Customs Duty Paid Handstamps

I am indebted to Dave Elsmore for the material and information on this blog page. Dave's Commonwealth of Australia Customs Duty Revenues exhibit can be seen HERE

The Commonwealth of Australia Customs Tariff Act of 1902 included a 3d per lb tax on foreign price lists, catalogues, and all printed lithographed matter for advertising purposes. This was done to deter such Items from being printed abroad and sent back to Australia. The tax was initially identified by a boxed "Customs Duty Paid handstamp" (type 1), 52 x 8 mm in diameter. 

Around 1903 custom officers began to levy the duty on individual items and two new handstamps were introduced for this purpose; a boxed "Customs Duty  ½d  handstamp" (type 2), 45 x 8 mm in diameter and a boxed "Customs Duty 1d handstamp" (type 3), 44 x 8 mm in diameter.

• Customs Duty Paid Handstamp type 1 (1902) rated 5R - $100 on cover
• Customs Duty ½d Handstamp type 2 (1903) rated 5R - $100 on cover
• Customs Duty 1d Handstamp type 3 (1906) rated 5R - $100 on cover

Top row: Customs Duty Paid Handstamp type 1
Bottom row, L-R: Customs Duty ½d Handstamp type 2, Customs Duty 1d Handstamp type 3

Customs Duty Paid handstamp type 1

1902

Brisbane Customs Duty Paid handstamp type 1. Dated 1902. Rated 5R. Seen in the collection of Dave Elsmore

Customs Duty ½d handstamp type 2

1903

Brisbane Customs Duty ½d handstamp type 2. Dated around 1903. Rated 5R. Seen in the collection of Dave Elsmore

Customs Duty 1d handstamp type 3

1906

Brisbane Customs Duty 1d handstamp type 3. Dated around 1906. Rated 5R. Seen in the collection of Dave Elsmore