1912 - 1928
The Universal Postal Union Rates
The Universal Postal Union (UPU) rates applied to all nations for which preferential rates such as those to Great Britain and the Empire were not in place. This post is organized as follows:
1. Letters
a) To September 30, 1921
b) October 1, 1921 to September 30, 1925
c) From October 1, 1925
2. Post Cards
a) To September 30, 1921
b) October 1, 1921 to September 30, 1925
c) From October 1, 1925
3. Printed Matter
a) To September 30, 1921
b) From October 1, 1921
4. Registration
a) To July 14, 1920
b) From July 15, 1920
1. Letters
a) To September 30, 1921
The UPU letter rate was 5 cents for the first ounce and 3 cents for each additional ounce.
5 cents UPU letter rate
Toronto to Plauen, Germany, May 28, 1912
5 cents UPU letter rate
Montreal to Leipzig, Germany, November 7, 1912
5 cents UPU letter rate
Montreal to Vohwinkel, Germany, June 13, 1913
5 cents UPU letter rate
German Consulate Winnipeg to Leipzig, October 21, 1912
5 cents UPU letter rate
German Consulate Seal
Ottawa to Peking, China, September 3, 1917
5 cents UPU letter rate
Montreal to Stockholm, October 1, 1919
5 cents UPU letter rate
Shortpaid 2 cents
Double deficiency 4 cents = 20 centimes ( 1 cent = 5 centimes)
Swedish tax 16 ore
T 20 Canadian tax marking
"Losen 16 ore" Swedish due label
The Great War
Canada entered into the war on August 6, 1914. The letter to Germany below was in transit before the war had begun.
Quebec to Nuremburg, July 25, 1914
5 cents UPU letter rate
German Army censor
Montreal to Montbellard, France, January 2, 1916
5 cents UPU letter rate
"OPENED BY MILITARY AUTHORITY" handstamp
New Brunswick to Torino, Italy, May 3, 1918
5 cents UPU letter rate
Italian censor tape
Neutral Terminal Censorship
On July 3, 1917, censorship from Canada to neutral countries that had communications with enemy nations was established. This "neutral terminal" censorship was discontinued on May 7, 1919.
Victoria to Christiannia, Norway, October 12, 1917
5 cents UPU letter rate
Canadian "neutral terminal" censorship
Ottawa to Breda, Netherlands, March 10, 1919
5 cents UPU letter rate
Canadian "neutral terminal" censorship
Niagara Falls to Rotterdam, April 16, 1921
Double weight letter : 5 cents for the 1st ounce and 3 cents for the next ounce
Shortpaid 4 cents
Double deficiency 8 cents = 40 centimes (1 cent = 5 centimes)
Netherlands tax 17 1/2 cents.
5c UPU letter rate
Foreign Exchange handstamp
b) October 1, 1921 to September 30, 1925
The UPU letter rate was increased from 5 cents to 10 cents for the first ounce and 5 cents for each additional ounce.
Winnipeg to Lyngby, Denmark, December 4, 1922
10 cents UPU letter rate
Toronto to s'Gravenhage, Netherlands, April 3, 1922
10 cents UPU letter rate
Montreal to St. Gall, Switzerland, December 21, 1922
10 cents UPU letter rate
Toronto to Zurich, January 18, 1924
10 cents UPU letter rate
Edmonton to Hamburg, Germany, March 22, 1924
Calgary to Yvorne, Switzerland, October 30, 1921
10 cents UPU letter rate
Shortpaid 5 cents
Double deficiency 10 cents = 50 centimes
Swiss taxation 40 Swiss centimes
c) From October 1, 1925
The UPU letter rate was reduced from 10 cents to 8 cents for the first ounce and 4 cents for each additional ounce.
Montreal to Zug, Switzerland, December 8, 1925
8 cents UPU letter rate
Montreal to Paris, February 8, 1926
8 cents UPU letter rate
Taxation of Underpaid Mail: 1925 - 1930
From 1925 to 1930, Canada Post Office reduced the tax charged on underpaid mail to UPU destinations. An article had been posted HERE to explain the reduction.
Arvida to Copenhagen, Denmark, June 12, 1926
8 cents UPU letter rate
Shortpaid 5 cents
Double deficiency 10 cents = 50 centimes (1 cent = 5 centimes)
Denmark tax 38 0re
Front Only
The front below is a significant example of Admiral postal history because it is a front! The sender of the item below to the Netherlands did not affix sufficient postage and the addressee paid a 25 cent tax. The addressee wished to be reimbursed and mailed the front to the sender proving the short payment.
Yarmouth to Haarlem, Netherlands, August 11, 1928
8 cents UPU letter rate
Shortpaid 6 cents
25 cents Dutch due
Typed on the back of the "front" :
Miss Amanda Hal., The postage to Holland is 8 cent, and as you only put a 2 cent stamp on I had to pay 25 Dutch cent to get your letter, 25 Cent Dutch is 10 cents Canadian, kindly send me 10 Cent extra when writing again.
2. Post Cards
a) To September 30, 1921
The UPU post card rate was 2 cents.
New Wesminster to Curland, Russia, March 22, 1914
2 cents UPU post card rate
Montreal to St-Mande, France, November 9, 1913
2 cent UPU post card rate
Welland to Hudiksvall, Sweden, May 7, 1914
2 cent UPU letter rate
Ottawa to Berlin, January 18, 1913
2 cents Postal Stationery card
b) October 1, 1921 to September 30, 1925
The UPU post card rate increased from 2 cents to 6 cents.
Montreal to Hamburg, December 7, 1923
6 cents UPU post card rate
"Along Line of Canadian Pacific Railway" Photographed and Copyrighted by Byron, Harmon,-Banff
Calgary and Vancouver RPO to Brussels, Belgium, October 5, 1922
6 cents UPU post card rate
Aneroid, Sask., to Herrnhut, Germany, March 18, 1922
6 cents UPU post card rate
"6 cents on 2 cents blue"
Didsburg to Yvorne, Switzerland, May 6, 1922
6 cents UPU post card rate
Halifax to Gothenburg, Sweden, July 19, 1924
6 cents UPU post card rate
Quebec to Brussels, Belgium, August 6, 1924
6 cents UPU post card rate
Shortpaid 4 cents
Canadian tax : 40 centimes
Belgian charge : 60 Belgian centimes
Hamilton Beach to Kottbus, Germany, September 23, 1923
6 cents UPU post card rate
c) From October 1, 1925
The UPU post card rate was reduced from 6 cents to 4 cents.
Sidney, B.C., to Helsingland, Sweden, August 13, 1926
4 cents UPU post card rate
Montreal to Zug, Switzerland, September 5, 1928
4 cents UPU post card rate
Toronto to Rome, April 19, 1927
4 cents UPU post card rate
3. Printed Matter
a) To September 30, 1921
The UPU printed matter rate was 1 cent for each 2 ounces.
Winnipeg to Amiens, France, November 23, 1916
1 cent UPU printed matter rate
Montreal to Tar, France, November 2, 1920
1 cent UPU printed matter rate
b) From October 1, 1921
The UPU printed matter rate was increased from 1 cent to 2 cents for each two ounces.
Vancouver to Keysin, Switzerland, December 23, 1926
2 cents UPU printed matter rate
Kitchener to Gera, Germany, October 25, 1926
2 cents UPU printed matter rate
4. Registration
a) To July 14, 1920
The UPU registration fee was 5 cents.
Victoria to Buso Arzizio, Italy, September 6, 1912
5 cents UPU letter rate + 5 cents registration fee
Montreal to Frankfurt, March 2, 1914
5 cents UPU letter rate + 5 cents registration fee
Galt to Wurtenburg, Germany, November 10, 1919
5 cents UPU letter rate + 5 cents registration fee
b) From July 15, 1920
The UPU registration fee was 10 cents.
Montreal to Luzerne, Switzerland, September 11, 1920
8 cent double weight letter rate ( 5 cents 1st ounce + 3 cents next ounce) + 10 cents registration fee
Halifax to Christiania, Norway, December 21, 1920
8 cent double weight letter rate ( 5 cents 1st ounce + 3 cents next ounce) + 10 cents registration fee
Montreal to Krumlov, Czechoslovakia, January 25, 1921
2 cents UPU post card rate + 10 cents registration fee
Waterloo to Dresden, Germany, July 20, 1923
10 cents UPU letter rate + 10 cents registration fee
Heffey Creek to Berne Switzerland, December 7, 1929
12 cents rate for double weight letter ( 8 cents for the 1st ounce and 4 cents for the next ounce) + 10 cents registration fee
