This striking Austrian stamp, originally issued during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, shows the ornate Imperial Crown of Austria in rich violet. Following the empire’s collapse in 1918, existing stock was overprinted diagonally with “Deutschösterreich” to mark the transition to the new Republic of German-Austria. The denomination of 3 Heller appears boldly at the base, with the ornate frame designed by Rudolf Junk. Such transitional issues are historically significant, reflecting the turbulent post-WWI period and the end of monarchy. Highly sought by collectors of Austrian classics and overprint varieties.