The Revenue Stamps of Iraq

In 2004 Joe Ross and John Powell published the fourth edition of the most comprehensive catalogue of revenue stamps from Iraq. In over 100 pages they listed pretty much every revenue stamp known at the time of publication. All designs are shown, in the same way the Scott catalogue shows individual designs (but not every single stamp), complete with a listing of all known values. 

Joe Ross is well known to me and many other revenue stamps, he is definitely one of the doyens (if not currently the doyen) of revenue stamp collecting. Besides having published several other catalogues before and after this one, he has published many articles. One of those can be found on this site, see his article about the Seoul local revenue stamps.

The complete contents of the catalogue (from page V):

Introduction iii-iv
Contents v
Tower of Samarra vi
Cross-Reference List vii
T.E. Lawrence viii
Iraq’s Heads of State (1921-Present) ix
A Historical Overview of Iraq (1915-1998) x-xiii
Iraqi Republic Unaccepted Designs xiv
Occupation issues, Provisional (1914-1920):
Overprints on Turkish and Indian Revenue Stamps 1-18
League of Nations Mandate, British Administration of Iraq Territory (1920-1932):
Overprints (Revenue) on British Occupation Postage Stamps 19-22
Overprints (Revenue) on Postage Stamps of Iraq 23-24
Monarchy, King Faisal I 25-28
Monarchy, King Ghazi 29
Monarchy King Faisal II 30-35
Overprint Tax to “Save Palestine” 32-33
Republican Overprints on Monarchy Revenue Stamps 36-39
Republic and Provisional Revenue Stamps 40-47
Special Taxes:
National Defense 48-49
Airport Departure 50-52
Flood Relief 53
Medical Prescription 54
Passport Extension 54
Foreign Ministry Visa 55-56
Lawyer Association Pension Fund 57
Check Imprinted Revenue 58
Match and Cigarette 59-60
Social Security 61-62
Municipal Revenue, Baghdad 63-64
Municipal Revenue, Basrah, Khanakeen, Kurkuk 65
Railway Post 66-68
Red Crescent 69-70
Children’s Welfare 71-74
Anti-Tuberculosis 75-76
Anti-Cancer 77
Industrial Association 78
Engineers Union 78
Medical Society, Syndicate 78
Chemical Society 78
Postal Savings Stamps 79
Youth Town 80-81
Kurdistan Revenue Stamps 82-83
Experimental and Unaccepted Essays, Color Trials 84-87
British Postal Order 88
Bibliography 89-90

Some examples of pages from this catalogue are below. 

The cover of the catalogue:

Page 23, from “Overprints (Revenue) on British Occupation Postage Stamps”:

Page 24, from “Overprints (Revenue) on British Occupation Postage Stamps”:

Page 56, from “Foreign Ministry Visa”:

Page 57, from “Lawyer Association Pension Fund”:

The catalogue is available (in printed form only) from Joe Ross directly at 40 dollars (plus postage). His address is: 8036 Rio Linda Blvd., Elverta, CA95626.

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Catalogs Price List

Besides the Iraq catalogue Joe Ross published other catalogues as well. These can also be ordered directly from Joe Ross.

• The Revenue Stamps of Salvador, 1994 Reprint $20
• Panama Telegraph Stamps, 2000 $40
• The Revenue Stamps of Iraq, 3rd edition 2003 $40
• The Revenue Stamps of Jordan & the Occupied Territory (West Bank) 2004 $40
• The Revenue Stamps of Uruguay Patente de Rodado, 2005 (including Departament of Montevideo Vehicle Registration 1928-1963) $40
• CALIFORNIA Feed Tags With Tax Paid Indicia “Feeding Stuffs” 2006 $40
• Panama Revenues- Papel Sellado 1821-1975, 2008 $40
• Revenue Stamps The Republic of Uruguay 1915-2005, 2012; The Uruguay catalog contains 135 pages of information, 70+ categories of revenue stamps and more than 500 color scans, $55

Shipping is extra.