- Red Mercury
Infobox_RareStamps
common_name = Red Mercury
country_of_production = Austria
location_of_production=
date_of_production=1856
nature_of_rarity = Few remain
number_in_existence= few
face_value = 6kr
estimated_value = US $40,000The Red Mercury is the rarest of
Austria nnewspaper stamp s (postage stamp s issued for the mailing of newspapers).Austria's newspaper stamps first appeared in
1851 ; they depicted a profile of Mercury, the Roman messenger god, and were not denominated, the color of the stamp indicating the value. Blue indicated the 6/10kreuzer 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. However, it was soon superseded by a new design which came out in1858 , and only a few copies have survived.Recent auctions have valued it at about US$40,000, with unused copies worth about 10% less than used. On
February 7 ,2008 an unused copy was auctioned in Vienna for 26,000euro . [ [http://www.hdrauch.com/results/index_s.php Rauch Results - Coins ] ]Notes and references
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* "Philatelic Gems 1" (Linn's, 1989)External links
* [http://www.sandafayre.com/gallery/stamp_628.htm Picture of Red Mercury at Sandafayre]
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