Stamps from Latvia

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Playing-Card Tax Stamps from Latvia

During the German occupation of Latvia in WWI 1917/18, a stamp for playing-cards was used that you can see on the Germany page.

I am not sure what the purpose of these stamps (or similar ones) on some Latvian cards is, but it has definitely to do with the Red Cross organisation. The text suggests that a tax was raised for charitable purposes.

This is a stamp presumably in use c. 1930.
The text is 'LATVIJAS SARKANAIS KRUSTS' ('Latvian Red Cross'), and 'SPELU KARTIS' (playing-cards).

This is a stamp in use from c. 1930.
The text is 'SPELU KARTIS' (playing-cards), and the abbreviation 'L S K', for 'Latvijas Sarkanais Krusts', which again is 'Latvian Red Cross'.
(scanned by Sasha Sukhorukov)

This is an imprint that was on the same pack as the stamp before. Here you have the text 'LATVIJAS SARKANAIS KRUSTS' for the abbreviation 'L S K'.
(scanned by Sasha Sukhorukov)

This is another similar stamp, but I cannot date it.
The text is 'LATVIJAS SARKANAIS KRUSTS' ('Latvian Red Cross') and 'SPELU KARTES' (Attention: with an 'E' in 'KARTES'!).
(scanned by Thierry Depaulis)

This is a stamp in use 1940/41.
The text is 'SPELU KARTIS' (playing-cards), and the abbreviation 'LP SR S K', which stands for 'Latvijas PSR Sarkanais Krusts', which means 'Red Cross of the Latvian Socialist Sovjet Republic'.
(scanned by Sasha Sukhorukov)

This is a stamp in use c. 1942.
The text is 'Tautas Palidziba' (National Help), 'Volkshilfe' (National Help, in German) and 'SPELU KARTIS' (playing-cards).

The stamp was on the Ace of Hearts.

	This is a stamp presumably in use c. 1930. The text is 'LATVIJAS SARKANAIS KRUSTS' ('Latvian Red Cross'), and 'SPELU KARTIS' (playing-cards).

	This is a stamp in use from c. 1930. The text is 'SPELU KARTIS' (playing-cards), and the abbreviation 'L S K', for 'Latvijas Sarkanais Krusts', which again is 'Latvian Red Cross'. (scanned by Sasha Sukhorukov)

	This is an imprint that was on the same pack as the stamp before. Here you have the text 'LATVIJAS SARKANAIS KRUSTS' for the abbreviation 'L S K'. (scanned by Sasha Sukhorukov)

	This is another similar stamp, but I cannot date it. The text is 'LATVIJAS SARKANAIS KRUSTS' ('Latvian Red Cross') and 'SPELU KARTES' (Attention: with an 'E' in 'KARTES'!). (scanned by Thierry Depaulis)

	This is a stamp in use 1940/41. The text is 'SPELU KARTIS' (playing-cards), and the abbreviation 'LP SR S K', which stands for 'Latvijas PSR Sarkanais Krusts', which means 'Red Cross of the Latvian Socialist Sovjet Republic'. (scanned by Sasha Sukhorukov)

	This is a stamp in use c. 1942. The text is 'Tautas Palidziba' (National Help), 'Volkshilfe' (National Help, in German) and 'SPELU KARTIS' (playing-cards).