Heritage Artifacts Definitives : 1982 - 1987

From 1982 to 1987, Canada Post Office Corporation issued a total of sixteen low-value and medium-value definitives each featuring a different Canadian artifact. The artifacts depicted objects used in everyday life in Canada during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.  There were four release dates for the low and medium denomination stamps  reflecting  changes in the postal rates during the period.

Heritage Artifacts Definitive Stamps

First Release  : October 19, 1982 

Second Release : April 8, 1983

Third Release: August 1, 1985

Fourth Release : May 6, 1987

Heritage Artifacts Definitive Stamps on Cover

Low Value Denominations

1 cent

Decoy

Buckingham to Toronto, May 24, 1984

32 cents letter rate + $1.06 special delivery fee

2 cents

 

 Fishing Spear

Chibougamou to Toronto, December 18, 1987

18 x 2 cent Heritage Artifact stamp paying the 36 cents letter rate

3 cents

Stable Lantern

Buckingham to Calgary

32 cents letter rate + $1.06 special delivery fee

5 cents

 Bucket

 Ottawa to Toronto, August 10, 1985

$2.28 paying 32 cents letter rate + $1.96 registration fee

10 cents

Weathercock

 

 St-Hyacynthe to Ville St-Laurent, September 24, 1985

34 cents domestic letter rate

20 cents

 

 Skates

 Mississauga to Willowdale, November 12, 1985

$2.80 paying 34 cents letter rate + $2.46 registration fee

25 cents

 

 Butter Stamp

Brandon to Arnprior, July 13, 1987

36 cents letter rate + $1.96 special delivery fee

Medium Value Denominations


The medium-value definitives were issued to pay three common rate requirements:

1. United States standard letter rate ( up to 30g.)
2. Domestic 2nd weight step standard letter rate (greater than 30g, equal to or less than 50g)
3. International letter rate (up to 20g.)


Principal Usage Summary

 37 cents

  

 Wooden Plough

 Kaslo to Daly City, Cal., July 6, 1984

37 cents letter rate to the United States

39 cents

 

 Settle Bed

 Kingston, N.S. to Arlington, Va., December 4, 1986

39 cents letter rate to the United States

42 cents

 

 Linen Chest

 Meteghan River to Mount Clemens, Mich., December 10, 1987

42 cents letter rate to the United States

48 cents

 

Cradle

Mississauga to Rome, December 22, 1983

48 cents international air mail printed matter rate (20 g)

The 48 cents rate was in effect from January 15, 1983 to June 23, 1985

Toronto local correspondence, August 16, 1986

34 cents letter rate + $1.96 special delivery fee

La Sarre to Niagara Falls, July 20, 1984

Business Reply Mail (No postage necessary)

$1.96 paying the registration fee only

50 cents

 

  Sleigh

 Shelburne to Heerlen, Nehterlands, October 1, 1985

$3.14 paying 68 cents letter rate + $2.46 registration fee

 55 cents

 Iron Kettle

Lachine to St-Jerome, November 10, 1987

$2.99 paying 36 cent letter rate + $2.63 registration fee

 64 cents

 

Wood Stove

 Montreal to Malcky, Czechoslovakia, October 27, 1983

$2.78 paying 64 cents international letter rate + $2.12 registration fee

68 cents

 

 Spinning Wheel

 Ste-Adele to Bonn, July 15, 1985

68 cents international letter rate

72 cents

 Hand-Drawn Cart

 Hamilton to Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, December 15, 1987

72 cents international letter rate