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Around the beginning of 1996, a new type of Registration Label was introduced, printed on self-adhesive white paper instead of on gummed yellow paper. The size was 74x26 mm, noticeably larger than the previous issue; the corners are well-rounded. The most striking feature is the 51x11 mm bar-code, which was a new feature for Austria although already in use in for example Switzerland.. On the left above the bar-code is a large letter "R". Beside that is a line of numbers and letters. This line begins with the letter "RR" indicating a registered letter, followed by the four-figure post code (in the example 1015), a six-figure serial number (in the example 505424), a check digit, and distinction letters. At the top of the label is the office designation and post code in a somewhat smaller font (in the example 1015 Wien). These new adhesive Registration Label were introduced as soon as the stocks of yellow lavels were exhausted, so in theory yellow Registration Label will by now have disappeared at all post offices. In practice it could be different... For the Registration Label collector the new Registration Label needs a sharp knife, as you cannot soak off adhesive slips of paper!
One unusual feature of the system is that it is possible to register a second-class, sorry a non-priority, item of mail. These are most commonly found on post-cards connected with the renewal of insurance policies. The example below carries 31.5 Schillings postage, not the usual 32.
An interesting example of the use of a 'Blankozettel', ie a registration label with the office name omitted, arose when the Austrian contingent to the IFOR operation was set up. Initially the postcode, 1502, had to be written by hand on a yellow label; when the system caught up, barcoded labels were used.
This was cancelled on the first day of the use of a barcoded label at Riezlern, on 1 Aug 1996.
The most recent innovation is the RIPOSTE system by Opal, which prints a registration label on special adhesive paper with a background of yellow posthorns. The same system is used to print postage paid labels. The "circular date stamp" is oval - it's 28mm wide by 30mm high.
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©Andy Taylor. Last updated 5 Sep 2000