1949 - 1953
International Mail : Surface Rates
This post deals with international surface mail, excluding mail to the United States, during the George VI Wilding period, 1949 - 1953 :
1. Letter
a) Preferred Rate
b) UPU rate
2. Post Cards
3. Printed Matter
a) To April 1, 1952
b) From April 2, 1952
1. Letters
a) Preferred Letter Rate
A preferential surface letter rate applied to mail for Great Britain and all other places in the Commonwealth, France, Spain and North and South America. The letter rate was 4 cents for the first ounce and 2 cents for each additional ounce.
House of Assembly, Toronto to Edinburgh, December 7, 1949
4 cents letter rate to Great Britain
Toronto to East London, South Africa, October 29, 1951
4 cents letter rate to Commonwealth destination
Toronto to London, January 20, 1951
4 cents letter rate to Great Britain
Missent to London, Ontario
"TRY ENGLAND" instructional marking handstamp
Cordam Landing to Sliema, Malta, October 28, 1952
4 cents letter rate to Commonwealth destination
Perth to San Sebastian, Spain, July 15, 1952
4 cents letter rate to Spain
Brantford to Sao Paulo, Brazil, July 11, 1950
4 cents letter rate to South America
House of Commons, Ottawa to Nassau, Bahamas, October 27, 1951
4 cents letter rate to Commonwealth destination
Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent correspondence
Montreal to Bourg, France, December 3, 1951
4 cents letter rate to France
Shortpaid 1 cent and French charge 9 francs
b) U.P.U. letter rate
The U.P.U. letter rate was 5 cents for the first ounce and 3 cents for each additional ounce.
Toronto to Bois d'Haine, Belgium, September 21, 1950
5 cents U.P.U. letter rate
National Revenue Canada, St. Johns to Wolgan bei Hamburg, Germany, December 17, 1951
"G" overprint official stamps paying the 5 cents U.P.U. letter rate
Toronto to Hanover, Germany, February 24, 1953
5 cents U.P.U. letter rate
Shortpaid 1 cent
Canadian Tax : 6 centimes ( 1 cent = 3 gold centimes)
German charge : 9 pfennig
Canadian Tax
6 centimes
German charge
9 Pfennig
Toronto to Hanover, Germany, December 2, 1952
5 cents U.P.U. letter rate
Ayton to Berlin (U.S. Zone), June 21, 1951
5 cents U.P.U. letter rate
Toronto to Tel Aviv, Israel, October 17, 1951
5 cents U.P.U. letter rate
Mount Brydges to Vienna, Austria, December 7, 1950
5 cents U.P.U. letter rate
Austria censor handstamp
Rodney to Copenhagen, Denmark, February 14, 1951
5 cents U.P.U. letter rate
House of Commons, Ottawa to Athens, Greece, October 14, 1951
Official "O.H.M.S." overprint stamp paying the 5 cents U.P.U. letter rate
Correspondence from Member of Parliament Robert Knight
Toronto to Haadyai, Siam (Thailand), November 6, 1950
5 cents U.P.U. letter rate
5 cent UPU letter rate
Prior to living in Aklavik, Dr. Laurent-Christensen had spent over 20 years in Greenland.
Quebec to Copenhagen, Denmark, December 10, 1950
5 cents U.P.U. letter rate
Shortpaid 1 cent
Canadian Tax : 6 centimes ( 1 cent = 3 gold centimes)
Danish charge : 15 ore
Canada Tax Marking
6 gold centimes
Copenhagen postage due meter
"PORTO/ 0.15 ORE / DANMARK"
December 18, 1950
Moose Jaw to Leipzig, (East) Germany, April 2, 1951
5 cents U.P.U. letter rate
Shortpaid 1 cent
Canadian Tax : 6 centimes ( 1 cent = 3 gold centimes)
German charge : 20 pfennig
Canadian Tax
6 gold centimes
German Tax
20 Pfennig
Thetford Mines to Amsterdam, Netherlands, March 7, 1950
5 cents U.P.U. letter rate
Shortpaid 1 cent
Canadian Tax : 6 centimes ( 1 cent = 3 gold centimes)
Dutch charge : 8 cents
2. Post Cards
The post card rate to all destinations was 3 cents.
Sarnia to Haarlem, August 30, 1951
3 cents post card rate
Haarlem Transorma ident CZ
Vancouver to Inverness, Scotland, June 2, 1952
3 cents post card rate
Welland to Kinghorn, Scotland, March 5, 1952
3 cents post card rate
Montreal to Aruba, September 3, 1951
3 cents post card rate
3. Printed Matter
a) To April 1, 1952
The printed matter rate to all destinations was 1 cent for each two ounces
Ottawa to Helsinki, undated machine cancellation (Helsinki receiver February 28, 1951)
1 cent printed matter rate
Helsinki receiver
February 28, 1951
Received may 9, 1951
b) From April 2, 1952
The printed matter rate to all destinations was 2 cents for the first ounce and 1 cent for each additional ounce.
Toronto to Stockholm, December 6, 1951
2 cents printed matter rate
Toronto to Lahti, Finland, December 3, 1952
Christmas card mailed at the 2 cents printed matter rate
Enclosed Christmas card