Adoption of NFT by post offices results in the revival of stamps

September 28, 2022

By Sharan Kaur Phillora

In Holland and Austria, postage stamp collection has been revived using NFTs.As today’s youth become more engrossed in their devices and the constant dopamine rush provided by Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and other well-known social media sites, there’s a decline in this hobby. 

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Two European postal services have capitalized on the popularity of nonfungible tokens (NFTs) in recent years to reinvigorate the philately sector. Cointelegraph caught up with Netherlands’ PostNL and the Austrian Post Office (PostAG) at the Blockchain Expo in Amsterdam to delve into their collaborative effort to successfully marry post stamps with NFTs.

PostAG philately head Patricia Liebermann and PostNL product manager Sacha van Hoorn are a vivacious duo that has kindled a working friendship that seems to be the backbone of the NFT-powered renaissance of post-stamp collecting in both countries.

Liebermann says, “In 2019, we invented the idea of having a physical stamp combined with an NFT, it was mind-blowing, and we were overwhelmed with all that feedback. And that’s why we said, okay, there is a target group out there who is interested in this new way of collecting.”

The partnership has culminated in a joint launch of a new edition of Crypto Stamps which is being labeled as a first-ever joint crypto stamp issuance. It is also the first edition of PostNL NFT stamps, with the stamps issued in various colors of the Netherland and Austrian flags. The stamps also feature the respective countries’ national flowers, with tulips and edelweiss in the background of the PostNL and PostAG stamps.

The physical stamps are produced by Austrian firm Varius Card, whose managing director Michael Dorner unpacked the latest security features in conversation with Cointelegraph. The fourth edition of the Crypto Stamps features invisible UV rays and forensic security. The NFC chips also provide cryptographic proof of any given stamp’s authenticity.

While not giving an approximate number, Dorner estimated that 150,000 to 250,000 post stamps with NFT pairs had been sold since 2019 — suggesting the initiative could be one of the most successful NFT projects in the world. The latest edition of Crypto Stamps is minted on the Polygon blockchain.

About the author

Sharan Kaur Phillora’s thirst for knowledge has led her to study many different subjects, including NFTs and Blockchain technology – two emerging technologies that will change how we interact with each other in the future. When she isn’t exploring a new idea or concept, she enjoys reading literary masterpieces.