired by the success of the postage stamp, and partly motivated by the desire to streamline government operations, the presence of a revenue stamp being an indication that the item in question had already paid the necessary fees. Revenue stamps have become less commonly seen in the 21st century, with the rise of computerization and the ability to use numbers to track payments accurately.

There are a great many kinds of revenue stamps in the world, and it is likely that some are still uncataloged. Both national and subnational entities have issued them. While some use a single design for all forms of fee payment, others have introduced distinct designs usable for only a single type of item. In certain periods government have combined the uses of postage and revenue stamps, calling them "postal fiscals" or inscribing them "Postage and Revenue".

Read more at Wikipedia.org