Bahrain11 November 20153 min read

Bahrain’s War Tax stamps up for grabs on eBay web

By Melvin Mendonce/DTNN ,Melvin@dt.bh. If you visit e-commerce site , you may find hundreds of old Bahraini stamps and currencies available for buying. The most prominent among them is the War Tax stamps, which highlight the contribution of Bahrain to the Arab cause. The starting price for War Tax stamps released in 1

Editorial Team Legacy

Published 11 November 2015, 8:00 · Updated 21:42

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Bahrain’s War Tax stamps up for grabs on eBay web

If you visit e-commerce site , you may find hundreds of old Bahraini stamps and currencies available for buying. The most prominent among them is the War Tax stamps, which highlight the contribution of Bahrain to the Arab cause.

The starting price for War Tax stamps released in 1973 and 1974 is just US$3.77 on eBay. But the stamps have much wider significance, as these collections have fond memories to tell.

According to the information available on eBay, the seller of the stamps is located in the UK and the offer is available until December 9.

According to sources, the War Tax stamps were issued during the Arab-Israeli War of October 1973.

The purpose of these stamps was to raise fund for Palestinian refugees. The Kingdom req- uired that all letters bear evidence of the payment of a 5 fils tax for the cause and thus Bahrain supported the Palestinian cause during the war.

In the Arab-Israeli War of October 1973, the coalition of Arab States led by Egypt and Syria, fought a historic war against Israel, especially in the Sinai and the Golan Heights, the areas that were occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967.

The main purpose of the war was regaining the Sinai and Golan Heights. The war came as a blow to Israel and shook its roots. Moreover, it had a negative impact on Israel.

According to the US-based professional philatelist John Apflebaum, Bahrain is one of the very few countries that have so far issued War Tax stamps. “The first War Tax stamps were issued by Spain in the late 19th Century and War Tax stamps had been issued as late as 1974 in Bahrain,” said Apflebaum, who serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Earl P.L. Apfelbaum, Inc., one of the oldest and best- respected stamp buying and selling companies in the world.

This gives immense historical value to the particular stamps.

The philatelist said that the British Commonwealth made significant use of War Tax stamps for raising revenue for World War I. Later, Bahrain was the only country that came up with the War Tax stamps.

Bahrain’s War Tax stamps up for grabs on eBay web

Editorial Team Legacy

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