THE A, B C TOBACCO REVENUES OF TAIWAN

THE A, B and C TOBACCO REVENUES OF TAIWAN

Ai Li-Shan

During 1973-76 Taiwan used an interesting set of revenues referred to as the A, B and C revenues. They were applied to packages of imported cigarettes, one label per package. I was in Taiwan during early 1974, at which time the series was already in use. Each series will be considered separately, however please realize that there was an overlap of each series, with the additional printings accounting for the variety in color and the basic setup of the printing plates, i.e. small “A”, thick “A” etc. The measurements are from the top of the frame to the bottom of the frame expressed in millimeters. It is 39.5 mm unless otherwise stated. There is some variation, i.e. as much as .6mm. I think this is due to the grain of the paper and not different dies.

Translations

(top row) Taiwan Province

(2^nd-3^rd rows) Tobacco and Wine Monopoly

Bureau - Imported Tobacco

(Vert Col) Monopoly Sale

Where there are distinct variations in color, it has been noted. The background is a series of concentric circles in light yellow.

“A” Series

Fig.1 Fig.2 Fig 2a Fig.3 Fig.4

1. Height 39.5mm Thin “A” Right character, third row Type 1 fig. 1

a. Variety, horizontal line lower right corner fig. 2

2. Height 39.5mm Thin “A” Right character, third row Type 2 fig. 3

Actually, all of the characters differ between numbers 1 and 2 indicating different plates. See type 1 and 2 figures

Type 1 Type 2

3. Height 33.5mm Small “A” fig. 4

a. Major error, printed with reverse design. fig. 5

In late 1974 there appeared in the Tainan newspaper an article from a reader complaining about the quality of printing by the Taiwan Tobacco and Wine Monopoly. I then checked my collection and found that I did have a copy, but identified it as small A, lower right corner. I failed to notice the obvious reverse of the characters!