Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Centennial Period (1967 -71) International Surface Letter Rates

 Dozens of posts dealing with the Canadian Centennial definitive issue (1967 - 1973) have been published in the nearly four years Postal History Corner has been on-line. The original post dealing with international surface letter rates was published on June 9, 2010.

There were two international surface letter rate destinations (excluding the United States) in effect during the 1967 - 1971 Centennial period:
  • Destinations to which standard UPU rates applied
  • Destinations to which lower preferential rates applied : Great Britain and places within the Commonwealth, Republic of Ireland, France, Spain, countries of North, Central and South America, and West Indies.



Period 1 : to October 31, 1968

Standard UPU Rate

The standard rate international surface letter rate was 10 cents for the first ounce and 7 cents for each added ounce. The 10 cent rate had been in effect since December 1, 1966.

Sweden

 Calgary to Vaenersborg, Sweden, November 30, 1967
10 cents UPU surface letter rate

 Switzerland

Scarborough to Pfaffikon, Switzerland, November 13, 1971
10 cents UPU surface letter rate

Insufficiently Paid Mail

In 1966, the centimes method indicating the postage due for international mail was replaced by a "tax fraction" (Vienna Convention) system. Insufficiently paid letters were marked with a "T" and a fraction. The numerator was double the amount shortpaid, and the denominator was the country of origin's international single letter rate. The receiving office multiplied the fraction by its international letter rate to calculate the amount due in the receiving office's currency.

Sweden

 Toronto to Stockholm, November 15, 1967
10 cents UPU letter rate
Shortpaid 5 cents 
 Canadian Tax Fraction :




Swedish Calculation and Postage Due:

The Swedish international letter rate was 70 ore which was multiplied by the tax fraction, 10/10, to obtain the amount due in Swedish ore:

Swedish postage due label and stamp paying amount due (cancelled December 12, 1967)


Netherlands



 Edmonton to The Hague, July 25, 1968
10 cents UPU surface letter rate - underpaid 5 cents
Canadian tax fraction 10/10
Dutch postage due : 45 cents

s'Gravenhage postage due meter 45 cents

 Denmark

 Vancouver to Kalundborg February 19, 1968
10 cents UPU surface letter rate - underpaid 4 cents
Canadian tax fraction 8/10
Danish postage due : 80 ore

Switzerland


Toronto to Zurich, June 25, 1968
10 cents UPU surface letter rate - underpaid 4 cents
Canadian tax fraction 8/10
Swiss postage due : 40 cents


Ville-de-Laval to Switzerland, June 14, 1968
10 cents UPU surface letter rate - unpaid
Canadian tax fraction 20/10
Swiss postage due : 100 cents 

 Canadian tax fraction

Belgium

The cover below was marked "Printed Matter" but was sealed and taxed as an underpaid letter.

Oakville to Bois-d'Haim, February 5, 1968
10 cents UPU surface letter rate - underpaid 5 cents
Canadian tax fraction 10/10
Belgian postage due : 6 francs

South Africa

Victoria to Capetown, August 22, 1968
10 cents UPU surface letter rate - underpaid 5 cents
Canadian tax fraction 10/10
South African postage due : 5 cents

 Preferential Rate

The international preferential surface letter rate was 5 cents for the first ounce and 3 cents for each additional ounce. The 5 cents letter rate was introduced on April 1, 1954.

Malaysia

Creston to Penang, Malaysia, August 19, 1968
5 cents preferential Commonwealth surface letter rate

Great Britain

Victoria to Cambridge, England, February 28, 1967
5 cents preferential surface letter rate to Great Britain

Australia

Burlington to Sydney, Australia, October 16, 1968
5 cents preferential Commonwealth surface letter rate

Insufficiently Paid

Great Britain

Montreal to London, March 13, 1968
5 cents preferential surface letter rate to Great Britain
Shortpaid 1 cent
Canadian tax fraction : 2/10
British Postage Due : 3d. (the minimum amount charged)


Period 2 : November 1, 1968 to June 30, 1971

Standard UPU Rate

On November 1, 1968, The UPU surface letter rate was increased from 10 cents to 12 cents for the first ounce and 7 cents for each additional ounce.

Germany

 Winnipeg to Nurnberg, May 6, 1969
12 cents UPU surface letter rate

Belgium

Montreal to Brussels, January 29 1971
12 cents UPU surface letter rate


Iran


Ottawa to Rezaieh, Iran, June 26,1970
12 cent UPU surface letter rate


Insufficiently Prepaid

Austria

Vancouver to Klosterneuburg. December 30, 1968
12 cents UPU surface letter rate
Shortpaid 6 cents



Denmark

 Montreal to Copenhagen, November 27, 1968
12 cents UPU surface letter rate
Shortpaid 6 cents : Canadian tax fraction 12/12
 

Danish postage due 90 ore


Sweden

 Toronto to Stockholm, June 29, 1970
12 cents UPU surface letter rate
Shortpaid 6 cents

Canadian tax fraction

Swedish  70 ore postage due label and stamp paying amount due


German Federal Republic

Winnipeg to Nurenberg, June 16, 1970
12 cent UPU surface letter rate
6 cents shortpaid and Canadian tax fraction 12/12 applied
West German postage due 50 pfennig (blue crayon); Germany did not print postage due labels


Luxembourg

Cobourg to Remich, July 12, 1969
12 cents UPU surface letter rate
Shortpaid 6 cents
Canadian tax fraction : 12/12
Luxembourg due : 6 francs

South Africa

Peterborough to Benoni Transvaal, February 24, 1969
12 cents UPU surface letter rate
Shortpaid 3 cents




Preferential Rate

The international preferential surface letter rate was increased from 5 cents to 6 cents for the first ounce and 4 cents for each additional ounce on November 1, 1968.

Great Britain

Lakefield to Croydon, England, December 19, 1969
6 cents preferential surface letter rate to Great Britain

Australia

Winnipeg to Canberra, Australia, November 26, 1969
6 cents preferential surface letter rate to Commonwealth countries


Insufficiently Prepaid

Great Britain

Toronto to Salisbury, England, November 19, 1968
6 cents preferential surface letter rate to Great Britain
Shortpaid 1 cent : Canadian tax 2/12
British postage due : 3d. (the minimum amount charged)


From July 1, 1971 : "All-Up" air mail


The preferential surface letter rate was eliminated on July 1, 1971, resulting in the same surface rate applying to all destinations, 15 cents for the first ounce. Most significantly, the rates for letters up to 8 ounces were the same as the rates for air mail letters to all destinations, effectively eliminating the surface letter rate for letters up to 8 ounces.

Whitehorse to Westminster, England, August 21, 1971
The letter rate to all international destinations (except the United States) for the first ounce was 15 cents.

Surface letter rates still existed for letters weighing more than 8 ounces.
Rates per item:

i)1 oz. or less------------------------ .15
ii) more than 1 oz. but
not more than 2 oz.------------------.30
iii)more than 2 oz. but
not more than 4 oz.------------------.40
iv) more than 4 oz. but
no more than 8 oz.-------------------.90
v) more than 8 oz.
but no more than 1 lb.--------------1.60
vi) more than 1 lb.
but no more than 2 lbs.-------------2.65
viii) more than 2 lbs
but no more than 4 lbs.-------------4.25