1952 $10,000 US Internal Revenue Stamp,no gum, perf 12, carmine

This Series 1952 Documentary Internal Revenue stamp has a face value of $10,000!  It was issued without gum and perforated 12. 

Starting in 1940, Documentary stamps were given an overprint to designate the year in which they were printed.  (The stamps featured the same designs as the 1917 Documentaries.)  The overprint, in this case “Series 1952”, was added after it was discovered some people had been illegally reusing old Documentary stamps.  The overprint system was used for all Documentary stamps from 1940 onward.  This meant all unsold stamps had to be returned to the US Treasury Department before the month of January two years later.  Customers who were still in possession of old Documentary stamps could return them for a refund or exchange them for new stamps. 

Pictured on the #R619 stamp is Walter Q. Gresham, who was the 35th Secretary of the US Treasury.  He was also the Postmaster General during the administration of President Chester A. Arthur.  Gresham served as Secretary of State under Grover Cleveland. 

Revenue stamps are an interesting area for specialized collecting.  They also make a nice “Back- of-the-Book” companion to your US stamp collection.