The United States issued a flood of revenue stamps, beginning in 1862. These stamps were not valid for postage; rather they were intended to indicate payment of a variety of taxes levied to help finance the Civil War. The first general issue of 1862 included stamps specific to taxes on a wide variety of documents and products, such as the 70-cent stamp for foreign exchange. Other stamps in the issue collected taxes on playing cards, sale of proprietary goods, bank checks, telegraph, inland exchange, contracts, bills of lading, charter party, power of attorney, probate of will, warehouse receipt, entry of goods, protest, life insurance, leases, bonds, certificates, manifests, conveyance and passage tickets.
