$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 creases

VERY 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

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