Emperor Franz Josef I ruled the Austrian Empire, and later the Austro-Hungarian Empire, from 1848. His reign coincided with the advent of postage stamps in Austria. There is much to collect in the world of Franz Josef stamps for enthusiasts today. Franz Josef (or as often written in English, “Franz Joseph” – but see below) can be found on stamps of the period from Austria and Austro-Hungary, as well as stamps from more recent decades that honor the Emperor.
History of Franz Josef Stamps
Two years after the start of his reign, in 1850, Austria first issued its own postage stamps. These very first Austrian stamps, which used the kreuzer unit of currency, depicted a coat-of-arms. Of course, the Emperor and his subjects couldn’t help but quickly add the man and his glorious mustache to stamps.
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The first Franz Josef stamps were issued between 1858 and 1861. This first run is highly collectible nowadays, especially in light of the fact that not only are they the first stamps with Franz on them but that the coat-of-arms reappeared afterwards on Austrian stamps.
From 1867, with the start of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until his death in 1916, Franz Josef stamps were again issued. There were various portraits and designs. Collecting examples of each can be a fun way to go about getting stamps from these years.
Franz Josef Stamps Since 1916: Finding and Collecting Them
In the decades since his death, Franz Josef has occasionally appeared on commemorative and historical stamps from modern Austria, as well as other countries. Fans of amazing facial hair on stamps should especially be on the lookout, as many of the high-quality stamps in recent years are very artful in their full-color and detailed depiction of the Emperor.
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Collectors of Franz Josef stamps should also watch sales listings for covers (envelopes, cards, etc) related to him. In addition to correspondence that actually dates from the Josef era and may include canceled Franz Josef stamps, there are various philatelic subcategories to be aware of: stamp blocks, error stamps, and more await the lucky and passionate Emperor Franz hobbyist.
Alternate Spellings of “Franz Josef”
Note that the Emperor’s name is rendered differently in different languages. When searching for online sales listings be sure to consider all of these variants. The German version and “Franz Josef” are probably the most common (even among English-speaking sellers), but different stamp vendors will choose their own preferred spelling and it’s smart to watch out for any and all of them:
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- German – Franz Joseph
- English – Francis Joseph
- Spanish – Francisco José
- French – François-Joseph
- Hungarian – Ferenc József
The Austrian usage of the name is where the spelling “Josef” comes from. Since Franz Josef is so closely related to Austrian history it’s perhaps not surprising that that is the version so commonly used.
