Crypto stamps - the new age philately

A registered post from Austria 🇦🇹 with the crypto stamps and beautiful red cancellation. 

Austria released the first crypto stamp on June 11, 2019.  It was the first stamp in the world to be authenticated by blockchain technology. 150,000 copies were issued with a value of €6.90 

The stamp comes in two parts. The left part of the stamp is stylised with a unicorn. It functions as a standard stamp for any mail. The right side of the stamp contains the details to authenticate the crypto collectible via blockchain. 

Austrian Post’s Crypto Stamp 2.0 was issued in June 2020. It combines postage stamp with a virtual collector item. The issue has four designs - including the Panda design on the cover . 

The digital pendant is stored in the Blockchain, a special type of decentralised data storage. There it is kept in a digital Wallet over which the stamp’s owner holds the exclusive rights. Austrian Post describes the stamps as being in a credit card format, measuring 86 mm by 50mm. The blockchain is a special form of decentralised data storage. For this, data are not stored in a single computer centre butare distributed across many independent computers. A sophisticated mechanism ensures that completed transactions cannot be subsequently manipulated. Using the QR code printed on the stamp, the owner can look at the digital version of his/her crypto stamp in the Ethereum blockchain and then transfer it to other users.

Each stamp shows the head of an animal: 
The llama is associated with one of the first products that could be bought for Bitcoin: llama wool socks from Massachusetts.

The popular and somewhat clumsy bear represents the animal for traders from the Asian region.

The doge is an Internet phenomenon. The face of the Dogecoin was used.

The “700” to the right of each animal represents the denomination of €7 (700 euro cents). The country name “osterreich” is below each animal. 

David Gruber designed the stamps. Variuscard printed them by a combination of offset, screen printing, hot-foil stamping and thermal-transfer printing on environmentally friendly cardboard. The self-adhesive stamps can be peeled off the cardboard backing and used as postage.

The small but fearless honey badger is associated with Bitcoin Cash, the fourth largest crypto currency.

Thanks to my dear friend Tom for this amazing next generation cover !