R3a $1 1876 Hawaii Documentary Revenue Stamp

Hawaii’s first adhesive revenue stamps were issued December 22, 1876, to pay newly enacted taxes on deeds, agreements, bills of lading and various other instruments and contracts. Taxes had been a part of Hawaiian society since long before 1876. Sometime around 1850, someone conceived the idea to apply a seal to any taxable document to show the tax was paid. The Stamp Duty Act of 1876 taxed many more kind of instruments than were taxed previously and also authorized the printing of adhesive stamps to use as evidence of tax payment. During the next twenty-five years, Hawaii’s governance transferred from a monarchy to a republic and then to a United States Territory. Revenue stamps were printed by each of these governments.

Post Office in Paradise