The 12th country to issue stamps was Austria. On 1. June1850 Austria issued their first five stamps – all showing the Austrian coat of arms. Todays stamp is the blue 9 Kreuzer stamp – the highest denomination. The kingdom Lombardy-Venetia issued similar stamps on the same day, but the denominations were in Centesimi. Lombardy-Venetia existed from 1816 until 1866. The emperor of Austria was also the King of Lombardy-Venetia.