And now the Liechtenstein Post – after Austria, Croatia, the UN and Gibraltar (they are known to me) – joins the number of postal companies issuing a so-called crypto stamp. But Liechtenstein promises to top it all off by not only allowing you to store the crypto stamp in the blockchain, but also to play a game and compete with all crypto stamp holders in the world by doing so. But how does it all work?
For the first time, the “Weitblick” token (value CHF 5.20), which will be released on 6 September, has an integrated SQR code that can be scanned with a smartphone (Android™ & iOS®). An SQR code is a forgery-proof secure QR code and is much smaller than the “normal” QR code. You, therefore, need a mobile phone with a macro lens to scan it. After scanning, the stamp is registered in the virtual world and you have a “digital” twin of the “analog” stamp.
After the scan, you can use the webpage that opens up and which is accessible for both Android users and iOS users, to
- check the authenticity of the stamp.
- learn more about the stamp, e.g. the serial number, and a little more about the history of Stamp 4.0.
- learn which game character is encoded in the stamp. There are four of them in total: “The Castle”, “The Knight”, “The Princess”, and “The Prince”.
After that, anyone who wants to can download the Crypto Stamps App from the Google PlayStore from 6 September onwards. Unfortunately, iOS owners will have to wait a little longer, but they can register and will be informed as soon as the Crypto Stamps App is also available for iOS.
The game, which is stored in the crypto stamp app, is only available in the App, and is available from 6 September onwards for Android users. It consists of various jigsaws that have stories from the Principality of Liechtenstein to tell. The aim is to solve all the jigsaws at different levels, which will unlock the game character. Only then can one also deposit one’s game character in the blockchain, which finally makes you the owner of the game character, too. In the Crypto Stamps App there is also a leaderboard located, which you can climb and become the stamp prince of Liechtenstein. Yout get points for
- solving the jigsaws
- solving the jigsaws very quickly
- solving a lot of jigsaws
- finding and collecting as many game characters as possible (the game characters also have different point values).
I can’t say much more about this very complex stamp yet. But at the moment it certainly promises fun and excitement, even for non-philatelists. I am curious. If I get hold of such a stamp on 6 September, I may be able to tell you more about it – if I can get hold of an Android phone with a macro lens ….
Issue: Stamp 4.0 – Blockchain technology from the Principality of Liechtenstein
Tax value/motif CHF 5.20 Vision
Stamp size 32 x 38 mm
Perforation 12 ½ x 12 ¼
Sheet format 110 x 100 mm
Printing offset 4-colour CMYK Gutenberg AG, Schaan
Paper Stamp paper PVA 110 g/m2, gummed
Edition 42 000 special souvenir sheets
In addition, there is a special imperforated edition limited to 3200 copies, covered with an iridescent hologram foil and delivered in a casket (price CHF 60).