The 2Kr. - vermilion -
It was issued November 1st
1858, at the same time of the reduction of the newspaper tax from 4Kr to 2Kr.
Differently from all the other newspaper revenues, part of the issue was done
on paper with at the center the watermark "ZEITUNGS-MARKEN"
(from June 1864). It is not only this detail to distinguish it from the other
similar stamps but also the fact of having the coat of arms slightly different:
in fact it's the only one presenting the flourish over the left eagle head
detached from the head itself (Fig. 1).
The printing plates were obtained from the matrix used for the 4Kr with the
substitution of the value label.
This stamp too has the corresponding Austrian one, with different color.
Between the varieties we have offsets, couples with group inter-space and
marks of typographic margins.
Always unknown is the quantity printed. The only one reprint was done in 1873.
Fig. 1:
2 Kreuzer
Please note the left head of the eagle different from the other values.