Stamp from the Stamp Act of 1765
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1765
Stamp from the Stamp Act of 1765 — postage stamp in the Smithsonian National Postal Museum collection (object 0.022044.2), catalogued by the museum as Scott Great Britain RM31a. Dated by the museum: 1765. Medium: blue-grey paper; vellum; ink; metal.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 1
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
In 1765, the British Parliament passed An Act for Granting and Applying Certain Stamp Duties in the British Colonies and Plantations in America, commonly called "The Stamp Act of 1765." Parliament had imposed taxes through the use of embossed revenue stamps, also known as impressed duty stamps, in Britain since 1694. In addition, between 1755 and 1757, Massachusetts colony instituted a tax using embossed revenues, while New York colony imposed a similar tax between 1757 and 1760. Despite the history of taxation in the colonies, the Stamp Act generated intense opposition, in part because the taxes were imposed at higher rates in the colonies than in England. The Stamp Act required that certain court documents, contracts, and property transfers be executed on stamped paper or they would be subject to penalties and would not be enforceable.
Physical characteristics
- Medium
- blue-grey paper; vellum; ink; metal
- Dimensions
- Height x Width: 1 13/16 × 1 3/4 in. (4.6 × 4.45 cm)
Identification
- Place
- GREAT BRITAIN
- Topic
- Colonial Era (1607-1776)
- Date recorded
- 1765
- Museum object number
- 0.022044.2
- Museum classification
- Postage Stamps
Catalogue references
- ScottGreat Britain RM31a
Research required
- Research required: this record describes a single museum example; confirm perforation, watermark, printing and variety details against philatelic references.