Red Crescent Surtax Stamp, 1915

Turkey · 1915 · 20 Para

This stamp features a prominent red crescent, the symbol of the Ottoman Red Crescent Society, an organization analogous to the Red Cross. The design is simple, focusing on the symbol and the denomination, with elegant calligraphic script. It was issued as a semi-postal or surtax stamp to raise funds for the society's humanitarian efforts.

Issued during World War I, this stamp helped fund the Ottoman Red Crescent Society's medical and relief work for soldiers and civilians affected by the conflict. Such surtax stamps were a common method for governments to raise money for war-related charities.