Stamp Cancellation Appraisal

Austrian Postage Stamp with St. Pölten Cancellation

This is a small, rectangular postage stamp, approximately 2 cm wide and 1.5 cm tall, with a perforated edge typical of postage stamps. The primary color of the stamp appears to be a light teal or greenish-blue, with white borders and text. The country 'ÖSTERREICH' (Austria) is visible at the top edge of the stamp. At the bottom, the denomination '12' is clearly legible, followed by what appears to be 'GROSCHEN' although the full word is somewhat obscured by the cancellation mark. A prominent feature is the circular postmark or cancellation stamp, which is dark black and partially covers the stamp's design. The cancellation reads 'ST. PÖLTEN' in an arc, indicating the city where the stamp was cancelled. The date or other specific details within the cancellation are not fully discernible due to the angle and clarity of the image, but it appears to be a standard circular date stamp. The overall condition of the stamp shows some slight wear consistent with postal use, including the heavy cancellation and minor creasing or handling marks, particularly on the left side. The perforations appear largely intact, though individual perforations along the edges may have minor imperfections. The stamp is set against a wooden background, suggesting it might be part of a collection or simply laid out for inspection. Given the 'Groschen' denomination and the 'Österreich' country name, this stamp most likely dates from the First or Second Austrian Republic, possibly mid-20th century, but a more precise dating would require identification of the specific issue.