Since the pandemic, the stamp hobby has really taken off: new philatelists are popping up everywhere, lockdowns offer more time to rummage through old collections. A South Tyrolean collector felt the urge to search his own collection and discovered the jackpot.
In the middle of his cabinet of curiosities, the old philatelist made the sensational discovery: an unremarkable letter, a correspondence between two trading houses from 1867, turned out to be a world rarity. The collector can hardly remember the details of acquiring the letter, it is twenty years since he bought the piece for a modest price and put it in a small box. Over time, the unique piece fell into oblivion and did not see the light of day until spring 2022: The South Tyrolean discovered the letter purely by accident and could hardly believe his eyes. In his hands was a historical world rarity.
red instead of green
The letter was franked with an Austrian Three-Kreuzer stamp from the 1867 issue. In itself, this is a conventional stamp with a low value. However, an error occurred while printing. Instead of the signature green color of the three-Kreuzer stamp, the stamp shone in the fiery crimson of the five-Kreuzer stamp. Similar cases are already known in philatelic circles, but these letters come from Hungary. Just last year, one of these misprints made headlines: with a sale price of 135,000 euros, it was the most expensive stamp ever auctioned in this country – at least until now.
Austria’s most valuable stamp
In the case of this spring’s sensational find, it involves a one-off letter from Austria, complete with a color error. Shortly after the incredible discovery, Ulrich Ferchenbauer, appraiser and expert on Austrian stamps, confirmed the authenticity of the specimen. Now the letter will go under the hammer in Vienna in early December. According to Ferchenbauer, the estimated price is no less than 200,000 to 300,000 euros.
The sensational find is therefore the most valuable stamp from Austria. The historic world rarity could therefore break the record price of the Hungarian counterpart of 135,000 euros. On December 1 at 5 pm, the stamp will be auctioned as part of the Viennafil auction in the hotel “Levante Parliament”. A maximum of one thousand participants are expected, and occasional collectors and interested parties can also raise their cards online. Anyone can bid on this evening, but unique pieces are reserved for renowned collectors.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
