Magyar Posta is issuing a commemorative stamp to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Joseph, Palatine of Hungary (1776-1847). The stamp pays tribute to the archduke of Austria and prince of Hungary and Bohemia, who was known as “the most Hungarian of the Habsburgs” for his historic achievements aiding the development of the Kingdom of Hungary during the Reform Era. Forty thousand copies of the stamp designed by the graphic artist György Kara were produced by ANY Security Printing Company. The new issue goes on sale at Filaposta in Hungary, philately specialist services, certain post offices and www.posta.hu from 30 April 2026. Palatine Joseph played a prominent role in the development of Pest into a cultural and economic centre by the 1840s. It was thanks to him that an urban planning authority under the name the Royal Improvement Commission of Pest was established in 1808, operating until 1860, which played a decisive role in Pest’s rapid yet well-conceived development. Furthermore, a series of buildings defining the appearance of the city were constructed on his initiative – including the Hungarian National Museum, the German Theatre, the Gellért Hill Observatory and the Ludovika Military Academy (today a university campus) –, thereby shaping the neoclassical character of Pest-Buda. He also supported the construction of several railway lines, the landscaping of the City Park, the development of Margaret Island, and that of the Újpest and Lipótváros districts, as well as the strengthening of technical higher education. He made substantial donations to the National Museum, the Széchényi Library, and the Hungarian Scientific Society, the forerunner of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. In addition to these, he supported numerous progressive civic initiatives, which led to the establishment of the Hungarian Economic Association, the Kisfaludy Society, the Society of Natural Sciences, and the Institute for the Blind. He personally subscribed to the first shares of the newly established Commercial Bank. As the younger brother of Francis I, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, he effectively represented Hungarian interests before the monarch. He persuaded his older brother to convene the first Diet in thirteen years, marking the start of the Reform Era. He secured pardons for the incarcerated Hungarian Jacobins, including Ferenc Kazinczy, and, in 1840, Lajos Kossuth, Miklós Wesselényi, and László Lovassy. He prevented the dissolution of the Védegylet, an association for the protection of Hungarian industry. During the 1838 flood of Pest, he directed the rescue efforts and subsequently did much to alleviate the flood damage. The commemorative stamp shows a painting of Palatine Joseph by Miklós Barabás, while the commemorative first day cover features a fresco by Mór Than, which is housed in the Hungarian National Museum and depicts the museum’s foundation. The imprint of the special postmark on the first day cover is a stylised drawing of Palatine Joseph’s right hand holding a plan of a building.