Carte de visite with revenue stamp

[SnakemanBill]

Picked up this carte de visite of John Wilkes Booth in a trade. It has a 2 cent revenue stamp on the back. Thinking about putting it up for sale. Does anyone have any idea of the value? Thanks!

 

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[Mackaydon]

Some history first.......
"Patented in Paris, France, by photographer André Adolphe Eugène Disdéri in 1854, cartes de visite (CDVs) were photographs created with a special camera that produced eight poses on one negative. CDVs arrived in the United States around 1859.


Faced with the financial demands of the Civil War, a June 30, 1864, act of Congress placed a new luxury tax on "photographs, ambrotypes, daguerreotypes or any other sun-pictures." Photographers were required to affix a properly denominated revenue stamps on the back of the image and cancel it by initialing and dating it in pen.

However, there was not a special stamp created for photography. So, you will see on the backs of the calling card photographs US revenue stamps originally intended for Bank Checks, Playing Cards, Certificates, Proprietary, Bill of Lading, etc. These were accepted by the Federal Government on cartes de visite as long as the stamp denomination was appropriate.


The amount of tax required for a carte de visite was determined by the cost of the photograph:

• Less than 25 cents: 2 cent stamp
• 25 to 50 cents: 3 cent stamp
• 50 cents to $1: 5 cent stamp
• More than $1: 5 cents for each additional dollar or fraction thereof
  

Most calling card images cost between 25 and 50 cents. Thus, the majority of cartes de visite have a 2 or 3 cent revenue stamp affixed to them. But, occasionally you will see a CDV with a combination of US revenue stamps needed to pay the required tax.

Here are some examples:

The tax on photographs created and sold in the United States was repealed effective August 1, 1866. But, it is indeed quite possible that a collector could find a post-August, 1866, carte de visite card with an affixed tax stamp if a photographer was not aware of the recently repealed law. Such an item would certainly be very rare and collectible." Source: US Revenue Stamps on Photographic Calling Cards

To answer you question, we first need to see and identify the stamp affixed to your item. The stamp itself may be worth more that the pic; especially if, as mentioned above, the post mark post-dates August of 1866.
Don........

 

[Mackaydon]

Here's a guide to assist you ID which stamp is affixed to your card:
U.S. 1st Issue Revenue Stamps (1862) - Revenue-Collector.Com
Don.....

 

[SnakemanBill]

Thanks Don. I'll take a closer look at the stamp to see which one it is. I believe the cancel mark is just a single line drawn across the stamp. I'll take some photos this weekend and post them for you.

Bill

 

[SnakemanBill]

Looks like its the one you have labelled as a R15.

 

[Mackaydon]

I agree. Now you may wish to determine if it's R-15 c, d, or 'e'.
Once determined, then the value can be estimated.
'c', 'd' and 'e' may have about the same values today.
Then again, one (or more) may be a "BINGO" as to value; hopefully, yours.
Don......