Index · Edition · cs-5-1-lion-lu
Lion — Crypto Stamp 5.1
Lion
POST Luxembourg issued the Lion edition on 10 October 2023 as part of a trilateral Crypto Stamp joint issue with Austrian Post and PostNL — Luxembourg's first crypto stamp. Mintage of 75,000 on Polygon, face value EUR 9. The Red Lion has been the heraldic animal of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg since the 13th century. The edition appeared in five color variants: Rot (750), Gelb (5,000), Blau (10,000), Grün (20,000), and Schwarz (39,250).
Variants
| Variant | Variant | Color | Mintage | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red | #C8281F | 750 | 1 | |
| Yellow | #F5C518 | 5,000 | 2 | |
| Blue | #1F4FA8 | 10,000 | 3 | |
| Green | #3F8B3F | 20,000 | 4 | |
| Black | #1F1E1C | 39,250 | 5 |
About the Luxembourg Variant
Cryptostamp 1.0 Lion is the smallest variant of the trilateral Lion joint edition of 10 October 2023 — and at the same time the most significant in Luxembourg's national crypto stamp history. It is POST Luxembourg's very first crypto stamp, which is why the country catalogues it as "Cryptostamp 1.0." The "1.0" designation here does not mark a specific generation but the beginning of Luxembourg's crypto stamp tradition.
POST Luxembourg's entry strategy into the crypto stamp world was notable: rather than starting with a solo edition — as most other postal services did — Luxembourg went directly into international joint cooperation with two established crypto stamp postal services. This reduced its own marketing burden and immediately secured international collector attention. POST Philately, the philatelic division of POST Luxembourg, benefited from joint logistics and the design expertise of Sandra Smulders from Gouda.
Design Specifics of the Luxembourg Variant
Cryptostamp 1.0 Lion shows the lion looking right — the third of the three gaze directions Smulders devised for the joint edition. The background is a combination of Luxembourg's national colors red, white, and light blue. The design language is closely related to the AT and NL variants; only the color scheme and gaze direction differ.
On the reverse of the stamp block — as on AT and NL — appears the unicorn logo of the Crypto Stamp brand as the shared heraldic emblem.
Heraldic Loading: The Red Lion
The lion has particularly deep heraldic meaning in Luxembourg. The Red Lion (Lion Rouge) has been part of the coat of arms of the Grand Duchy since the 13th century. On the Grand Ducal coat of arms, it appears as a red lion armed and crowned, against a blue-white striped background — imagery that has appeared on Luxembourgish coins, banners, and official documents for hundreds of years.
Cryptostamp 1.0 Lion merges this centuries-old heraldic tradition with the modern crypto meaning of the lion as King of the Beasts. For Luxembourgish collectors, the edition is therefore not only a crypto stamp but also a contemporary statement of national heraldry in the digital age — comparable to the NL variant, but with even deeper historical roots.
Mintage and Pricing
At 75,000 pieces, the LU variant has the smallest mintage of the three Lion editions. This size is proportional to the small size of the Grand Duchy (around 660,000 inhabitants) and the smaller collector base. The face value of 9.00 EUR corresponds to a lower postal tariff than for AT (9.90 EUR) or NL (9.25 EUR) variants. The smaller mintage and lower face value are independent calculations — the value reflects national tariff structures, not mintage size.
The smaller LU mintage has an interesting consequence for red lions: at an extrapolated 1% share, the result is a mintage of 750 red LU lions — the smallest absolute number of red Lion variants among the three editions. Collectors who want the rarest red lion in the trilateral set therefore need to monitor LU secondary markets particularly closely.
Distribution
POST Philately offers Cryptostamp 1.0 Lion through multiple distribution channels:
- POST Philately online store at postphilately.lu — primary online channel with worldwide shipping
- Philatelic Counter at 13 Rue Robert Stumper, Cloche d'Or, Luxembourg-Gasperich
- Espaces POST — the physical POST branches
- Regular post offices throughout Luxembourg
- First Day Cover (FDC) on release day at the Philatelic Counter Cloche d'Or
- Onchain shop (cryptostamp.com) — joint online store of the three participating postal services
The parallel-published PhilatéLux issue of October 2023 was dedicated exclusively to the new crypto stamp, containing detailed descriptions of technical specifications and historical background.
Secondary Market
Cryptostamp 1.0 Lion circulates on Delcampe, eBay, Catawiki, and through specialized stamp dealers worldwide. In the Michel catalog, the stamp is listed under number 2354; in the Yvert catalog as CRY2. Black variants typically trade between 25 and 70 EUR. Red lions reach collector prices in the low four-figure range, with an additional premium due to the heraldic significance and smaller mintage.
The Gold Edition Lion holds a special position — released on 30 November 2023 as a trilateral special edition with an embedded 1-gram gold bar from Münze Österreich. The LU variant was issued in 334 pieces (total trilateral mintage: 999 pieces). Gold Edition stamps typically trade on secondary markets in the 550–650 EUR range per piece.
Significance
Cryptostamp 1.0 Lion establishes POST Luxembourg as a reliable joint-edition partner and lays the foundation for further participations. Already in 2024 the Cryptostamp 2.0 Dragon followed (quadrilateral with Belgium), and in 2025 the Mythologie edition with Artemis as the Luxembourg contribution. POST Luxembourg has thus developed within two years into one of Europe's most consistent crypto stamp joint-issue partners — remarkable for a country with just 660,000 inhabitants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cryptostamp 1.0 Lion POST Luxembourg's first crypto stamp?
Yes. The Cryptostamp 1.0 Lion of 10 October 2023 is the first crypto stamp POST Luxembourg has issued. The 1.0 numbering refers to the Luxembourg catalog perspective — Österreichische Post numbers the same joint edition as CS 5.1, PostNL as NL Crypto Stamp 2.
What is the significance of the lion in Luxembourg?
The Red Lion (Lion Rouge) has been part of the coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg since the 13th century. It appears on the Grand Ducal coat of arms as a red lion armed and crowned, against a blue-white striped background.
What are the Michel and Yvert numbers?
In the Michel catalog, the Cryptostamp 1.0 Lion (Gold Edition) is listed under number 2354, in the Yvert catalog as CRY2. The regular Lion edition (non-gold) is catalogued in Stampworld as "Cryptostamp 1.0 - The Lion" with its own LU catalog number.
Where can I buy the LU Lion variant?
At the POST Philately online store (postphilately.lu), at the Philatelic Counter (13 Rue Robert Stumper, Cloche d'Or, Luxembourg-Gasperich), and at all Espaces POST and regular post offices. On the secondary market, it circulates on Delcampe, eBay, Catawiki, and through specialized stamp dealers worldwide.
Why is the LU mintage smaller than the AT and NL variants?
At 75,000 pieces, the LU variant has the smallest mintage of the three Lion editions — proportional to the small size of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (approx. 660,000 inhabitants). Österreichische Post (estimated 100,000+ pieces AT variant) and PostNL (estimated 140,000+ pieces) produced larger mintages for their larger home markets.