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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.
Anhalt-Bernburg
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This stamp was in use in Anhalt-Bernburg.
The text is 'BERNBURG', and the value 'DREI S. GR. (3 Silbergroschen)'.
(scanned by Rudolf Hasenpflug)
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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)
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Anhalt-Dessau
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This stamp was in use in Anhalt-Dessau around 1830.
The text is 'ST.', 'A.', and 'DESSAU'.
(scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)
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This stamp was in use in Anhalt-Dessau around 1860.
The text is 'DESSAU', and the value 'DREI GR.'.
(from a museum collection)
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Bayern (Bavaria)
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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)
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These stamps were in use in Bayern from 1826 to c. 1837.
The text is the name of a Bavarian region (here 'OBERBAYERN' resp. 'ISAR KREIS'), and a value in Kreuzer ('4Ker' or '8 Ker').
(left stamp from a scan by Christian de Ryck, right stamp scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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Braunschweig (Brunsvick)
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This stamp was used in the Duchy Braunschweig (Brunswick) from 1744 to 1806.
(from a museum collection)
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This stamp was used in Braunschweig from 1814 to 1821.
(scanned by Walter Haas)
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This stamp was used in Braunschweig from 1821 to 1831.
The value is '7 ggr' (Gutegroschen). Note the different currency specifications on the following stamps from Braunschweig.
There were always more stamps with other values.
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This stamp was in use in Braunschweig between 1840 and 1857.
The value is given in Groschen and Pfennig ('6 gr. 8 p').
(scanned by Helmut Feindura)
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This stamp was in use in Braunschweig from 1857 to 1867.
The value is given in Groschen and Pfennig ('8 gr. 9 ß').
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This stamp was used in Braunschweig from 1867 to 1874.
The value is '5 Gr' (Groschen).
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This stamp was in use in Braunschweig from 1875 to 1878.
The text is 'KARTEN-STEMPEL' and the value is '50 PFENNIG'.
(from a scan by Ulrich Knüpfer)
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Bremen
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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)
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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)
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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)
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Frankfurt
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This stamp was in use in Frankfurt from 1805. The 'X' below the eagle is the value, 10 Kreuzer.
(from a museum collection)
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This stamp was in use in Frankfurt, presumably c. 1860.
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Hamburg
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This stamp was in use in Hamburg from 1801 to 1862.
The value is four Schilling ('4.S.').
(scanned by Helmut Feindura)
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This stamp was in use in Hamburg from 1863 to 1874.
It differs from the previous one by the value ('1.S.').
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This stamp was used in Hamburg from 1874 to 1879.
The value is now 10 Pfennig ('10 Pf ').
(scanned by Manfred Hausler)
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Hannover
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This stamp was used in Hannover from 1859 to 1866.
The value is given in "GROS" (for "Groschen").
You can see all the
stamps used in Hannover on a separate page.
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Hessen (Grossherzogtum / Grand Duchy)
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These are two later stamps from the Grand Duchy Hessen.
The text is 'G. H. KARTEN=STEMPEL' again, the values are in
Pfennig ('6 Pf.' resp. '15 Pf.').
(left stamp from a scan by José Luiz G. Pagliari, right scan by Ulrich Knüpfer)
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Hessen-Kassel
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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.
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Lübeck
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This stamp was used in Lübeck from 1809 to around 1860.
The value is '4 Sch' (Schilling).
(From a museum collection)
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Lüneburg
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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.
(from a scan by Gerd Matthes)
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Mecklenburg-Schwerin
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This stamp was in use in Mecklenburg-Schwerin from 1809 to 1812.
The text is 'KARTEN STEMPEL' and it does not show a value.
The stamp was on the Ace of Spades for French-suited cards.
(scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)
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This stamp was in use in Mecklenburg-Schwerin from 1812 to 1829.
The text is 'KARTEN STEMPEL' and the value is '14' (Schilling).
The stamp was on the Ace of Spades for French-suited cards.
(from a museum collection)
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This stamp was in use in Mecklenburg-Schwerin c. 1850.
The text is 'KARTEN STEMPEL' and the value is '4 SCHILLING'.
This stamp was on the Ace of Spades for French-suited cards.
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Nassau
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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'), no value is shown.
(scanned by Rudolf Hasenpflug)
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This stamp was in use in the Duchy Nassau most probably around 1810.
The text is 'N C W C', which stands for a subsidiary fonds ('Nassauische
Civil-Wittwen-Casse'), and there is no value shown.
(from a scan by Gerd Matthes)
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Oldenburg
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This stamp was in use in the Duchy (later Grand Duchy) Oldenburg from 1768 to 1868,
but actually from 1768 to 1810 and from 1814 to 1822 only in the city of Oldenburg, afterwards in the whole Grand Duchy.
It shows the arms of the city of Oldenburg, and there is no value shown.
(from an archival document)
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Preussen (Prussia)
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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)
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This stamp was in use in Preussen for 'outer regions' (here
for a former Polish region) around 1800.
The value is given in Reichstaler and Groschen ('1 Rl 8 gl').
(scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)
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This is a similar stamp but with a different value ('8 gl', 8 Groschen).
(scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)
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This stamp was in use in Preussen from 1816 to 1822.
The value is 'VIER G. GR.' (4 Gutegroschen) resp. 'ZWÖLF G. GR.' (12 Gutegroschen).
(left stamp from a museum collection)
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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)
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This is a similar stamp with the value 'EIN DRITTEL THALER' resp. '10 GR.').
(scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)
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This stamp was in use in Preussen presumably from 1836.
The text is the place of production (here 'STRALSUND') and the value is '8 GR' (Groschen).
(scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)
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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)
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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.').
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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.').
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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.').
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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.').
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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').
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Reuß ältere Linie (Reuß Elder Line)
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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)
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Reuß jüngere Linie (Reuß Younger Line)
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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)
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Sachsen (Saxony, Kingdom and several Duchies)
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These stamps were in use in the Kingdom Sachsen (Saxony) from 1819 to 1834.
The value is in Groschen ('2 GR:' resp. '4 GR:').
(left stamp from a museum collection, right stamp scanned by Jean Darquenne)
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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)
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These are two more stamps from Sachsen, they were in use in 1849.
Except for the form of the coat-of-arms the stamps are similar to those above; the left stamp has a value of '3 ½ NGR:', the right
one has '5 NGR:'.
The left stamp has an 'L' for Leipzig, the right stamp an 'F' for Freiberg.
The left stamp was on the Unter of Acorns, the right on an Ace of Hearts.
(both stamps from scans by Gerd Matthes)
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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 has a 'C' for Chemnitz, the right stamp a 'D' for Dresden.
The left stamp was on the Unter of Acorns for German-suited cards.
(left stamp scanned by Heiko Buchali, right stamp by Anders Gustafsson)
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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)
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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)
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This stamp was used in Sachsen-Altenburg.
(scanned by Rudolf Hasenpflug)
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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)
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This stamp was used in the Duchy Sachsen-Gotha (presumably Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha).
(scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)
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This stamp was used in the Duchy Sachsen-Meiningen from 1867. The text is 'KAMBURG' and the value is '14 KR.' (Kreuzer).
You can see in the illustration that the pack was re-stamped after the introduction of the unified tax legislation.
(scanned by Frieder Büchler)
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This stamp was used in the Grand Duchy Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach around 1850.
The value is 'EILF GR.' (11 Groschen).
(scanned by Frieder Büchler)
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This stamp was used in the Grand Duchy Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach shortly before 1879.
The value is 'FÜNFZIG PFG' (50 Pfennig).
(scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)
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Schleswig-Holstein
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This stamp was used in Schleswig-Holstein around 1807.
(from a scan by John Sings)
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This stamp was also in use in Schleswig-Holstein around 1807.
It is very similar to the one above, but there are minor differences in design, e. g. the size of the crown.
(from a scan by Gerd Matthes)
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This is another stamp in use in Schleswig-Holstein from 1807.
It is very similar to the two above, but there are again minor differences in design, e. g. the form of the crown.
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Schleswig-Itzehoe
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This stamp was in use in Schleswig-Itzehoe from 1848 to 1851.
(scanned by Helmut Feindura)
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Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt or Schwarzburg-Sondershausen
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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)
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Württemberg
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This stamp is most probably from Electoral Württemberg ('Kurwürttemberg'),
which existed from 1803 to 1806.
I do not know what 'Ch N W K A' stands for, but I guess that it is the abbreviation for some
(charitable?) institution that the tax was intended for.
(scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)
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This is a stamp from Württemberg, presumably from around 1820.
The value is '6 K / SECHS KREUZER'.
(scanned by Klaus-Jürgen Schultz)
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This stamp was in use in Württemberg c.1870.
The text is 'SPORTELAMT / ULM'.
(from a scan by Gerd Matthes)
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This stamp was also in use in Württemberg c.1870.
The text is 'SPORTELAMT / STUTTGART'.
It is similar to the one before but because of the longer city's name the design is slightly different.
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This stamp was in use in Württemberg presumably c.1875.
The text is 'KÖN. WÜRTTB. SPORTEL AMT'.
(scanned by Frieder Büchler)
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©
Peter Endebrock,
03 March 2021
