Elizabethan Period to 1967
[Information for this post has been provided by a prominent Canadian postal historian whose generous assistance is greatly appreciated]
Definition
Mail matter which was posted at an accounting post office in Canada for delivery at any post office within Canada, or any rural route, within Canada, could be sent subject to C.O.D. service. Up to $100 charges due to the sender from the addressed could be collected and remitted to the sender by post office money order.
Fee to be Prepaid
The C.O.D. fee in addition to the ordinary postage was to be prepaid.
C.O.D. Fee Periods
There were three C.O.D. fee periods during the time period covered in this post:
1) To March 31, 1964
2) April 1, 1964 to September 30, 1967
3) From October 1, 1967
Money Order Fee
In addition to the sum to be remitted to the sender, the addressee was charged a fee required on a money order for the amount due to the sender. The money order fees were not remitted to the sender but the amount of the fee was written on the triangular C.O.D. sticker attached to the C.O.D. item. There were two Money Order Fee periods during the time period covered in this post:
1) To October 31, 1963
2) From November 1, 1964
Four C.O.D. items from the Elizabethan period to 1967 are shown in this post in addition to C.O.D. remittance envelopes in which money orders for amounts collected from addressees by the Post Office was mailed to senders.
C.O.D. ITEM 1
The C.O.D. item shown below was mailed at the letter rate from the Ontario Office of the Registrar-General. The amount to be collected for the sender from the addressee was 60 cents.
Toronto to Woodstock, January 10, 1957
Franking Paid by the Sender
Forward Letter Rate............5 cents
C.O.D. fee up to $2.............10 cents
Total...................................15 cents
Total Collected from the Addressee
(Registrar-General C.O.D. label)
Charge to Sender.....................60 cents
Money Order Commission...... 4 cents
Total......................................64 cents
C.O.D. ITEM 2
The second item shown below was a parcel mailed from Westbank, B.C. to Salmon Arm, B.C., on March 23, 1961. The amount to be collected for the sender from the addressee was 85 cents.
Franking Paid by the Sender
There are two possible C.O.D. fees depending upon the amount of C.O.D. parcel insurance selected.
a) Minimum Insurance Up To $50 : Free
Parcel postage (7 lb.)............75 cents
C.O.D. fee up to $2.............10 cents (Insurance to $50)
Total...................................85 cents
b) Insurance > $50 and up to $100 : 30 cents C.O.D. fee
Parcel postage (4 lb. 90z to 5lb)............55 cents
C.O.D. fee up to $100.......................30 cents (Insurance >$50 and up to $100)
Total................................................85 cents
Total Collected from Addressee
Charge to Sender.....................85 cents
Money Order Commission....... 4 cents
Total....................................... 89 cents
C.O.D. ITEM 3
The next item is an undated parcel from St. Albert, Alberta, to Milk River Alberta. The amount to be collected from the addressee was $1.75. The Money Order Commmission of 10 cents indicates that the parcel was mailed after October 31, 1963, since the Money Order Commission for $1.75 increased from 9 cents to 10 cents on November 1, 1963.
Franking Paid by the Sender
There are two possible rates in this case depending upon when the parcel was mailed.
a) October 1, 1963 - March 31, 1964
The minimum C.O.D. Fee was 10 cents.
Parcel postage (8-9 oz.)............10 cents
C.O.D. fee up to $2..................10 cents
Total........................................20 cents
b) March 31, 1964 - October 31, 1967
The minimum C.O.D. fee was 15 cents
Parcel postage (up to 4 oz.)............5 cents
C.O.D. fee up to $2.......................15 cents
Total...........................................20 cents
Total Collected from Addressee
Charge to Sender.....................$1.75
Money Order Commission.........0.10
Total.......................................$1.85
C.O.D. ITEM 4
The final C.O.D. item is an undated parcel tag mailed from Valley Gardens, Gilford, Ontario, to Hope, British Columbia. The amount to be collected was 99 cents.
Franking Paid by the Sender
The parcel was mailed after February 8, 1967 (issue date of the Centennial definitives) but prior to November 1, 1967. The most likely rate would have been :
Parcel postage (4 lb. 6 0z.).......84 cents
C.O.D. fee up to $2...............15 cents
Total...................................99 cents
(If mailed after September 30, 1967, the minimum C.O.D. fee would have been 50 cents, leaving 49 cents to pay the parcel rate; however, 49 cents was not a parcel rate to B.C. at that time)
Total Collected from Addressee
Charge to Sender.....................99 cents
Money Order Commission....... 5 cents
Total....................................... $1.04
C.O.D. Remittance Envelopes
Ottawa local mail, June 8, 1968
Centennial Envelope
For the Centennial Year celebrations, Canada Post prepared C.O.D. remittance envelopes featuring both the Centennial Year and Expo 67 logos.
August 18, 1967 to Burlington