Archive 008 — Red Mercury

Red Mercury

A stamp created for newspapers — and almost lost with them.

In 1856, the Austrian Empire issued the extraordinary Red Mercury, a newspaper stamp depicting Mercury, the Roman messenger god.

Unlike ordinary postage stamps, the Mercury issues carried no printed denomination. Their value was identified by color. The vermilion-red version represented the 6-kreuzer rate, used for bundles of ten newspapers. Wikipedia

The Red Mercury was attached to the wrappers surrounding newspaper bundles. Once the newspapers reached their destination, those wrappers were commonly torn away and discarded — taking most of the stamps with them. Its period of use was also short, and only a very small number survived. austrianphilately.com

What began as a practical tool for distributing news ultimately became one of the great rarities of Austrian philately.

With Archive 008, the Red Mercury takes on a new form. Reimagined as a 100-piece miniature puzzle, this remarkable survivor of postal history becomes an object to assemble, contemplate and collect.

Finished with a delicate soft-touch surface for a refined, tactile feel.

100 pieces · 10 × 14 cm · Collectible mini puzzle · STAMP → OBJECT™