Kevin is quite correct. Physical possession is secondary; what is critical is that LEGAL ownership must have been transferred prior to the end of the year for which the tax receipt has been issued. This is VERY important to document in a way that will stand up to a legal challenge. Issuance of the actual tax receipt, at least in Canada, may be made in the following fiscal year. This gives the poor old museum director a bit of a break, when an unusual object is donated near the end of a calendar year and valuation, for tax purposes, is problematic. The actual dating of the tax receipt then flows from the date on which ownership is transferred to the museum, not the date on which the valuation is made. In theory, at least in Canada, all certificates issued with respect to a particular tax year (e.g., 1997) are supposed to be issued to the individuals concerned by the end of February of the following year (e.g., February 1998). Those of us who invest in mutual funds, however, tend not to close our books until the end of March! Harry Needham