We’ve already talked about the rarest stamps from Germany, France, the UK, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Israel, Vatican, Italy, Switzerland, New Zealand, USA, Monaco, Falkland Islands., and Greece. Today we’ll take a look at the rare and most valuable Austrian stamps.
The history of Austria is very rich, and the first sings of the state dates back to 400 BCE when Celtic people migrated from Western Europe and settled in Alps. Almost 2000 years later the first postal system had been established, during the rule of Emperor Maximilian I (Holy Roman Emperor).
Newspaper stamps 1851/56 - Mercurius
Austria - 1851/01/01
30 Austro-Hungarian kreuzer
Estimated value: 8.000 USD
"In the late 15th century, Emperor Maximilian I created the first mounted courier service that linked Brussels with France, Italy (via Innsbruck) and Vienna (via Speyer and Augsburg). This service also accepted private mail. This new regular postal service soon proved to be a success. While it was the aristocratic family Thurn und Taxis that built the postal service on behalf of the empire, the counts of Thurn-Valsassina und Taxis took the project into their hands in Tyrol and in the Austrian pre-alpine regions. In 1624, the Paar family was granted the postal rights in most hereditary lands of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This lasted "only" until 1722, when Charles VI declared the postal service to be a state monopoly. Under Maria Theresa and Joseph II, the postal service was standardized by the introduction of postal carriages with regular service." - www.post.at
Coat of Arms
Austria / Lombardy Venetia - 1850/06/01
45 centesimi
Estimated value: 20.000 USD
Note: One of the first Austrian stamps issued.
It would be hard to even list all changed that happened during the Austrian history. Modern day Austria had different statuses along the timeline, and was a part of few states/empires. For us, the period after 1850, when the first Austrian stamps were issued is important. The Austrian Empire lasted from 1804, until 1867. It was succeeded by Austria-Hungary Empire (Dual Empire).
"It wasn’t until the first stamps were introduced in 1840 in England that the idea of stamps caught on in Austria. The first Austrian stamps were produced in 1850, making Austria the re-spectable 15th country in the world to introduce "adhesive letter levy stamps". The first post-mark that provided exact information about time and location on the letters was introduced in 1867. The first predecessors of the postcard were introduced in the second half of the 19th century, followed by picture postcards shortly thereafter." - www.post.at
Newspaper stamp 1861 - Emperor Franz Joseph
Austria - 1861
1.05 Austro-Hungarian kreuzer
Estimated value: 29.000 USD
"Austria issued special stamps for over 70 years, from 1 January 1851 to 28 February 1922, for the inland postage of officially-registered newspapers. They were sold only to registered (and approved) newspaper publishers, to prepay a discounted postage rate. The exhibit shows these stamps, including shade variations, cancellations, perforations, official & private imprints, and type differences; with examples of them in use.
The system was evolved to facilitate postal subscriptions via the Post Office. The reduced-rate newspaper stamps were supplied only to designated post offices, where newspaper publishers could buy them, in whole sheets only, for cash. The special rate was per-copy, including (without weight limits until 1920) all the supplements so beloved by Austrian newspapers. Where several copies were addressed to a specific delivery post office, they had to be address-labelled and franked, then posted in one bundle addressed to that post office. The cancellation of their stamps was done at the delivery post office. If there was only one addressee at that office, its wrapper had its stamp cancelled by the originating post office. Many of the cancellers were not used on ordinary mail. From 1900, publishers could commission private wrappers for one or more copies, imprinted with the same design as the loose stamps but often in different colours. Separate Newspaper Sections existed in the larger post offices, to handle newspapers, to accept subscriptions, and to sell the discounted stamps." - www.austrianphilately.com
Newspaper stamps 1851/56 - Red Mercury
Austria - 1856
6 Austro-Hungarian kreuzer
Estimated value: 46.000 USD
For more details about rate and value Austrian stamps we recommend the following two videos:
Coat of Arms
Austria - 1850/06/01
12 Austro-Hungarian kreuzer
Estimated value: 103.000 USD
Note: Hasn’t been issued. Extremely rare with 6 copies existing + 1 with 9kr changed face value.
Today we’ve seen some of the most valuable Austrian stamps. Feel free to check us because more articles in this series are coming soon. While you wait for them, take a look at previous articles from this series.
UK - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable UK Stamps
France - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable French Stamps
Germany - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable German Stamps
Ireland - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Irish Stamps
Belgium - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Belgium Stamps
The Netherlands - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Dutch Stamps
Australia - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Australian Stamps
Canada - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Canadian Stamps
Spain - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Spanish Stamps
Portugal - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Portuguese Stamps
Israel - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Stamps of Israel
Vatican - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Vatican Stamps
Italy - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Italian Stamps
Switzerland - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Swiss Stamps
New Zealand - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable New Zealand Stamps
USA - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable U.S. Stamps
Monaco - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Monaco Stamps
Falkland Islands - Rarest Stamps: Most Valuable Falkland Islands Stamps