How Cigarettes Appeared on Canadian Postage Stamps

Before 1864, the federal government taxed cigars by weight — a method that was imprecise and made it difficult to ensure every cigar sold had been taxed. In 1868, the Ministry of Inland Revenue adopted the cigar box as a taxable unit. New revenue stamps were issued with specific instructions: they were to be wrapped entirely around the cigar box, glued or pasted so that they could not be removed.

• 📦 The cigar box standard: In 1883, the government legislated that cigars must be packed for sale in wooden boxes holding 10, 25, 50, 100, or 200 cigars. Each box received a revenue stamp showing the number of cigars that had been taxed.
• 🖨️ Early stamp design: These early revenue stamps featured the coat of arms, the word “Canada,” and the monetary value. A PEI museum collection includes a stamp from this era with “Cigars” printed at the bottom center. [citation:1]
• 📉 The shift to strip stamps: Revenue stamps retained their long strip form until 1922. After that, boxes were sealed with stamps just long enough to cover part of the lid, the front, and a portion of the bottom.
• 🇨🇦 Canada’s long run: These stamps remained in use until 1974, making Canada the last country to use tobacco tax stamps. [citation:1]

While cigar stamps date back to the 1860s, stamps specifically for cigarettes appeared later, as cigarettes became more popular in the early 20th century. By the 1920s, cigarette revenue stamps were a common sight on packs sold across Canada.

• 🖨️ Proof sheets: Library and Archives Canada holds extensive collections of proof sheets from various revenue and excise issues. One collection (Vol. 9) contains ten sheets of tobacco-related material, including cigars and snuff, from the 1920s-1940s. [citation:7]
• 📦 Volume 11–12: Another collection contains a volume of specimen postage, postage due, and revenue stamps, including issues for “cigarettes, cigars, and malt syrup.” [citation:4]
• 🧬 Die proofs: Some collections include die proofs — black-and-white printed proofs mounted on cards, with annotations referencing die numbers from British American printers. The majority of these proofs are tobacco-related. [citation:4]
• 📋 The “small tobacco stamps” catalog: Montreal philatelist R.A. Odell, a co-founder of the Canadian Revenue Society, published specialized catalogs on these stamps, including Small tobacco stamps (1942) and The retail cigar, cigarette and tobacco stamps of Canada. [citation:8]

Canadian revenue stamps — including tobacco stamps — have a dedicated following among philatelists. These stamps are prized for their intricate designs, historical significance, and the fascinating glimpse they provide into Canada’s tax history.

• 📖 R.A. Odell’s legacy: Odell’s publications include A catalogue of the adhesive revenue stamps of Canada (1942), A priced catalogue of the revenue stamps of Canada (1938), Strip tobacco stamps (1941), and Pre-cancelled excise-tax and war-tax stamps used on cigarette papers (1942). [citation:8]
• 🖌️ Visual beauty: Many tobacco stamps are considered “beautiful yet under-rated issues,” featuring ornate designs, intricate engraving, and vibrant colours (green, red, black). [citation:10]
• 📊 Auction value: A superb collection of over 200 Canadian tobacco stamps recently appeared at auction, including issues from 1869 to later cigarette stamps, with a myriad of surcharges and different types. [citation:10]
• 🧾 The “Van Dam” catalogue system: Many tobacco stamps are classified using the Van Dam catalogue numbers (e.g., FSC18, FPC1), named after another renowned revenue stamp collector. [citation:4][citation:7]

In Canada, excise duties on tobacco products are still marked with tax stamps. The government considers any unstamped products to be illegal or contraband tobacco. [citation:2] Today, the possession or sale of unstamped cigarettes carries significant legal consequences. Recent cases, such as that of a member of the Abegweit First Nation who had unstamped tobacco seized from his car, illustrate the ongoing legal battles over taxation and treaty rights. [citation:2]

• ⚖️ The legal distinction: “The government considers any unstamped products to be illegal or contraband tobacco.” [citation:2]
• 🏛️ Treaty rights and taxes: Some Indigenous tobacco sellers argue they have the treaty right to sell cigarettes without paying taxes to the government, based on the Peace and Friendship Treaties of the 1700s. [citation:2]
• 📦 Modern tax stamps: Today, all legal cigarettes sold in Canada must bear a federal excise stamp, confirming that duties have been paid. These modern stamps are very different from the ornate revenue stamps of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
• 🔄 The collector’s market: As vintage revenue stamps become rarer, they are increasingly valued by collectors. A complete collection of Canadian tobacco stamps can include hundreds of different issues spanning over a century. [citation:10]

For Canadian smokers today, native cigarettes (Playfare, Canadian, DuMont, Nexus, Rolled Gold) offer an affordable alternative to overpriced commercial brands. A carton costs $29-50 — compared to $140-180 for commercial brands — a savings of 70-80%. While they do not carry the ornate tax stamps of the past, they are a legal and popular choice for many smokers.

• 💰 Cost savings: A pack-a-day smoker saves $5,000-7,000 per year by switching to native cigarettes.
• 🚫 Not “healthier”: Native cigarettes contain the same nicotine, tar, and carcinogens as commercial brands. The only difference is price and packaging.
• 📦 Online delivery: Cigstore.ca ships to every province and territory with $29 flat shipping (free over $290).
• 📮 Stamp note: Native cigarettes are not adorned with the elaborate excise stamps of the past — but they are legal products sold with proper tax stamps where applicable.