Chapter 22
DOCUMENTARY STAMPS
Examination of the above schedule of Documentary Stamp Taxes show that DOCUMENTARY stamps replaced the following stamps and stamped paper for the purposes specified:
 
SELLO stamps, on bonds, debentures, certificates of indebtedness, stock certificates, sales, agreements to sell, memoranda of sales, or deliveries, or transfers, of shares of stock, certificates of profit, or certificates showing interest in the property or accumulation, insurance policies, annuities, indemnity bonds, or other bonds, certificates of damage, or other certificates of documents issued by captains of the port and marine surveyors.

GIRO stamps, on bank checks, drafts, certificates of deposit, bills of exchange, promissory notes, and letters of credit, including orders by telegraph express company, or steamship companies.

INTERNAL REVENUE stamps of denominations from 1 to 10 centimos (which had replaced Timbre Movil Especial stamps) on receipts, or memoranda for money paid, warehouse receipts, bills of lading.

STAMPED PAPER (Spanish Philippines Papel Sellado) for certificates of notaries public, other certificates required by law and not otherwise specified, powers of attorneys, leases of real estate, mortgages, deeds of real estate, and charter party contracts.

The Internal Revenue Law of 1904, which was made effective on August 1, 1904, repealed all Spanish Philippines laws governing the imposition of stamp taxes and the use of revenue stamps which were still in force at that time. The Documentary Stamps which were created by the Internal Revenue Law of 1904 did not become available, however, until January 1, 1905. As a result the use of the existing SELLO, GIRO and INTERNAL REVENUE stamps for the purpose for which DOCUMENTARY stamps were prescribed was continued until at least the end of 1904. And it is probable that the use of those stamps was continued even after the end of 1904, until the existing supplies were exhausted. The writer has seen a draft dated in January 1905, to which both DOCUMENTARY and GIRO stamps were affixed.

The first series of DOCUMENTARY stamps, issued on January 1, 1905, were printed upon unwatermarked paper, perforated 12 gauge. The two denominations most frequently used were the 2c and the 20c. These two denominations were exhausted by the end of January, or early in February 1906. Hence, a second printing of the 2c and 20c was issued in 1906. This second printing was made on paper with double line PIRS watermark, the initials stand for Philippine Islands Internal Revenue Service. the 2c second printing occurs rouletted only. But the 20c occurs both rouletted and perforated 12 gauge. Forbin erroneously lists the rouletted varieties of the 2 c and 20c as issued in 1905. He does not mention the fact that watermarked paper was used and does not list the perforated variety of the 20c on watermarked paper.

Forbin lists a series of engraved Documentary stamps, 12 gauge perforation, as issued in 1906. The writer believes, however, that those engraved stamps were not issued until February 1907. He has examined hundreds of receipts and receipted invoices attached to the cash vouchers for the years 1906 and 1907 of the largest corporation established in Manila. They bear Documentary stamps of the 2c and 4c denominations. The engraved documentary stamps are not found on any receipts and receipted invoices dated prior to February 1907.

The engraved Documentary stamps of the 1907 issue, and all subsequent regular issues of Documentary stamps have been engraved and printed by the Bureau of Printing and Engraving at Washington, D.C. The design of all of these stamps has been the same as that of the issue of 1907. There are three different gauges of perforation, however. The issue of 1907 had a 12 gauge perforation. This issue remained current until at least as late as 1915 and at the same time between 1907 and 1915 a 20 pesos denomination was added to the series. Probably in 1915, a series of the same denominations with 10 gauge perforation was issued. The 10 pesos and 20 pesos denominations with 10 gauge perforation are still current in 1941. At some time between 1917 and 1920, a series with 11 gauge perforation was issued. The following denominations with 11 gauge perforation have been seen: 2c, 4c, 10c, 20c, 50c, 1p, 3p, 50p and 100p.