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Austria 1856 Red Mercury Newspaper Stamp
legendarypre-1900

Austria 1856 Red Mercury Newspaper Stamp

Austria · 1856 · Not denominated (value by color)

This stamp features a profile of Mercury, the Roman messenger god, within an ornate frame. Issued in red (scarlet), it was specifically used for mailing newspapers in Austria and Lombardy-Venetia.

The Red Mercury is considered one of Austria's scarcest newspaper stamps, issued in 1856 but quickly superseded by a new design depicting Franz Joseph in 1858, giving it a very short period of use.

Printing Method

Typography

Catalog Numbers

sgP1
scottP1
michelP1

Image: · License:

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Estimated Values by Condition

Superb(S)

Perfectly centered, fresh, no faults

$500,000
Extremely Fine(XF)

Well centered, fresh colors

$200,000
Very Fine(VF)

Nicely centered, minor flaws

$75,000
Fine(F)

Average centering, acceptable

$25,000
Good(G)

Off-center or visible wear

$10,000

Prices are approximate market estimates for educational purposes. Actual values depend on specific factors including cancel type, margins, and provenance.