Jay Smith & Associates: Slania: Sweden: Revenues - Documentary

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Slania: Sweden: Revenues - Documentary - 1968 Slania Design

This design, engraved by Slania, came into use in 1968. They were sold, at least through the post office (?), until 1 April 1989 and validity (and use of adhesive documentary revenue stamps) entirely ceased as of 1 July 1992.

Swedish revenue stamps have most recently been cataloged in the 2005 Facit Scandinavian Specialized Catalog. Even used copies of this catalog are hard to find; if you are seeking a copy, please let me know.

Mint stamps range from very scarce to rare. Some mint stamps are known (at least) with white dull gum and some with "flat" invisible gum; it is unclear to me if any are known with both. The invisible gum examples I have seen have a slight horitztonal wavyness in the gum.

At least some of the low-denomination BROWN stamps are known in both (Dark) Brown and (Light) Orange Brown.

The middle-denomination RED stamps are seen with what appears to be differing color shades and/or color intensity but may actually be differences in the depth of engraving -- which would suggest the need for further research into the possibility of multiple plates/types. The high-denomination BLUE stamps and the top-denomination ORANGE stamps I have observed have consistent color.

In regard to plate types and engraving details, I have noticed what appears to be at least one difference in the engraving. In the stamps that I have checked (which has NOT been thorough), this difference appears to be all one way or all the other way from denomination to denomination: In the upper right corner of the interior "machine scrolled" area where the inner top frame line intersects the circular corner design, some stamps show a small loop descending from the inner top frame line and others do no show this loop (making that tiny corner look more open).

I have not observed any fluorescent papers being used, however it is a reasonable assumption that a variety of papers were used, just as a variety of postage stamp papers were used in this era. These stamps appear to be printed on paper that is thinner and contains less "filler" than postage stamp paper, thus used stamps often feel flimsy or limp. I have only observed unwatermarked paper and perforation 13.

These stamps are scarcer than earlier issues for several reasons. Many are certainly still on "active" documents in legal files, etc. Additionally, in this modern era, privacy issues have caused many revenue-stamped documents to be destroyed without thought to removing and saving the stamps. Lastly, but importantly, at the point this design was first issued, many businesses were already converting to the use of "meter" franking machine to apply tax payment amounts to documents. This use dramatically increased (as it did to pay postage as well) in the following years. Additionally systems not requiring payment of individual documentary tax (in the form of stamps or meters) were increasingly used.

Revenues - Documentary - 1968 Slania Design