(Excluding the United States)
This article provides an overview of the principal international rates in effect from May 1, 1953 to March 31, 1954. The rates are summarized in the table below:
1. Surface Letter
a) Preferential
The rate for letters to Great Britain and places within the Commonwealth, France, Spain, and North and South America was 4 cents for the first ounce.
Campbell River to Ainwick, England, June 6 1953
4 cent preferential surface letter rate to Great Britain
Ottawa to Port Morseby, Papua, February 6, 1954
4 cents Commonwealth letter rate
Forwarded to Bendigo, Australia, March 31 1964 by air mail
6 1/2d. Papua New Guinea stamp paying for mail service from Papua to Australia
Niagara-on-the-Lake to Guayaquil, Ecuador, February 25 1954
4 cent preferential surface letter rate to South America
Montreal to Paris, November 30, 1953
4 cent preferential surface letter rate to France
4 cents Commonwealth preferential rate
5 cents charged for return of letter
b) All other countries (UPU rate)
The letter rate to countries for which the preferential rate did not apply was 5 cents for the first ounce.
Grand Falls to Skjern, Denmark, October 8 1953
5 cents UPU surface letter rate
South Mountain to Germany, November 30, 1953
5 cents UPU letter rate
Kamloops to Odeborg, Sweden, March 14, 1954
5 cents surface rate (double sized message post card treated as a letter)
Shortpaid 1 cent and taxed 10 centimes (the minimum)
2. Surface Post Card
The surface postcard rate to all destinations was 3 cents.
Montreal to Orpington, England, February 22, 1954
3. Air Mail Letter
The air mail letter rates were printed on page 12 of the Canada Official Postal Guide 1952-53 (Part I) :
(Post cards were treated as letters)
On July 1, 1953, the 10 cent, 15 cent and 25 cent air mail letter rates were for each one-half ounce.
a) Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Europe
The rate was 15 cents for each quarter ounce to June 30, 1951, and for each one half ounce after July 1, 1953.
Toronto to Geneva, Switzerland, June 24 1953
15 cents one quarter ounce air mail letter rate
Toronto to London, March 23 1953
15 cents one quarter ounce air mail letter rate
Toronto to Copenhagen Denmark, January 5, 1954
15 cents one half ounce air mail letter rate
Levis to Liege, Belgium, December 7 1953
15 cents one half ounce ounce air mail letter rate
Gander to Frankfurt, Germany, September 28 1953
15 cents one half ounce air mail letter rate
Air Mail to Europe
London to Wilderswil, Switzerland, March 19, 1954
15 cents air mail rate to Switzerland
b) Caribbean, West Indies, Central America, Mexico
The rate was 10 cents for each quarter ounce until June 30, 1951, then for each one half ounce.
Toronto to Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 31 1953
10 cents one half ounce air mail letter rate
Montreal to Buenos Aires, Argentina, September 1 1953
10 cents one half ounce air mail letter rate
c) Asia, Africa, Oceania
The air mail letter rate was 25 cents for each quarter ounce until June 30, 1953, then for each one half ounce.
Penticton to Lagos, Nigeria, May 6 1953
25 cents one quarter ounce air mail letter rate
Montreal to Calcutta, India, June 25, 1953
25 cents one quarter ounce air mail letter rate
Calgary to Port Morseby, Papua, July 12, 1953
25 cents one half ounce air mail letter rate
Niagara Falls to Gakooma, Southern Rhodesia, November 21 1953
25 cents one half ounce air mail letter rate
Shortpaid 10 cents and taxed 60 gold centimes
There is no indication if the Southern Rhodesia post office collected the amount due
Air mail rate.................25c
Amount prepaid..........15
Amount shortpaid.......10
Double Deficiency........20c
Conversion from cents to gold centimes @1 cent= 3 gold centimes:
20 cents = 20 cents X 3 gold centimes/1 cent = 60 gold centimes
Usually air mail matter prepaid at less than 75% of the rate would not be forwarded by air. In this case the amount prepaid was 60 % and based on the taxation it appears that air transmission was provided.
4. Air Letters (Aerogrammes)
a) To June 30, 1953
a) G.B., Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland and all 10c per quarter ounce countries
The rate was 10 cents
Air letter not shown
b) All other countries
The rate was 15 cents.
Toronto to Johannesburg, South Africa, June 15, 195315 cents air letter rate
b) From July 1, 1953
The rate to all countries was 10 cents. (Not shown)
5. Printed Matter
The printed matter rate to all destinations was 2 cents for the first two ounces.
Portage la Prairie to New Delhi, India, March 24 1954
2 cents printed matter rate
6. Special Services
Registration
The registration fee was 20 cents.
Gravenhurst to Cheadle, Cheshire, England, November 29 1953
15 cents air mail + 20 cents registration fee
Winnipeg Sub No. 41 to Lubeck, Germany, January 13, 1954
35 cents paying 15 cents airmail + 20 cents registration
Manuscript "Passed for export"