INTRODUCTION

Thanks for stopping by!

This research project is dedicated to counting the surviving Great Britain blue and red embossed stamps issued between 1701 and 1922. Please pass this along to anyone you know who may have an embossed stamp so we can record it in our global inventory database. Please send your photos (optional) and counts to robchernish99@gmail.com and they will be shared as a separate post with your description, credit, and contact or logged in the database anonymously. It`s up to you, but your cooperation is greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

This is the backside of an embossed stamp written on vellum paper with some of the indenture`s text still present and the King George 3 Royal Cypher stamp. The cypher acts as a seal on the backside of the embossing, hiding the escutcheons backing, validating the seal.

This is the front side of the embossed stamp, and contains a nice heraldic shield type stamp that says ONE POUND, TEN SHILLINGS and contains a centred escutcheon.

This would have been paid at the time the stamp was issued as part of a duty and revenue tax payment. This puts the price of stamps between 1701 and 1922 much more costly comparatively than those issued later in history which started at a penny in price (Penny Black).

This is also prior to the mass production of postage and revenue stamps (prior to 1840), keep in mind, as the embossed stamps were original in every way and done by the notary, royal agent, or solicitors when doing some sort of contract law such as a marriage, apprenticeship, will, or any other legal contract at the time. As such, each one is unique and different. The above embossed stamp is lacking the the date and locale stamp, but does have an 1804 emblem across the top that helps us position the date better. Most embossed stamps have an inked mark indicating the date and locale where the contract was completed.

Most of the above stamps range between 1846 and 1864 and contain the Queen Victoria cyphers on the back. Embossed stamps were phased out in 1922, over 103 years ago.

SHOWCASE YOUR STAMPS OR AT LEAST REPORT YOUR NUMBERS HERE – send your photos of your embossed stamps (no max) and we will document them in our inventory survival count or just report anonymously with your counts and we will update the spreadsheet and the website daily. Send the infos to robchernish99@gmail.com

If you are keener and can identify the cyphers, we can subclassify them to the specific time in history to make our counts more accurate and data more descriptive.

Thanks again!