Stamped paper "for drafting deeds of purchase" (for serf acts) was introduced in Russia by a decree of January 23, 1699.
Russia owed the idea of the state issuing stamped paper to Alexey Alexandrovich Kurbatov (steward to Count B.P. Sheremetev), who, after traveling abroad together with the count, submitted to Sovereign Peter Alexeyevich a proposal for "eagled" (stamped) paper "for the profit of the treasury." For his services, A.A. Kurbatov was appointed "Ober-Inspector of Town Hall Law," and in 1711, Vice-Governor of the Arkhangelsk Governorate.
In 1719, a calendar date appeared on the stamp. In 1720–1723, only the date was placed on the stamps, without the price of the stamped paper.
A decree of February 13, 1720 reaffirmed the mandatory execution of serf acts (property acts, deeds of purchase, mortgage deeds, and certain other written obligations and contracts) on stamped paper: "all manner of deeds, with the collection of the prescribed duties, shall be written on stamped paper."
Beginning in 1724, under the decree of October 17, 1723, stamped paper began to be manufactured with watermarks. The actual production and supply of paper were handled by private manufacturers (practically throughout the entire 18th century). The procurement of paper "for stamping" by different manufacturers explains the great variety of eagle images in the watermarks. In practice, the state dealt only with stamping and selling stamped paper. The sale of stamped (impressed) paper was permitted only to state institutions.
In 1726, new stamp designs were developed for different grades of stamped paper, and they were used until 1798. On the stamps, only the date, the price of the stamped paper, and the image of the eagle changed.
Corner stamp on stamped paper 1 Kopeck 1761.
