Tax Stamp

Object/Artifact

Vermont Historical Society

Name/Title

Tax Stamp

Entry/Object ID

1902.1.3a-u

Description

Wooden box containing 17 stamp dies, a press, and metal pick. The dies are all engraved in reverse, and are as follows: A spread eagle carrying an American shield in its talons with the words "FOUR CENTS VERMONT" around the edge. A spread eagle holding an American shield in its talons with the words "TEN CENTS VERMONT" around the edge. A spread eagle holding an American shield in its talons with the words "TWENTY CENTS VERMONT" around the edge. A spread eagle standing on a rock holding an American shield by a chain from its beak and the words "TWENTYFIVE CENTS VERMONT" around the edge. An eagle with its wings raised twisting its head around an American shield. It is standing on a branch with an olive branch and arrows under its feet and the words "THIRTY CENTS VERMONT" around the edge. A spread eagle standing on a branch with an American shield in front of it and the words 'FIFTY CENTS VERMONT" around the edge. A spread eagle holding an American shield by a chain from its beak and the words "SEVENTYFIVE CENTS VERMONT" around the edge. A spread eagle with an American shield over its chest holding an olive branch and arrows in its talons. Above the eagle are 13 6-pointed stars and 6 oval clouds. The words "ONE DOLLAR VERMONT" are around the edge. An eagle on a branch with one wing outstretched and one wing partially stretched with an American shield in front of it to the left and the words, "TWO DOLLARS VERMONT" around the edge. A spread eagle standing on a rock with an American shield in front of it to the right and the words "THREE DOLLARS VERMONT" around the edge. A spread eagle with an American shield in front of its chest holding an olive branch and arrows in its talons with the words "FOUR DOLLARS VERMONT" around the edge. A spread eagle perched on a branch with an American shield in front of it to the left and the words "FIVE DOLLARS VERMONT" around the edge. An eagle with its wings raised twisting its head around an American shield. It is standing on a branch with an olive branch and arrows under its feet and the words "TEN DOLLARS VERMONT" around the edge. A wreath of 14 oval clouds surrounding 13 6-pointed stars with the words "TEN CENTS P.CENTUM VERMONT" around the edge. A wreath of 14 oval clouds surrounding 13 6-pointed stars with the words "SIX MILLS P.DOLLAR VERMONT" around the edge. A spread eagle with one foot on the ground and the other on top of an American shield that is in front of it to the left and the words "VERMONT SUPERVISORS OFFICE" around the edge. A spread eagle with an American shield in front of its chest carrying an olive branch and arrows in its talons. The letter O is to the left of the eagle, and there are 13 6-pointed stars above its head. The words "UNITED STATES OF AMERCA" ring the edge, and there is an outer border of dots.

Use

Used to mark that taxes had been paid on applicable documents

Context

Issued to the State of Vermont in compliance with the 1797 stamp Act.

Acquisition

Accession

1902.1

Source or Donor

Elkins, Henry K.

Acquisition Method

Gift

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Eckfeldt, Adam

Date made

1797

Place

City

Philadelphia

State/Province

Pennsylvania

Country

United States of America

Continent

North America

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Stamp, Tax

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Stamp

Nomenclature Class

Exchange Media

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Material

Steel, Wood, Brass

Web Links and URLs

Adventures in Taxation: Vermont and the 1797 Stamp Act

Interpretative Labels

Label

In 1797 the U.S. Congress passed the "Stamp Act" authorizing each state to stamp bills of exchange, licenses, commissions, bonds, and similar documents. This act was passed to support the war with France and to increase the circulation of paper currency. There were three federal issues of this act. The first issue was in effect from July 1, 1798 to February 28, 1801. For this issue the U.S. Congress sent a press and a set of steel dies to each of the then sixteen states. Officers of each state were obligated to mark all documents with the proper stamp. Each of the dies represented a denomination and was engraved with the name of the state that used it. Stamps range in denomination from four cents to ten dollars (4c, 10c, 20c, 25c, 30c, 50c, 75c, $1, $2, $4, $5 and $10). This may be the only surviving complete set of the sixteen that were issued.