Sale 1164 — The Grant Inman Collection, Part 6: Wine, Beer and Silver Tax Stamps
Sale Date — Wednesday, 20 September, 2017
Category — Wine Stamps - 1934 Issue
$20.00 Yellow Green, Wine (RE107A). Serial no. 101002, purple 1942 handstamp cancel, light vertical crease entirely between stamp and tablet, Extremely Fine appearance, a beautiful example of the $20.00 1934 Wine stamp, scarce in such wonderful condition, Power Search contains only two others (both with staple holes), ex "Scarsdale", with 2011 P.F. certificate
$40.00 Yellow Green, Wine (RE107B). Serial no. 21455, purple April 21, 1944 three-line handstamp, small staple holes mostly in right half (the label), light creasesVERY FINE APPEARANCE. THIS IS WITHOUT QUESTION THE FINEST EXAMPLE OF THE 1934 $40.00 WINE STAMP IN EXISTENCE. ONE OF THE GREAT RARITIES OF WINE STAMP COLLECTING.
The definitive article on these issues was written by Ron Lesher and published in the August 1983 American Philatelist.The high-denomination wine stamps came into use when the law was changed in 1916. The change stipulated that taxes would be collected when the wine left the customs house, winery or other bonded storage facility, rather than at the point of retail sale. This allowed revenue stamps to be affixed to the case, cask or even railroad car rather than each individual bottle. They were issued in booklet form, perforated only at left, in booklets of $400.00 (twenty $20.00 stamps, ten $40.00 stamps, etc.). The first series (Scott RE56-RE59) was used prior to Prohibition and on religious and medicinal wine during Prohibition. They were reprinted starting in 1933 after Prohibition (Scott RE107A-RE107D). The $20.00 and $40.00 were only reprinted in 1933 and have the same perf gauge as the earlier pre-prohibition issue. The $50.00 and $100.00 were reprinted in 1933 and also in later years, in two different perf gauges. These were just recognized as separate listings in the 2017 Scott U.S. Specialized (RE107E and RE107F).
The reprints are considerably scarcer than their earlier counterparts. Eric Jackson records 17 of this denomination (Ron Lesher recorded 5), and virtually all are defective, including some that are badly stained.
With 1997 P.F. certificate
$100.00 Yellow Green, Wine, Perf 12 at Left (RE107D). Serial no. 21250, choice centering, neat strikes of "F.I.L. Oct. 25, 1937" circular datestamps struck symmetrically at top and bottom, tiny corner crease at bottom left, Extremely Fine appearance, an attractive stamp, the Scott Catalogue listing for this issue was recently expanded to account for differences in perforations, collectors who own this stamp should check the perfs to determine if they conform to the new Scott RE107F listing, which is perf 12-1/2 at left
$50.00 Yellow Green, Wine, Perf 12-1/2 at Left (RE107E). Serial no. 19545, choice centering with wide margins, neat "Geffen Ind./Dec. 20, 1941" two-line handstamp, repaired staple holes at top but otherwise soundEXTREMELY FINE APPEARANCE. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF THE RARE 1934 $50.00 WINE STAMP.
The definitive article on these issues was written by Ron Lesher and published in the August 1983 American Philatelist. The high-denomination wine stamps came into use when the law was changed in 1916. The change stipulated that taxes would be collected when the wine left the customs house, winery or other bonded storage facility, rather than at the point of retail sale. This allowed revenue stamps to be affixed to the case, cask or even railroad car rather than each individual bottle. They were issued in booklet form, perforated only at left, in booklets of $400.00 (twenty $20.00 stamps, ten $40.00 stamps, etc.). The first series (Scott RE56-RE59) was used prior to Prohibition and on religious and medicinal wine during Prohibition. They were reprinted starting in 1933 after Prohibition (Scott RE107A-RE107D). The $20.00 and $40.00 were only reprinted in 1933 and have the same perf gauge as the earlier pre-prohibition issue. The $50.00 and $100.00 were reprinted in 1933 and also in later years, in two different perf gauges. These were just recognized as separate listings in the 2017 Scott U.S. Specialized (RE107E and RE107F).
With 2002 P.F. certificate as Scott RE107C. The Scott Catalogue listing for the $50.00 was expanded in 2017 to account for differences in perforation, creating Scott RE107E. Owners of Scott RE107C should check their stamps to make sure they are properly identified.