The 5 Kreuzer stamp issued by Austria in 1866 has some interesting details:
Design:
- Features the coat of arms of Austria as the central design element
- The imperial double-headed eagle is prominent within an oval frame
- Inscribed “KAIS. KON. BRIEFMARKE” which means “Imperial Royal Postage Stamp”
- Denomination “5 Kr.” is indicated at the bottom
Color:
- Printed in a distinct red-brown shade
Printing Method:
- Produced using typography (surface printing) by the State Printing Works in Vienna
Perforation:
- The stamps had machine perforations of gauge 14
Usage:
- The 5 Kr value paid the printed matter rate within the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the time
- It was part of Austria’s second definitive stamp series issued in 1863-1864
Varieties and Rarity:
- There are a few plate varieties known on this stamp that are of interest to specialists
- Used examples canceled by certain scarcer cancellation types can be quite valuable
- While millions were printed, centering issues and condition factor into its scarcity in top grades today
The 1866 5 Kreuzer is representative of the classic stamp issues from the era when Austria was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Its imperial coat-of-arms design is iconic. Collecting stamps from this 19th century period, especially used on cover, is very popular for Austrian philately.
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