Eagle Carrier Used for Revenue
The Eagle
carrier stamp was first issued in
1851, but within a few years it had rapidly fallen into disuse as the
ordinary
1¢ postage stamps were increasingly employed to prepay the carriers'
fees. Stocks of the Eagle carriers were still in post offices
10
years after issue and one is known used at Washington, D. C., in
November,
1861, tied with a 3¢ rose of 1861.
I have recently seen an Eagle carrier used as a revenue stamp on a bank check of "Riggs & Co.," Washington, D. C., June 17, 1863, the first one I have ever seen used in payment of a fiscal tax. Occasionally, but not too frequently , postage stamps are seen used as revenues on early checks and documents, during the life of the Civil War taxes. In most cases the postage stamps were used as provisionals because revenue stamps were not available at the time. -
George B. Sloane
Sloane's Column Stamps May 25, 1946 Posted August 24, 1999 Index of 508 Notes from the Past Note: If the link isn't returned the first try, try again. Comments? Send me an e-mail |