AUSTRIA Newspaper Tax Stamps

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Note: on my website many of the pictures can not be seen! They are of course present in the cd's;
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1853 Double headed eagle in a rectangle, inscription 'Kais. Kon. Zeitungs Stampel'

1 k blue, "large crown" 1 k blue, "small crown" 2 k brown, "large crown" 2 k brown "small crown" 2 k green Certified genuine

  1 k blue (large crown)
  1 k blue (small crown)
  2 k brown (large crown)
  2 k brown (small crown)
  2 k green (small crown)
  4 k brown (large crown)

Similar design, but colours changed for Lombardy-Venezia 
(Segnatasse per giornali)

Certified genuine Reproduced with permission from: http://www.sandafayre.com 2 k red Certified genuine Certified genuine

  1 k black
  2 k red
  4 k red

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
Value Unused Used Remarks
1 k blue *** * large crown, two subtypes I (***) and II
1 k blue *** c small crown
1 k black RRR RRR reprints: R
2 k brown *** * large crown
2 k brown *** * small crown
2 k green RR ***  
2 k red RR ***  
4 k brown RR RR  
4 k red RRR RRR reprints: R

1 k blue, "large crown" 1 k blue, "small crown"
Large crown left and small crown right

Reproduced with permission from: http://www.sandafayre.com 2 k red
Large crown subtypes: Type I left and Type II right

The central eagle design exists in two types: small crown and large crown. The large crown exist in two subtypes recognizable by the ribbon on the head of the left head of the eagle; in type I it is touching completely the eagle's head. In type II it is further away from the head. The 1 k blue exists in type I and II, the 1 k black only in type I (reprints in type II exist), the 2 k green in type I (reprints also in type I), 2 k brown in type II, the 2 k red in type II (reprints also in type II), the 4 k brown in type I (reprints in type II) and the 4 k red in type I (reprints in type II).

The 2 k green could also be used in Lombardy-Venezia. Example of a stamp used in Milano:

2 k green "Milano"

Reprints:


Reprint of the 4 k in the wrong type II


Probably also a reprint or forgery, printed in the wrong type II

Probably some kind of reprint
Probably a reprint of the 4 k red, wrong type

Postal forgery:


This postal forgery of the 1 k blue has a break in the line next to 'Stampel', the 'p' of this word is too long, the 't' has no tail. There are many other differences. Next to it a forgery of the 4 k brown, which might have been made by the same forger.


Postal forgery of the1 K, note the large 'K' in 'Kreuzer'; this is the so-called 'Rovereto Postfälschung' with fiscal cancel of Rovereto

The Rovereto postal forgeries were used in 1875 and 1876. Only used forgeries are known to have survived all used on the newspaper 'Il Raccoglitore' published in the town of Rovereto. Most of them have the cancel 'Anno VII' or 'Anno VIII' and a fiscal cancel of Rovereto (circle with eagle in the center). This postmark was also forged by the forgers. At first a smudged forgeries were used (usually with genuine cancel), later much better printed forgeries appeared, used with a forged cancel. The distinguishing characteristics are:
*) Large 'K' in 'Kreuzer'; different from the genuine stamps.
*) The corner ornaments touch the circles; in the genuine stamps they are separated from the circles.

Forgeries:


Four different forgeries of the 2 k stamp


Forgeries of the 1 k black value and 4 k brown; all made by the same forger?


4 k red forgery, third forgery listed in Album Weeds


The 'g' of 'Zeitungs' is almost touching the line below it in this forgery.


1 k black forgery, the upper left corner ornament is very far from the word 'Kon'.


2 k forgeries with 4-ring cancel. Note the clumsily done '2'.

I've seen some forgeries of these stamps on (genuine?) old Italian Newspapers, examples:


2 k green and 2 k red (wrong type), the 2 k green with a 'DISTRIBUZIONE III' elliptic cancel and the 2 k red with pencancel


Forgery of the 2 k green on (genuine?) newspaper of Milan, reduced size

For more of these Italy States and Austrian forgeries on old documents, made by the same forger, click here. I've also seen such a 2 k green forgery with a millwheel-cancel.

I also possess some modern forgery of the 1 k black (apparently made from a photograph, since all the details seem to be correct, there are some very small black dots in the white spaces, which can only be seen with a magnifying glass). I also possess a very blur 2 k green forgery, printed on yellowish paper, probably made by the same forger (they are often offered together with a 2 k red and 4 k red forgery on Internet auctions, also in combinations with other modern forgeries of the Italian States). See under Austrian Italy modern forgeries, for more details.


Modern forgeries, reduced sizes

The forger Sperati has made forgeries of the 1 k (two reproductions) and 4 k values. Sofar I have not seen any examples of these forgeries.

 

1890 Double headed eagle in a circle, inscription 'KAIS.KONIGL. ZEITUNGS STEMPEL'

1 k brown

  1 k brown
  2 k green

Larger size

  25 k red

Value of the stamps

vc = very common
c  = common
*  = not so common
** = uncommon
*** = very uncommon
R   = rare
RR  = very rare
RRR = extremely rare
Value Unused Used Remarks
1 k * c  
2 k ** c  
25 k *** ***  

I've seen the 1 k value with private perforation.


Copyright by Evert Klaseboer