Decimal Currency Rates
Domestic, United States, Great Britain
On July 1, 1859, all rates and charges made by the Post Office of the Province of Canada were to be collected in decimal currency, substituting cents for pence. This post deals with domestic rates as well as rates to the United States and Great Britain during the decimal period, 1859 to 1867.
Decimal Postage Stamps
Post Offices throughout the colony were provided a supply of decimal postage stamps (1c, 5c, 10c, 12 1/2c, and 17c) to be issued on July 1, 1859. A two cent denomination was released in 1864.
Stampless Rate Markings
Since the use of stamps to prepay postage was not compulsory until 1875, post offices continued to use "stampless" rate markings.
Stampless rate marking
This post deals with postal rates within the Province of Canada, as well as to the United Kingdom and the United States showing stamped and stampless covers, organized as follows:
A. Rates Within the Colony
- Letters
- Local Letters
- Circulars
- Registration
B. Rates to the United States
C. Rates to Great Britain
- Letters
- Circulars
A. Rates Within the Colony
1. Letters
The rate for prepaid letters posted in Canada addressed to any place in the Province was 5 cents per one-half ounce (the decimal equivalent of 3 pence). Letters posted unpaid were rated and charged 7 cents per one-half ounce.
a) Paid
i) Adhesive Stamps
Quebec to Hamilton, October 17, 1863
5 cents prepaid letter rate
Hamilton to Toronto, August 30, 1860
5 cents prepaid letter rate
ii) Handstamps
A wide variety of numeral handstamps were prepared to accommodate the change to decimal currency.
Esperange to Quebec, October 1, 1865
5 cents prepaid letter rate
Port Colborne to Toronto, January 20 , 1861
5 cents prepaid letter rate
Sarnia to Toronto, October 18, 1862
5 cents prepaid letter rate
Hamilton to Stratford, May 7, 1863
5 cents prepaid letter rate
2. Unpaid
The unpaid letter rate was 7 cents per one-half ounce, 2 cents higher than the prepaid rate to discourage the mailing of unpaid letters.
Toronto to Quebec, June 12, 1861
7 cents unpaid letter rate
Brockville to Toronto, January 13, 1866
7 cents unpaid letter rate
Quebec to Montreal, April 20, 1866
7 cents unpaid letter rate
St. Marys Blanchard to Stratford, January 19, 1861
14 cents unpaid letter rate for one ounce (double weight)
Local Letters
The local letter rate was 1 cent.
Quebec local letter, March 3, 1860
1 cent local letter rate
Toronto local letter
1 cent local letter rate
Circulars
The circular rate was 1 cent.
Kincardine to Kingston, April 7, 1860
1 cent circular rate
Letter Carrier Fee
Persons wishing letter carrier service would request in writing to the Postmaster. A fee was charged for this service.
The Quebec City letter carrier charged 2 cents.
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| Port-Neuf to Quebec, December 5, 1860 |
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| 7 cents unpaid letter rate + 2 cents letter carrier fee = 9 cents due |
Registration
The registration fee was 2 cents which had to be prepaid.
Montreal to Sharon, C.W., July19, 1864
10 cents letter rate (double weight) + 2 cents registration fee
Registered letter Winchester to Toronto, March 25, 1864
5 cents prepaid letter rate + 2 cents registration fee
B. Rates to the United States
Letters
The rate to the United States became 10 cents when decimal currency was introduced. There was no further need of exchange offices to convert Canadian pence to U.S. cents.
Welland to Farmington, Michigan, May 2, 1860
10 cents letter rate to the United States
Montreal to Brattleboro, Vermont, March 26, 1861
10 cents letter rate to the United States
St. Laurent D'Orleans to Bath, Maine, July 22, 1861
10 cents letter rate to the United States
10 cents in manuscript
Circulars
The circular rate to the United States was 1 cent.
Toronto to New York, December 13, 1863
1 cent circular rate
C. Rates to Great Britain
Commencing on April 1, 1859, letters to Great Britain were to be prepaid. Unpaid letters were forwarded but subject to a fine in addition to ordinary postage on delivery to the person addressed. Letters could be sent by Canadian steamer service or by packet service via the United States.
1. Canada Steamer Service
On May 14, 1859, weekly steamer service by Canadian Ocean Steamers from Quebec to Liverpool was introduced. The letter rate was 6 d. sterling, or 12 1/2 cents per one-half ounce. If forwarded unpaid, a fine of 6d. sterling in addition to postage was charged.
a) Prepaid With Postage Stamp
Brockville to Barnstaple, England, February 6, 1866
12 1/2 cent (6 d. sterling) Canadian Packet letter rate
b) Prepaid Stampless Marking
Kinkora, C.W., to Dublin, November 22, 1862
"Via Canada" 6d. sterling paid rate
Manuscript "Via Canadian Lines"
Dublin receiver, December 11, 1862
2. Packet Service via the United States
Cunard packet service to England via Cork left from the United States (Boston and New York). The Cunard packet letter rate was 8 d. sterling, or 17 1/2 cents per one-half ounce.
a) Prepaid With Postage Stamp
Woodstock to Cork, Ireland, July 7, 1860
17 cents (8d. sterling) Cunard Packet letter rate
b) Prepaid Stampless Marking
Montreal to Esher, England, January 13, 1862
17 cents (8d. sterling) Cunard Packet letter rate
Paid 17 cents in manuscript
Montreal PAID tombstone postmark
January 13, 1862
Manuscript " 8 10", i.e. 8 d. sterling 10d. currency