Red Mercury (newspaper stamp)

The Cinnabar Red Mercury is which, based on the requirement rarest stamp of Europe and by far the most valuable stamp in Austria.

The Cinnabar Red Mercury is named for its characteristic color and the motif, which Mercurius, the messenger god of Roman mythology square, by the inscription " KK Post - Zeitungsstämpel " framed shows. This design came from the Austrian Josef Axmann. In this philatelic rarity is not an ordinary postage stamp, but a newspaper brand, which was used to pay the discount shipment of newspapers. The newspaper brand was cut, that is imperforate issued.

Formation

The first newspaper stamp issue Austria

On 1 January 1851 the first newspaper stamp series of the empire of Austria, who was also the first newspaper brand series in the world at the same time appeared. Newspapers could then in Austria not be franked with ordinary postage stamps, as these received special favoring the postage. This series was actually already provided for June 1, 1850, the day of the introduction of the first Austrian postage stamp, known as the Coat of Arms Issue; the issue was delayed, however. The first newspaper stamps of Austria passed in 1851, originally consisted of three values ​​, all of the portrait graced Mercury. The " Mercuries " as they are often called, are provided without a value. This one could use both in Austria and in the dependent of Austria Kingdom of Lombardy - Venetia, which had the Italian silver currency. The only difference in the Merkuren was therefore in color.

The Blue Mercury was provided for the dispatch of a newspaper. This corresponded to 0.60 cruiser or 3 Centesimi. The Yellow Mercury was used for shipment of ten newspapers (6 cruisers and 30 Centesimi ). The Pink Mercury was used to send 50 newspapers (30 cruisers and 1.5 lire).

Failures of the Pink and Yellow Mercury

However, it soon became apparent that the pink Mercury was rarely used for the shipment of 50 newspapers, as a shipment of 50 papers or more rarely took place at an address. It was decided, therefore, to adjust the output of the Pink Mercury and this newspaper brand to sell from October 1852 as usual Blue Mercury. This means that the value of a Pink Mercury now corresponded to that of a Blue. The used values ​​of the Pink Mercury are usually such " Aufbrauchswerte ".

When Yellow Mercury also appeared after his release on several problems. The brand color yellow proved namely as extremely unfavorable elected. The brand image was the most difficult to recognize. In addition, the recoloring of substandard Blue Merkuren by chemical means was easily possible in a yellow Mercury.

The introduction and rapid abolition of the Vermilion Mercury

In 1856, we finally decided to change the color of the Yellow Mercury. This was the birth of the Zinnoberoten Mercury. The remaining stocks of the Yellow Mercury were from March 1856, as the Pink Mercury, depleted as Blue Mercury for the clearance of a newspaper.

However, the Vermilion Mercury suffered the same fate as the Pink Mercury. Due to lack of demand this newspaper brand was already declared on December 31, 1858 null and void. An exhaustion found, on the basis of this time very low edition, not take place. The edition was namely only 120,000. The rest of the Blue Mercury was to compare 136,000,000 pieces.

The value of the Vermilion Mercury

The high catalog values ​​of a cinnabar red Mercury of up to 150,000 euros are composed of various factors. The small edition, the extremely low demand and the short time of use to include course. In addition also comes yet that newspaper brands were at the time, especially on the package ( envelope ) of the newspapers. This was as good as ever thrown away.

On 7 May 2007, a vermilion Mercury with original gum to CHF 80,000 was sold plus buyer's premium ( Lot No. 1238 ) in the Swiss Rapp auction house.

On September 28, 2007, at Vienna's auction house Öphila a vermilion Mercury without rubber around EUR 60,000, - sold (lot 380), this piece comes from the collection and Ferrary was in November 1923 at the 8th Ferrary Auction in Paris sells French Francs - under No. 98 to 18,000.

On 19 September 2008 Cinnabar Red Mercury was auctioned for 26,900 euros at the Vienna Dorotheum, the opening price was 22,000 euros.

A used Mercury vermilion with missing upper left corner to CHF was on 2 March 2010 at the Swiss auction house Corinphila 34,000, - sold, this piece comes from the collection Ferrary and was established in November 1923 in Paris at the 8th Ferrary auction under # 101 sold for 8,800 French francs.

On 18 November 2011, a stamped Cinnabar Red Mercury was auctioned with stamp from Prague at the auction house Schwanke in Hamburg to 84,200 euros.

He was the victim of numerous forgeries Due to the high value of the Vermilion Mercury. Especially the Austrian stamp dealer Sigmund Friedl and the master forger Jean de Sperati took in forging this newspaper brand.