Revenue stamps of Transvaal

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A 1902 Transvaal revenue stamp Transvaal PS1 revenue stamp.jpg
A 1902 Transvaal revenue stamp

The South African Republic (ZAR), later known as Transvaal issued revenue stamps from 1875 to around 1950. There were a number of different stamps for several taxes. [1]

South African Republic Former republic in southern Africa

The South African Republic, also referred to as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent and internationally recognised country in Southern Africa from 1852 to 1902. The country defeated the British in what is often referred to as the First Boer War and remained independent until the end of the Second Boer War on 31 May 1902, when it was forced to surrender to the British. After the war the territory of the ZAR became the Transvaal Colony.

Transvaal Colony former British colony

The Transvaal Colony was the name used to refer to the Transvaal region during the period of direct British rule and military occupation between the end of the Second Boer War in 1902 when the South African Republic was dissolved, and the establishment of the Union of South Africa in 1910. The physical borders of the Transvaal Colony were not identical to the defeated South African Republic, but was larger. In 1910 the entire territory became the Transvaal Province of the Union of South Africa.

Revenue stamp A revenue stamp, tax stamp, duty stamp or fiscal stamp is a (usually) adhesive label used to collect taxes or fees.

A revenue stamp, tax stamp, duty stamp or fiscal stamp is a (usually) adhesive label used to collect taxes or fees on documents, tobacco, alcoholic drinks, drugs and medicines, playing cards, hunting licenses, firearm registration, and many other things. Typically businesses purchase the stamps from the government, and attach them to taxed items as part of putting the items on sale, or in the case of documents, as part of filling out the form.

Contents

First Republic (1875–1877)

The first ZAR revenues were numeral stamps inscribed ZEGELREGT issued in 1875. A set of 9 with values from 6d to £5 was issued, and it is imperforate. In 1876 an embossed 1d value was issued for cheques.

First British Occupation (1877–1884)

After the South African Republic came under British suzerainty in 1877, ZAR revenues were overprinted V.R. TRANSVAAL. These were replaced by an issue depicting Queen Victoria in 1878, and this was used until 1884.

Second Republic (1886–1894)

The first issues of the second republic were similar to the 1875 issues but perforated. These were replaced by a numeral design in 1886, which remained in use until the Second Boer War. Between 1893 and 1894, various large stamps were issued to pay the Customs Frank Fee, which was a fee payable to the Customs Office for duty-free goods. These stamps are quite rare and are popular with collectors.

Second Boer War war between two Boer Republics (South African Republic and Orange Free State) and the United Kingdom

The Second Boer War was fought between the British Empire and two Boer states, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, over the Empire's influence in South Africa. It is also known variously as the Boer War, Anglo-Boer War, or South African War. Initial Boer attacks were successful, and although British reinforcements later reversed these, the war continued for years with Boer guerrilla warfare, until harsh British counter-measures brought the Boers to terms.

New Republic

New Republic was a short lived Boer republic which existed from 1884 to 1888, when it was absorbed into the ZAR. Postage stamps were used for fiscal purposes, but in 1886 a £15 value was issued in the same design as postage stamps but solely intended for fiscal use. Only three were printed, and one survives to this day. It is one of the greatest rarities of British Empire revenue philately.

Nieuwe Republiek former country

The Nieuwe Republiek was a small Boer republic which existed from 1884 to 1888 in present-day South Africa. It was recognised only by the German Empire and the South African Republic. Its independence was proclaimed on August 16, 1884, with land donated by the Zulu Kingdom through a treaty. It covered 13,600 square kilometres (5,300 sq mi) and the capital was Vryheid or Vrijheid, both being alternative names of the state. The founder and president until it requested incorporation by Transvaal Republic on 20 July 1888 was Lucas Johannes Meijer, while Daniel Johannes Esselen acted as Secretary of State during the same period.

Second British Occupation (1900–1908)

In 1900, the numeral issues of 1886 were issued handstamped V.R.I. or additionally surcharged at Zeerust. A year later these were overprinted V.R.I., and in 1902 various Cape revenues were overprinted TRANSVAAL. Later that year a new design depicting King Edward VII was issued.

Zeerust Place in North West, South Africa

Zeerust is a commercial town situated in Ngaka Modiri Molema district North West Province, South Africa. It lies in the Marico valley, approximately 240 kilometres northwest of Johannesburg. It lies on the N4, the main road link between South Africa and Botswana. There are large cattle ranches in the area, as well as wheat, maize, tobacco and citrus fruit farms. There are also fluorite and chromite mines in the vicinity. Tourism is also a developing industry.

Revenue stamps of the Cape of Good Hope

Cape of Good Hope issued revenue stamps from 1864 to 1961. There were a number of different stamps for several taxes.

In 1901, ZAR postage stamps were overprinted E.R.I. PASS and a new value to pay for the fee for passports of native workers. A year later postage or revenue stamps featuring King Edward VII were overprinted PASS for the same purpose. In 1903 revenues were overprinted with a departmental control cachet REFUGEES AID DEPARTMENT COMPENSATION as well. Finally, in 1908 Transvaal postage stamps featuring King Edward VII were overprinted CUSTOMS DUTY to pay the tax on imported printed matter. There are two different types of the overprint and they were applied to values ranging 1d to 6d.

Postage stamps and postal history of Transvaal

This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Transvaal, formerly known as the South African Republic.

Province of South Africa (1913-c.1950)

In 1913, colonial revenue issues were overprinted PENALTY to pay for the fee for late payment of duties. These were replaced by South African penalty stamps later that year. Around 1940, a design featuring the South African coat of arms was issued to pay entertainment tax on theatre on concert tickets. This was replaced by a numeral design around 1950. A Furniture Workers stamp was also issued around 1940. [2]

Foreign overprints

Transvaal revenues were also overprinted for use in Bechuanaland Protectorate (1904–1910) and Swaziland (1904–1913).

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Barefoot, John. British Commonwealth Revenues. 9th edition. York: J. Barefoot, 2012, pp. 374-377. ISBN   0906845726
  2. ↑ South Africa - Entertainments Duty (Cape, OFS, Transvaal). Revenue Reverend, 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
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