Well That Escalated Quickly.

I expected there to be some activity, but I wasn't even close.... nice document.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/375960012300

A very nice document!

What a fascinating field

Certainly a very scarce usage. I can't remember seeing one before.

The document "dog license" from 1865 is very unusual. Then the revenue attached makes it even better. It crosses the lines in the collecting fields of document, stamp, and dog lovers. It seems the in areas of wide interest the prices can be quite hefty. This I think it was more than fair price. I for one would have like to have added it to my collection of usages of revenue stamps on documents.

While the stamp pays the federal tax on what is essentially a receipt, the license itself is a state requirement. And given the fact that it is an uncommon item, it is fair to assume that not all types of dogs required one. Or they would be more common.

I have two others, both with different designs than this one, which is why I was interested in it. Curiously, both of my examples are also from the state of Massachusetts... I wonder if it was unique to that state during this period.

The first example below includes the language of the statutes.

https://relicrecord.com/blog/dog-license-tags/

Looks like having a dog back then was not at all cheap.
$2 in the 1860's

Different times. Dan's Brookline license talks about killing loose dogs and receiving 50 cents for doing so.