Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The "Maple Leaf" and "Numeral" Issues
1897 - 1903

Domestic Rates




Introduction

The "Maple Leaf" Issue 1897

In late 1897, the Post Office Department began to replace the Small Queen stamps with a new issue featuring a vignette of Queen Victoria adapted from the photo by W.& D. Downey taken at the time of the Jubilee celebrations.


The Jubilee Portrait of Queen Victoria
W. & D. Downey, London




The issue became known as the "Maple Leaf" because of the maple leaves in the four corners of the design. Denominations for the set of 8 stamps, (1/2c to 6c, 8c and 10c) were written in English under the Queen's portrait.


The " Numeral" Issue 1898

Within a few months of the release of the "Maple Leaf" issue, a new series bearing numerals of the denominations as well as words was planned because of problems with the Maple Leaf series:
  • French-speaking Canadians found it difficult to read the values
  • postal clerks complained of the difficulty in distinguishing the denominations
  • the UPU emphasized the necessity of having the denominations in arabic numeral
The "Numeral" issue featured the vignette based on the Downey photograph within an enlarged oval. The side-by-side view of the Maple Leaf and Numeral 3 cent value illustrates the differences between the two stamp designs:


National Archives of Canada

This post shows Maple Leaf and Numeral stamps paying domestic rates and charges.


1. Forward Letter
a) To December 31, 1898

The forward letter rate (out-of-town) was 3 cents per ounce.


Brockville to Sussex, Anpril 10, 1898
3 cents letter rate
Squared Circle cancellation



Granby to Montreal, April 25, 1898
3 cents letter rate



Windsor to Athens, May 13, 1898
3 cents letter rate
Squared Circle cancellation



Toronto to Athens, June 30, 1898
3 cents letter rate
Flag cancellation



Uxbridge to Halifax, November 8, 1898



Aylmer West to Yarmouth, October 1, 1898
3 cents letter rate


b) From January 1, 1898

The forward letter rate was decreased from 3 cents to 2 cents per ounce.


Toronto to Halifax, April 24, 1899
2 cents letter rate



Cardinal to Athens, March 1, 1899
2 cents letter rate



Toronto to London, April 7, 1899
2 cents letter rate



Truro to London, September 2, 1889
3 cent numeral surcharged 2 cents
(Earliest use July 31, 1899)


Montreal to London, June 11, 1900
2 cents letter rate



St. John's to Fredericton, August 4, 1900
4 cents paying the 2 ounce letter rate (Double weight)



Hamilton to Paris Station, May 6, 1901
2 cents letter rate



Toronto to Paris Station, January 14, 1903
2 cents letter rate



Welland to Coldstream, February 3, 1902



Truro to Arichat, April 14, 1903
Halifax & Sydney RPO


2. Drop (Local) Letter

The non-carrier drop letter rate was 1 cent per ounce. The letter-carrier drop letter rate was 2 cents per ounce.

a) Non-Carrier


Shelbourne to Montreal, February 17, 1898
1 cent non-carrier rate



Saint John,N.B., drop letter
1 cent non-carrier rate



Yarmouth drop letter, February 25, 1899
1 cent non-carrier rate



Amherstburg local letter, December 8, 1900
1 cent non-carrier rate


Prescott local letter,February 6, 1902
1 cent non-carrier rate

b) Carrier


Toronto local letter, May 28, 1898
2 cents carrier rate



Hamilton local letter, August 25, 1899
Grand Trunk Station cancellation
2 cents on 3 cent numeral stamp paying the carrier rate


Grand Trunk Station


Hamilton Letter Carrier Mark
August 25



Toronto local letter, February 1, 1901
2 cents carrier rate



Winnipeg local letter, April 16, 1902
4 cents paying the 2 ounce carrier rate (double weight)


3. Post Card

The post card rate was 1 cent.


Hamilton to Paris, March 8, 1898
1 cent post card rate



Toronto to Victoria, July 13, 1901
1 cent post card rate
Exposition Flag cancellation



St. Catharines to Thamesville, April 19, 1899
1 cent post card rate



Toronto to Douglas, April 12, 1899
1 cent post card rate



Collingwood to Newmarket, May 2, 1898
1 cent post card rate


4. Third Class Mail : Miscellaneous Matter

Printed matter was classified as miscellaneous third class matter. The rate was 1 cent for every 4 ounces.


Brown's Nurseries to Allandale, June 19, 1900
1 cent third printed matter rate



Winnipeg to Athens (Athens receiver May 29, 1900)
1 cent printed matter rate



Toronto to Thornhill, July 20, 1901
1 cent printed matter rate


Printed Matter Post Cards

The following cards with printed messages were prepaid 1 cent, the post card rate as well as the printed matter rate.


Montreal local card, December 27, 1901



The Mail and Empire Toronto to Waterloo, July 31, 1901
1 cent precancelled stamp



Canada's Great Agricultural & Industrial Exposition
Toronto local mailing, May 30 1901
1 cent precancelled stamp
Toronto Exposition flag cancellation


5. Second Class

The sheet below represents the payment of 51 pounds of newspapers at 1 cent per pound.


Toronto, February 5, 1901
Second Class Matter, 1 cent per lb. rate
51 cents paying the 51 lb. rate


6. Registration

The registration fee was 5 cents.

3 cents forward letter rate period


Everton to Toronto, July 11, 1898
8 cents stamp paying 3 cents letter rate + 5 cents registration fee



Bognor to Toronto, April 11, 1898
3 cents letter rate + 5 cents registration fee


Kirkfield to Toronto, July 7, 1898
3 cents letter rate + 5 cents registration fee


2 cents forward letter rate period (From December 25, 1898)


Lower Ridge, N.B., to Sussex, February 9, 1899
2 cents forward letter rate + 5 cents registration fee


Welland to Toronto, March 8, 1899
2 cents letter rate + 5 cents registration

Tweed to Toronto, February 23, 1899
2 cents letter rate + 5 cents registration



River Louison to Knowlton, May 14, 1900
2 cents letter rate + 5 cents registration fee


Virgil to Toronto, Februaary 25, 1902
2 cents letter rate + 5 cents registration fee


7. Express Letters (Special Delivery)

Special delivery service by special messenger was introduced on July 1, 1898, limited to specified cities. A "Special Delivery" stamp of the value of 10 cents was required for this purpose.


Toronto to Hamilton, September 5, 1900
2 cents letter rate + 10 cents special delivery fee