» An overview of Austrian Mercury stamps

Third topic used by early Austrian / Austro-Hungarian stamps is the head of Mercury – the Roman messenger god. The Mercury stamps were used as newspaper stamps - stamps created for the specific purpose of serving as postage on newspapers.

The mercury stamps are not usually denominated, but instead the color of the stamp indicates the value.

1851 and 1856 – The Austrian Red Mercury

The first Austrian newspaper stamps with Mercurys head design appeared in 1851. Blue color indicated the 6/10 kreuzer rate for one newspaper, yellow for ten newspapers (6kr), and rose for 50 newspapers (30kr).

In 1856, the design was reprinted in red (or scarlet), and along with the rose, was made equivalent to six kreuzer. This Red Mercury stamp is by far one of the rarest stamps of the world with very few surviving copies left.

Austrian Red Mercury stamp - one of the rarest stamps of the world. Michel #9, catalogue value 40 000€ (*)

The 1867 design

1867 brought up a new design of Mercury stamps.

Austria 1867 Mercury stamps. Michel #42, catalogue value 0.50€. On the left is a normal stamp, on the right a private perforation.

These are normally inperforate, but private perforations exist. These stamps were printed using several printing plates, that can be identified rather easily by looking at stamp design and print quality.

About a decade later, in 1880, the same design was used to issue a new, light green newspaper stamp. This time the stamp design also contained nominal value of ½Kr printed on the bottom of the stamp frame.

1899 / 1901 design

The 1899/1901 design uses similar portrait of Mercury as before, but with different framing. Like previous issues, the stamps are inperforate, but private perforations exist.

Austria 1899 Mercurys head newspaper stamp

Austria 1899 Mercury newspaper stamp. Michel #97, catalogue value 0.10€.

The difference between 1899 and 1901 prints is use of varnish bars to prevent stamp re-use. The 1899 issue is without diagonal varnish bars, the 1901 is with them.

1908/1910 design

The 1809/1910 set showcases yet another design for Mercury’s head. Like previous issues, the stamps are inperforate, but perforated copies exist. For philatelic researcher, various paper types used for this issue provide hours of fun.

Austria 1908/10 Mercury stamps. Michel #157 (catalogue value 0.10€) and #160 (catalogue value 0.60€).

Be sure to check out other parts of this Austrian stamp series:

Join the discussion on this topic below. There are 14 responses already! You can follow responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

You might also be interested of related posts about Stamps and postal history of Austria (Osterreich).

Discussion about “An overview of Austrian Mercury stamps”

Cheema wrote:

Hi!
I hope and pray that you are fine and happy.

Check my blogs at:

http://mycoolpostcardcollection.blogspot.com/
http://mycoolcovercollection.blogspot.com/
http://ilovetoswap.blogspot.com/

You may like to stumble upon them as well.

Best Regards
Yours Cheema
Keijo wrote:

Hi Cheema,

and thank you for wishing well. I hope the same for you too.

Those look like fine stamp related blogs. I will definitely read them them in near future.

best,
-keijo-
Pablo (yo) wrote:

Hi!, the first post i read on your blog, and very interesting for me. I have one of these stamps (design 1908/10) shown at http://www.albumdeestampillas.com.ar/noidentificadas/index.htm (it is the number 5 of the page)
What confuses me is that the stamp is green, not blue. And I have no information about a green impression. Do you think it is posible it has decolorated?
Keijo wrote:

Hi Pablo,

that is one nice looking page full of bizarre stamps…

I remember reading that cobalt color is extraordinery stable, but as I have seen some blue stamps turned to green/greenish shade, I’d say that you have a changeling caused by some chemical (bleach etc).

One way to test possible chemical reaction is UV-light; just place the changeling and normal colored stamp under UV-light. If they show different color/glow, then you have a found the culprit for change. Also paper changed by chemical usually feels different (more fragile) when touching by fingertips.

I wouldn’t either discount the possibility of your changeling being real. Sadly I don’t have Michel Osterreich SpezialKatalog . I know that it would provide a complete listing of know color shades (and changelings).

-keijo-
Joseph Mezzacappa wrote:

I would like to know that value of this austrian mercury newspaper blue stamp 1908 i am willing to part with the one i have

Keijo wrote:

Hi Joseph,
as stated on the image caption, the basic 1908 blue newspaper stamp is worth a catalog minimum.
Seth wrote:

Hi Keijo,
This is slightly off subject, but I have recently been experimenting with different ways of organising countries in my collection. I continually give thought to this and try to find the most logical solution to countries merging, splitting up again, conquering each other etc. Of course there is no ‘correct’ solution, but I wonder if you think there would be any logic to keeping the Austro-Hungarian Empire together instead of Hungarian issues with Hungary etc?

On a somewhat related point, how do you get your figures (in My Collection) on the total number of stamps issued per country? I find these useful but would like to be able to split them up in other ways (like Austro-Hungarian Empire – Austria etc).

Best wishes and Happy New Year, Seth.

PS. I can’t wait for the stamp exchange to restart!
Keijo wrote:

Hi Seth,

Re, Austro-Hungarian empire… Personally I’d keep them separate, as the dual monarchy stamps were used for just over one year in Hungary. But it’s just my opinion.

Re, the figures on My Collection page… I think it is stated somewhere on the pages, but if not here’s a short explanation. The figures are based on Michel catalog. I’ve counted each major number in Michel’s listing; subtypes, varieties etc. are not included in the totals… As these are based on my personal calculations, there is likely some level of errata included.

Re, stamp exchange… I’ll miss it too. Recently I’ve been way too busy with my work (=In January I’ve spent more nights in hotels than in my own home)… Luckily the situation will change in few weeks time
Rick Young wrote:

Hi, Keijo. I have been monitoring your blog off and on but not writing lately. Anyway, I googled Austrian Mercury Stamps and, guess what? . . . it led me to this portion of your blog. You mentioned that it was not that hard to identify the 1867-1873 and 1874-1876 Mercury newspaper stamps. Regarding the earlier 1867-73 issue, Scott lists a violet type I (P9) as well as a violet type II. Regarding the 1874-6 issue, Scott lists a violet type III, gray lilac type I, and violet type II. It looks like the type III is easy to distinguish by the broken outer white circle around the head, but am not as sure about how to distinguish the type I from the type II, despite the guidance in Scott’s. It mentions how clear is the outline of the helmet and whether the shadow on front of face is separate from the hair. Any further advice from you or the readers on these stamps? Thanks!
Keijo wrote:

@Rick… I’m sending you an email with scan from Michel catalogue. I think it best explains the difference.

Ben wrote:

Hey Keijo,
Could you please send me that same email you sent Rick? I’m having a hard time telling the difference with that same issue…

Thanks!
Keijo wrote:

@Ben… Done.
Bianca wrote:

I have one I need to be looked at. Can I post it on this board?
Keijo wrote:

@Bianca… Sure. Just upload a photo of the stamp somewhere on the web, and come back here to share the address/URL of the file, and I’ll give it a look.