AT · 2019
Austrian Post (Österreichische Post)
Österreichische Post AG (founded 1850) issued the first Crypto Stamp in June 2019 — a physical postage stamp paired with an NFT on the Ethereum blockchain. This combination of traditional philately and blockchain technology has since been adopted by other postal services.
- Founded
- 1850
- First crypto stamp
- 2019-06-11
- Country
- AT
- Blockchains
- ethereum, polygon
- Official website
- www.post.at
- Crypto stamp platform
- crypto.post.at
Österreichische Post AG has been Austria's national postal service since 1850. In June 2019 it became the world's first postal operator to issue a Crypto Stamp — a regular postage stamp with an embedded NFC chip, paired via QR code to an NFT on a public blockchain. The format Austria pioneered has since been adopted by several European postal services.
The current edition catalog spans the mainstream line (CS 1.0 through CS 6, plus sub-editions like 5.1/5.2/5.3), Gold Editions (limited specials with embedded gold bars), the Crypto Stamp Art line (artist collaborations since 2022), Safe Editions (limited sub-releases), and collector-marker stamps. Mintages vary widely — early mainstream releases were issued at 240,000 (CS 2.0), while later editions such as CS 6 Zeus sit at 15,000.
Technically ÖPost started on Ethereum Mainnet (CS 1.0, ERC-721) and moved to Polygon (ERC-1155) from CS 2.0 onward to keep transaction fees manageable. NFC authenticity is verified via Variuscard (Vienna) chips with AES-SUN NDEF security. The official platform crypto.post.at and the collector platform cryptostamp.com handle activation and secondary-market flows.
Programs
Mainstream Editions
The flagship line of crypto stamps with mintages between 15,000 and 240,000 pieces per edition. Sale prices range from 6.90 to 9.90 EUR — matching standard postal tariffs for domestic mail and international letters within Europe. These editions are the most accessible and carry the brand identity of the ÖPost crypto stamp initiative since 2019.
Gold Editions
Limited specials with an embedded 1-gram gold bar from Münze Österreich. Mintages between 350 and 500 pieces, sale prices around 500 EUR. Separate ANK catalog numbering. ⚠️ The "Crypto stamp No. 6" referenced in some collector catalogs is the Goldenes Einhorn Gold Edition (2020), not the CS 6 Mythology edition (2025).
Crypto Stamp Art
Artist collaborations since 2022 — the inaugural release was created with the Italian duo Hackatao. Mintages 1,500–10,000 pieces, sale prices 35–500 EUR depending on format (mystery boxes rather than classic stamp shape). Distinct mechanics with looser postal tie-in.
Safe Editions
Limited sub-releases tied to mainstream editions, typically 5,000–15,000 pieces at 9.90 EUR. First issued in 2024. Companion products to larger mainstream releases — e.g. "Safe Schnuller" or "Safe Drache" — adding contextual variants to the headline motif.
Editions by this issuer
The stamp images belong to their respective issuers. They are included here for documentation only and may not be reused.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Austrian Post issue its first crypto stamp?
On 11 June 2019. Crypto Stamp 1.0 (Unicorn) was the first philatelic product from a national postal service to ship with a paired NFT — mintage 150,000, issued on Ethereum Mainnet (ERC-721).
Which blockchains does Austrian Post use?
Crypto Stamp 1.0 runs on Ethereum Mainnet (ERC-721). From Crypto Stamp 2.0 onward (2020), Austrian Post moved to Polygon (ERC-1155) to keep activation transaction fees low.
Which program has the rarest editions?
The Gold Edition line. Mintages range from 350–500 pieces per issue at sale prices around 500 EUR (each embeds a 1g gold bar from Münze Österreich). Mainstream editions typically run 15,000–240,000.
Where can I buy crypto stamps?
Primary issue: Austrian Post (branches + post.at), with crypto.post.at handling digital activation. Secondary market runs via cryptostamp.com plus OpenSea (Polygon) — for CS 1.0, also OpenSea on Ethereum.
How do I verify authenticity?
Every crypto stamp embeds an NFC chip (Variuscard, Vienna) with AES-SUN NDEF security. A smartphone tap on the chip generates a signed URL that crypto.post.at verifies against the on-chain mint records.
External references
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