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Playing-Card Tax Stamps from Spain

At the end of the 19th century, tax bands were used to seal the playing-card packs in Spain.

 
This band was in use from 1893 to 1895. The text is 'IMPTO SOBRE NAIPES' (for 'impuesto sobre naipes', tax on playing-cards) and '30 CENTIMOS'.

This is the middle part of the band shown above, but with a perforation. The text is the same as before. There is an overprint that I cannot identify. I do not know when this stamp was used.

 
This band was in use from 1900. The text is 'IMPUESTO SOBRE NAIPES' (tax on playing-cards) in the middle part and 'Consumo interior. - 15 cénts. de peseta.' and 'FABRICACIÓN NACIONAL' along the band.
 
 
This band was also in use from 1900, but for packs intended for export. The text is again 'IMPUESTO SOBRE NAIPES' (tax on playing-cards) in the middle part, but there is no text along the band.
(from a scan by Pascual Francisco Antolí)

This is an adhesive stamp used for export in 1906. The text is 'IMPTO SOBRE NAIPES', 'TIMBRE PARA EXPORTACION', and '1 PESETA 80 C.' as value.
 
This is a similar stamp, but with an overprint 'INUTILIZADO' ('unused').

In 1904 the Spanish tax authorities started using stamps on one of the cards.

While tax stamps were in use in Spain, there was mostly more than one stamp at a time. They differed for regular and non-standard cards, and there used to be another stamp for exportation.

These stamps were in use from 1904 to 1907.
The text is 'TIMBRE DEL ESTADO' / '10 CENTIMOS'. The left stamp was for cards made in Spain, the right stamp for imported cards.
(right stamp scanned by Christian de Ryck)

 

This stamp was in use 1907.
It is similar to the previous ones, with a different value.
The text is 'TIMBRE DEL ESTADO' / '20 CENTIMOS'.
(from a scan by Chris Rayner)

 

These stamps were in use from 1908 to 1918.
They are similar to the previous one, with a different value.
The text is 'TIMBRE DEL ESTADO' / '30 CENTIMOS'. Again the left stamp was for cards made in Spain, the right stamp for imported cards.

This stamp was in use from 1918 to 1925 or later.
It is also similar to the previous one, with a different value.
The text is 'TIMBRE DEL ESTADO' / 'UNA PESETA'.
(from a scan by Pascual Francisco Antolí)

 

This stamp was in use from 1925 to 1927.
It is an additional provincial stamp. I have seen it used together with the stamp shown before. The text is 'HACIENDA PROVINCIAL' / 'TIMBRE', and the value is '10' / 'CNTS'. There is an overprint, and you can see that 'BARCELONA' is part of that; I cannot read the rest.
(from a scan by Pascual Francisco Antolí)

 

These stamps were used 1926 to 1932.
The text is again 'TIMBRE DEL ESTADO', and the value is '1'20 PESETAS' resp. '1'80 PESETAS'.
(left stamp from a scan by Pascual Francisco Antolí, right stamp from a scan by Malcolm Hutson)

 

This is another stamp similar to those shown above, it was in use after 1911.
The text is again 'TIMBRE DEL ESTADO', and the value is 1'50 Pesetas.
(scanned by Pascal Pette)

 

This stamp was in use after 1932.
The text is 'TIMBRE DEL ESTADO' again, and the value is 'DOS PESETAS'.
(from a scan by Pascual Francisco Antolí)

From 1904 to 1932 there were more stamps similar to those above, all with differing values.

This is an additional stamp used around 1938, together with the previous stamp.
The text is 'IMPUESTO DE GUERRA' (war tax), and the value is '0.80' (Pesetas).
This stamp also exists with the value '0.50'.
(from a scan by Pascual Francisco Antolí)

 

This stamp was in use from 1904 to 1931.
The text is 'TIMBRE DEL ESTADO' / 'EXPORTACION'.

 

This stamp was in use after 1931, presumably until 1936 or 1939.
The design is similar to that of the previous stamp, but the royal crown and the middle of the coat of arms are left away.

 

This stamp was in use from 1931 to 1936 (and possibly later, I have been informed about an example of this stamp on a pack definitely not made before 1939).
The text is 'TIMBRE DEL ESTADO' / '1'25 PTS'.

 

This is another stamp that was in use after 1931.
The text is again 'TIMBRE DEL ESTADO', and the value is '1,25 PESETAS'.
Note that the head and helmet of Mercury have been redesigned as compared to the stamps with his head shown above.

 

This is an identical stamp in use after 1931.
The colour is different, and the value is 'DOS PESETAS'.

 

This stamp was in use after 1931, too.
The text is 'TIMBRE DEL ESTADO', and the value is '1'25 PESETAS'. In addition, there is a stamped signature.
(from a scan by Pascual Francisco Antolí)

This stamp was in use 1938/39.
The text is 'DELEGACION DE HACIENDA / INSPECCION DEL TIMBRE NAIPES / TIMBRE A METALICO / BARCELONA' (something like 'revenue office / agency for the playing-card stamp / tax stamp / Barcelona').
(from a scan by Christian de Ryck)

 

This stamp was in use from 1939 to 1956.
The text is 'TIMBRE DEL ESTADO' and a value: 'DOS PESETAS'.

 

This stamp was in use from 1939 to c. 1960.
The text is 'TIMBRE DEL ESTADO' and 'EXPORTACION'.

 

This stamp was in use from 1940 to 1964.
The text is 'TIMBRE SOBRE NAIPES' / 'ESPANA' and 'EXPORTACION'.
(scanned by Christian de Ryck)

 

This stamp was in use around 1950.
It is identical to one shown above, but it has an overprinted value of '1'50'.

 

These stamps was in use from around 1956.
They are identical to one shown above, but they have an overprinted value, 'TRES PESETAS' on the left stamp, and 'CINCO PESETAS' on the right stamp.

 

These stamps were in use from c. 1957.
The text is 'TIMBRE SOBRE NAIPES' / 'ESPAÑA' and a value ('UNA CINCUENTA PTS.' resp. 'TRES PESETAS' or 'CINCO PESETAS').

 

These stamps were also in use from around 1957.
They are identical to the previous set, inluding the values, only the colour is different.
(left two stamps scanned by Christian de Ryck)

 

This stamp was in use from c. 1960 to c. 1964. The text is 'TIMBRE DEL ESTADO' and 'EXPORTACION'. It differs from the stamp used 1939 to c. 1960 by the missing hatching in the inner part.

 

This stamp was in use from c. 1964 to c. 1969.
The text is 'TIMBRE SOBRE NAIPES'. It does not show a value.

 

These stamps (rather: imprints) were in use from 1964 to 1979.
The text is 'TIMBRE SOBRE NAIPES' / 'ESPAÑA'.

This stamp (imprint) was also in use from 1964 to 1979.
The text is 'TIMBRE SOBRE NAIPES - EXPORTACION' / 'ESPAÑA', it was used on exported decks.

The stamp was on the One of Coins or on the Five of Swords for Spanish-suited cards, and usually (with a few exceptions) on the Four of Clubs for French-suited cards.

Note:
I have dated the stamps to the best of my knowledge, but I am pretty sure that several of the dates are not correct. Below I am showing a card with two stamps; the cancelled export stamp is supposed to be valid starting from 1939, but the usage of the other stamp, which presumably was applied later, ended in 1936 -- this doesn't make sense.


© Peter Endebrock, 03 March 2021