Stamps from German States

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Playing-Card Tax Stamps from German States

The following are examples of stamps used in the individual states in Germany before the unified tax legislation in 1879. There is another page with stamps from after 1879.

The stamp was normally on the Ace of Hearts for French-suited cards, and on the Deuce of Hearts for German-suited cards. I have tried to make a note of differences.

This stamp was in use in Anhalt-Bernburg.
The text is 'BERNBURG', and the value 'DREI S. GR. (3 Silbergroschen)'.
(scanned by Rudolf Hasenpflug)

This are two later stamps from Anhalt-Bernburg in use from 1875 to 1878.
The text is 'BERNBURG', and the value 'DREISZIG PF:' resp. 'ACHTZIG PF.'.
(right stamp scanned by Helmut Feindura)

This stamp was in use in Anhalt-Dessau around 1830.
The text is 'ST.', 'A.', and 'DESSAU'.
(scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)

This stamp was in use in Anhalt-Dessau around 1860.
The text is 'DESSAU', and the value 'DREI GR.'.
(from a museum collection)

This stamp was in use in Bayern (Bavaria) from c. 1816 to 1826.
There is a value in Kreuzer ('8 Ker'), and letters at the top. Here they are 'S.' and 'B.' (for 'Bayreuth') .
(scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)

This stamp was in use in Bayern from 1826 to c. 1837.
The text is the name of a Bavarian region (here 'ISAR KREIS'), and again a value in Kreuzer ('8 Ker').
(scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)

This stamp was used in Bayern in black colour from 1849 to 1854, and in blue colour from 1854 to 1874.
The text is again the name of a region (here 'Mittelfranken'), and the value '8 Kr.' (8 Kreuzer).
(scanned by Helmut Feindura)

These stamps were in use in Bayern from 1875 to 1878.
The text is 'BAYERN'(Bavaria), a value in Pfennig ('30 PF.' resp. '60 PF.'), and a letter for the stamp office (unreadable on the left stamp, 'D' on the right stamp).
(left stamp scanned by Rudolf Hasenpflug)

This is a rare example of re-stamping in Bayern for a pack not sold from before 1854 to after 1875.
(scanned by Christian Weidling)

This stamp was used in Braunschweig (Brunswick) some time at the beginning of the 19th century.
(scanned by Walter Haas)

This stamp was used in Braunschweig around 1840.
The value is '7 ggr' (Gutegroschen).

This stamp was used in Braunschweig most probably around 1850.
The value is '5 Gr' (Groschen).

These stamps were in use in Braunschweig some time after 1858 to c.1874.
The value is given in Groschen and Pfennig ('6 gr. 8 ß' resp. '8 gr. 9 ß').
(left stamp scanned by Helmut Feindura)

This stamp was in use in Bremen from 1814.
The value is 'SECHS GROTE'. The stamp was on the Ace of Spades.
(scanned by Helmut Feindura)

This stamp was in use in Bremen after the one above until 1865.
The value is again 'SECHS GROTE'. The stamp also exists in red colour. The stamp was on the Ace of Spades.
(scanned by Helmut Feindura)

This stamp was in use in Bremen from 1866 to 1874.
It shows no value. The stamp was on the Ace of Spades.
(scanned by Helmut Feindura)

This stamp was in use in Frankfurt, presumably c. 1860.

This stamp was in use in Hamburg from 1801 to 1862.
The value is four Schilling ('4.S.').
(scanned by Helmut Feindura)

This stamp was in use in Hamburg from 1863 to 1874.
It differs from the previous one by the value ('1.S.').

This stamp was used in Hamburg from 1874 to 1879.
The value is now 10 Pfennig ('10 Pf ').
(scanned by Manfred Hausler)

You can see the stamps used in Hannover on a separate page.

These stamps were in use in Hessen in the 'Großherzogtum' (Grand Duchy) from 1810 to c. 1870.
The text is 'G. H. KARTEN=STEMPEL', 'No.III' resp. 'No.II', and a value in Kreuzer ('2 Kr.' resp. '5 Kr.')
(right stamp scanned by Helmut Feindura)

This is a later stamp from the 'Großherzogtum' Hessen.
The text is 'G. H. KARTEN= STEMPEL' again, the value is in Pfennig ('6 Pf.').
(from a scan by José Luiz G. Pagliari)

This stamp was in use in Kurhessen (Hessen-Kassel) c. 1870.
The text is 'K. H. KART. STEMP.' and a value in Silbergroschen ('10 SGR.').
This stamp was on the Ace of Spades for French-suited cards.

This stamp was in use in the principality Lüneburg from 1724 to 1804.
Besides 'GR' for 'Georg Rex' there is the date '1724' when the stamp was introduced.
This stamp was on the Ace of Spades for French-suited cards.

This stamp was in use in Mecklenburg-Schwerin c. 1850.
The text is 'KARTEN STEMPEL' and the value '4 SCHILLING'.
This stamp was on the Ace of Spades for French-suited cards.

This stamp was in use in the Duchy Nassau from 1808 to 1866.
The text is 'H N C W C', which stands for a subsidiary fonds 'Herzoglich-Nassauische Civil-Wittwen-Casse'), and there is no value shown.
(scanned by Rudolf Hasenpflug)

This stamp was in use in Preussen (Prussia) from 1787 to 1810.
The text is 'KON:PR:HAUPTSTEMP:U:CART:CAM:' (Royal Prussian Main Stamp and Card Office), and there is an additional value stamp for '6 gl' (6 Groschen).
(scanned by Manfred Hausler)

This stamp was in use in Preussen for 'outer regions' (here for a former Polish region) around 1800.
The value is given in Rubel and Groschen ('1 Rb 8 gl').
(scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)

This stamp was in use in Preussen from 1816 to 1822.
The value is 'ZWÖLF G. GR.' (12 Gutegroschen).

This stamp was in use in Preussen from 1822 to c. 1835.
The value in Thaler is shown twice ('EIN THALER' and '1 THLR').
(scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)

These stamps were in use in Preussen from 1839 to c. 1850.
The name above the eagle is the place where the cards were stamped ('HALLE A/S' resp. 'STRALSUND'), the value is given in Silbergroschen ('DREI S.GR.' for packs with up to 36 cards, 'ACHT S.GR.' for packs with more cards).
(left stamp scanned by Sasha Sukhorukov)

This stamp was in use in Preussen from 1868 to 1874.
The text above the (modified) eagle is 'KOENIGR:PREUSSEN', the place where the cards were stamped is now below the eagle ('STRALSUND'), the value is again in Silbergroschen ('ACHT S.').

This stamp was in use in Preussen concurrently to the one before from 1871 to 1874.
The text above the eagle is 'KOENIGREICH PREUSSEN', and the place where the cards were stamped is shown by a number ('No. 87'). The value is in Silbergroschen ('ACHT S.').

This stamp was also used in Preussen concurrently to the one before from 1871 to 1874.
The difference is that the place where the cards were stamped is indicated by Roman numerals here ('XIX.').

This stamp was in use in Preussen from 1875 to 1878.
It resembles the one used from 1868 to 1874, the text above the eagle is 'KOENIGR. PREUSSEN' again, but the value is now given in Pfennig ('ACHTZIG PF.') instead of Silbergroschen. The place of stamping is below the eagle again ('FRANKFURT A. M.').

This stamp was also in use in Preussen from 1875 to 1878.
It resembles the previous stamp. The text above the eagle is 'KOENIGR. PREUSSEN' again, and the value is given in Pfennig ('DREISSIG PF.'). The place of stamping is shown here below the eagle by a number ('No. 73').

This stamp was used in the 'Fürstentum Reuß ältere Linie' (Duchy Reuß Elder Line) from 1864 to 1868.
The text is 'F. R. Ä. L.', the value is 2 1/2 Silbergroschen ('2 1/2 Sg'), and this stamp is dated '1867'.
(scanned by Helmut Feindura)

This stamp was used in the 'Fürstentum Reuß jüngere Linie' (Duchy Reuß Younger Line).
The text is 'F. R. I. L.', the value is 5 Silbergroschen ('5 Sg'), and this stamp is dated '18..', strangely with the last two digits missing.
(scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)

This stamp was in use in the Kingdom Sachsen (Saxony) from 1819 to 1834.
The value is in Groschen ('4 GR.').
(scanned by Jean Darquenne)

This is a stamp from Sachsen that was in use 1841 to 1844.
It has a different form of the coat of arms. The text is 'L' (for Leipzig), 'KARTEN=STEMPEL', and a value in Neugroschen ('2 ½ NGR').
This stamp was on the Seven of Bells for German-suited cards.
(from a museum collection)

These stamps were used in Saxony in 1846, 1847 and 1848.
The text is 'D' (for Dresden), 'KARTEN=STEMPEL', the date ('1846', '1847' resp. '1848') and the value in Neugroschen ('5 NGR'). Note the different form of the shield of the coat-of-arms.
(left stamp scanned by Heiko Buchali, middle stamp by Anders Gustafsson)

These are two more stamps from Sachsen, they were in use c.1850.
The left one is similar to the previous one, but the date is missing; the left stamp has a value of '5 NGR.', the right one has '10 NGR'.
The left stamp was on the Unter of Acorns for German-suited cards.
(left stamp scanned by Heiko Buchali, right stamp by Anders Gustafsson)

These are stamps from Sachsen in use 1868 to 1874.
The text is 'KARTENSTEMPEL', and the value '5 NGR.' resp. '10 NGR.'.
(left stamp scanned by Helmut Feindura, right stamp by Chris Rayner)

These are two of the last stamps from Sachsen, they were in use 1875 to 1878.
They have again a different form of the coat of arms. The text is 'KARTEN-STEMPEL', and a value in Pfennig ('50 PF.') or Mark ('1 MK.').
The stamp was on the Under of Acorns for German-suited cards.
(both scanned by Frieder Büchler)

This stamp was used in a Saxon Duchy (possibly Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha).
The text is '...BURG' (which might be 'H. S. COBURG') and 'KARTENSTEMPEL'.
(scanned by Johan Jacobs)

This stamp was used in the Duchy Sachsen-Gotha (presumably Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha).
(scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)

This stamp was used in the Grand Duchy Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach around 1850. The value is 'EILF GR.' (11 Groschen).
(scanned by Frieder Büchler)

This stamp was used in Schleswig-Holstein around 1807.
(from a scan by John Sings)

This stamp was in use in Schleswig-Itzehoe from 1848 to 1851.
(scanned by Helmut Feindura)

This stamp was used around 1845 in one of the principalities Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt or Schwarzburg-Sondershausen; those had the same coat-of-arms.
The text is 'KARTENSTEMPEL' and 'F S-R' or 'F S-S' at the top.
(scanned by Frieder Büchler)

This is a stamp from Württemberg, presumably from around 1820.
The value is '6 K / SECHS KREUZER'.
(scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)

This stamp was in use in Württemberg c.1870.
The text is 'SPORTELAMT / STUTTGART'.
(scanned by Helmut Feindura)

This stamp was in use in Württemberg presumably c.1875.
The text is 'KÖN. WÜRTTB. SPORTEL AMT'.
(scanned by Frieder Büchler)

	This are two later stamps from Anhalt-Bernburg in use from 1875 to 1878. The text is 'BERNBURG', and the value 'DREISZIG PF:' resp. 'ACHTZIG PF.'. (right stamp scanned by Helmut Feindura)

	This stamp was in use in Anhalt-Dessau around 1830. The text is 'ST.', 'A.', and 'DESSAU'. (scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)

	This stamp was in use in Anhalt-Dessau around 1860. The text is 'DESSAU', and the value 'DREI GR.'. (from a museum collection)

	This stamp was in use in Bayern (Bavaria) from c. 1816 to 1826. There is a value in Kreuzer ('8 Ker'), and letters at the top. Here they are 'S.' and 'B.' (for 'Bayreuth') . (scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)

	This stamp was in use in Bayern from 1826 to c. 1837. The text is the name of a Bavarian region (here 'ISAR KREIS'), and again a value in Kreuzer ('8 Ker'). (scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)

	This stamp was used in Bayern in black colour from 1849 to 1854, and in blue colour from 1854 to 1874. The text is again the name of a region (here 'Mittelfranken'), and the value '8 Kr.' (8 Kreuzer). (scanned by Helmut Feindura)

	These stamps were in use in Bayern from 1875 to 1878. The text is 'BAYERN'(Bavaria), a value in Pfennig ('30 PF.' resp. '60 PF.'), and a letter for the stamp office (unreadable on the left stamp, 'D' on the right stamp). (left stamp scanned by Rudolf Hasenpflug)

	This is a rare example of re-stamping in Bayern for a pack not sold from before 1854 to after 1875. (scanned by Christian Weidling)

	This stamp was used in Braunschweig (Brunswick) some time at the beginning of the 19th century. (scanned by Walter Haas)

	This stamp was used in Braunschweig around 1840. The value is '7 ggr' (Gutegroschen).

	This stamp was used in Braunschweig most probably around 1850. The value is '5 Gr' (Groschen).

	These stamps were in use in Braunschweig some time after 1858 to c.1874. The value is given in Groschen and Pfennig ('6 gr. 8 ß' resp. '8 gr. 9 ß'). (left stamp scanned by Helmut Feindura)

	This stamp was in use in Bremen from 1814. The value is 'SECHS GROTE'. The stamp was on the Ace of Spades. (scanned by Helmut Feindura)

	This stamp was in use in Bremen after the one above until 1865. The value is again 'SECHS GROTE'. The stamp also exists in red colour. The stamp was on the Ace of Spades. (scanned by Helmut Feindura)

	This stamp was in use in Bremen from 1866 to 1874. It shows no value. The stamp was on the Ace of Spades. (scanned by Helmut Feindura)

	This stamp was in use in Frankfurt, presumably c. 1860.

	This stamp was in use in Hamburg from 1801 to 1862. The value is four Schilling ('4.S.'). (scanned by Helmut Feindura)

	This stamp was in use in Hamburg from 1863 to 1874. It differs from the previous one by the value ('1.S.').

	This stamp was used in Hamburg from 1874 to 1879. The value is now 10 Pfennig ('10 Pf '). (scanned by Manfred Hausler)

	This is a later stamp from the 'Großherzogtum' Hessen. The text is 'G. H. KARTEN= STEMPEL' again, the value is in Pfennig ('6 Pf.'). (from a scan by José Luiz G. Pagliari)

	This stamp was in use in Kurhessen (Hessen-Kassel) c. 1870. The text is 'K. H. KART. STEMP.' and a value in Silbergroschen ('10 SGR.'). This stamp was on the Ace of Spades for French-suited cards.

	This stamp was in use in the principality Lüneburg from 1724 to 1804. Besides 'GR' for 'Georg Rex' there is the date '1724' when the stamp was introduced. This stamp was on the Ace of Spades for French-suited cards.

	This stamp was in use in Mecklenburg-Schwerin c. 1850. The text is 'KARTEN STEMPEL' and the value '4 SCHILLING'. This stamp was on the Ace of Spades for French-suited cards.

	This stamp was in use in the Duchy Nassau from 1808 to 1866. The text is 'H N C W C', which stands for a subsidiary fonds 'Herzoglich-Nassauische Civil-Wittwen-Casse'), and there is no value shown. (scanned by Rudolf Hasenpflug)

	This stamp was in use in Preussen (Prussia) from 1787 to 1810. The text is 'KON:PR:HAUPTSTEMP:U:CART:CAM:' (Royal Prussian Main Stamp and Card Office), and there is an additional value stamp for '6 gl' (6 Groschen). (scanned by Manfred Hausler)

	This stamp was in use in Preussen for 'outer regions' (here for a former Polish region) around 1800. The value is given in Rubel and Groschen ('1 Rb 8 gl'). (scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)

	This stamp was in use in Preussen from 1816 to 1822. The value is 'ZWÖLF G. GR.' (12 Gutegroschen).

	This stamp was in use in Preussen from 1822 to c. 1835. The value in Thaler is shown twice ('EIN THALER' and '1 THLR'). (scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)

	These stamps were in use in Preussen from 1839 to c. 1850. The name above the eagle is the place where the cards were stamped ('HALLE A/S' resp. 'STRALSUND'), the value is given in Silbergroschen ('DREI S.GR.' for packs with up to 36 cards, 'ACHT S.GR.' for packs with more cards). (left stamp scanned by Sasha Sukhorukov)

	This stamp was in use in Preussen from 1868 to 1874. The text above the (modified) eagle is 'KOENIGR:PREUSSEN', the place where the cards were stamped is now below the eagle ('STRALSUND'), the value is again in Silbergroschen ('ACHT S.').

	This stamp was in use in Preussen concurrently to the one before from 1871 to 1874. The text above the eagle is 'KOENIGREICH PREUSSEN', and the place where the cards were stamped is shown by a number ('No. 87'). The value is in Silbergroschen ('ACHT S.').

	This stamp was also used in Preussen concurrently to the one before from 1871 to 1874. The difference is that the place where the cards were stamped is indicated by Roman numerals here ('XIX.').

	This stamp was in use in Preussen from 1875 to 1878. It resembles the one used from 1868 to 1874, the text above the eagle is 'KOENIGR. PREUSSEN' again, but the value is now given in Pfennig ('ACHTZIG PF.') instead of Silbergroschen. The place of stamping is below the eagle again ('FRANKFURT A. M.').

	This stamp was also in use in Preussen from 1875 to 1878. It resembles the previous stamp. The text above the eagle is 'KOENIGR. PREUSSEN' again, and the value is given in Pfennig ('DREISSIG PF.'). The place of stamping is shown here below the eagle by a number ('No. 73').

	This stamp was used in the 'Fürstentum Reuß ältere Linie' (Duchy Reuß Elder Line) from 1864 to 1868. The text is 'F. R. Ä. L.', the value is 2 1/2 Silbergroschen ('2 1/2 Sg'), and this stamp is dated '1867'. (scanned by Helmut Feindura)

	This stamp was used in the 'Fürstentum Reuß jüngere Linie' (Duchy Reuß Younger Line). The text is 'F. R. I. L.', the value is 5 Silbergroschen ('5 Sg'), and this stamp is dated '18..', strangely with the last two digits missing. (scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)

	This stamp was in use in the Kingdom Sachsen (Saxony) from 1819 to 1834. The value is in Groschen ('4 GR.'). (scanned by Jean Darquenne)

	This is a stamp from Sachsen that was in use 1841 to 1844. It has a different form of the coat of arms. The text is 'L' (for Leipzig), 'KARTEN=STEMPEL', and a value in Neugroschen ('2 ½ NGR'). This stamp was on the Seven of Bells for German-suited cards. (from a museum collection)

	These stamps were used in Saxony in 1846, 1847 and 1848. The text is 'D' (for Dresden), 'KARTEN=STEMPEL', the date ('1846', '1847' resp. '1848') and the value in Neugroschen ('5 NGR'). Note the different form of the shield of the coat-of-arms. (left stamp scanned by Heiko Buchali, middle stamp by Anders Gustafsson)

	These are two more stamps from Sachsen, they were in use c.1850. The left one is similar to the previous one, but the date is missing; the left stamp has a value of '5 NGR.', the right one has '10 NGR'. The left stamp was on the Unter of Acorns for German-suited cards. (left stamp scanned by Heiko Buchali, right stamp by Anders Gustafsson)

	These are stamps from Sachsen in use 1868 to 1874. The text is 'KARTENSTEMPEL', and the value '5 NGR.' resp. '10 NGR.'. (left stamp scanned by Helmut Feindura, right stamp by Chris Rayner)

	These are two of the last stamps from Sachsen, they were in use 1875 to 1878. They have again a different form of the coat of arms. The text is 'KARTEN-STEMPEL', and a value in Pfennig ('50 PF.') or Mark ('1 MK.'). The stamp was on the Under of Acorns for German-suited cards. (both scanned by Frieder Büchler)

	This stamp was used in a Saxon Duchy (possibly Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha). The text is '...BURG' (which might be 'H. S. COBURG') and 'KARTENSTEMPEL'. (scanned by Johan Jacobs)

	This stamp was used in the Duchy Sachsen-Gotha (presumably Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha). (scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)

	This stamp was used in the Grand Duchy Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach around 1850. The value is 'EILF GR.' (11 Groschen). (scanned by Frieder Büchler)

	This stamp was used in Schleswig-Holstein around 1807. (from a scan by John Sings)

	This stamp was in use in Schleswig-Itzehoe from 1848 to 1851. (scanned by Helmut Feindura)

	This stamp was used around 1845 in one of the principalities Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt or Schwarzburg-Sondershausen; those had the same coat-of-arms. The text is 'KARTENSTEMPEL' and 'F S-R' or 'F S-S' at the top. (scanned by Frieder Büchler)

	This is a stamp from Württemberg, presumably from around 1820. The value is '6 K / SECHS KREUZER'. (scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)

	This stamp was in use in Württemberg c.1870. The text is 'SPORTELAMT / STUTTGART'. (scanned by Helmut Feindura)

	This stamp was in use in Württemberg presumably c.1875. The text is 'KÖN. WÜRTTB. SPORTEL AMT'. (scanned by Frieder Büchler)