Archive Nº 009
The messenger that almost disappeared with the news
From stamp to puzzle
The messenger that almost disappeared with the news
When a bundle of newspapers reached its destination, what mattered was the inside. The wrapping was opened, the paper surrounding the bundle was discarded and, with it, the stamp that had paid for the journey disappeared. This everyday fate helps explain the rarity of the Red Mercury, issued by the Austrian Empire in 1856. Created to accompany the news, it became one of the great treasures of Austrian philately.
A colour that indicated the value
The story began in 1851 with a series of stamps intended for sending newspapers. All depicted Mercury in profile, the messenger god of Roman mythology. There was a distinctive feature: the design carried no numerical denomination. The colour indicated the rate. Blue covered one newspaper, yellow a bundle of ten, and rose a bundle of fifty. In 1856, the red version replaced the yellow. Its value corresponded to 6 kreuzer, used to send a bundle of ten newspapers. The kreuzer was a monetary unit of the period.
Why change from yellow to red
The yellow colour presented practical difficulties: it could be hard to see on newspaper bundles, especially under artificial light. There were also cases of blue stamps being chemically altered to make them look yellow. The change to red therefore addressed real problems in the postal service. The colour that attracts collectors’ attention today had a function in organising the delivery of news.
A brief postal life
The Red Mercury remained valid only until the end of 1858. Its short period of use and the frequent disposal of the wrappers contributed to the small number of surviving examples. Its history invites us to look at what would usually be thrown away. A small preserved stamp allows us to learn about postal operations and the distribution of newspapers in a distant era.
The history you assemble
As you assemble this mini puzzle, observe Mercury’s profile, the frame and the inscriptions. Notice the absence of a numeral indicating the value: on this stamp, colour forms part of the information. Imagine the red design attached to the paper surrounding ten newspapers, accompanying the news on its way to readers. Through Archive 009, this small survivor takes on a new form. The image that could have disappeared with a wrapper becomes an object to assemble, contemplate and keep, and an opportunity to discover history through its details.
Special thanks
We warmly thank Seija-Riitta Laakso, editor of Suomen Postimerkkilehti, for the generosity with which she has welcomed this project and for offering to review the Finnish texts. Her attention to words and dedication to philately are a valued contribution to sharing these stories with our readers.
Historical sources
Austrian Philatelic Society — The Newspaper Postage Stamps of Austria
Austrian Philatelic Society — The 1851 Issue
