Monarch-Free First-Class Letter Rate Definitives : 1977 - 2000

From 1868 to the present day, Canadian low value definitive stamps  have featured Canadian monarchs. The monarchs appeared on all low value definitive denominations until the 1976 caricature series which only pictured Queen Elizabeth  on the domestic letter rate stamp, a practice which has continued to this day. 

Monarchs on Canadian low-value definitive stamps 1868 - 1976

Beginning with the the 12 cents Houses of Parliament stamp issued on May 14, 1977, Canadians were given the option of purchasing domestic letter rate denomination stamps with or without the monarch's image.

This post deals with the "monarch-free" first-class domestic letter rate definitives issued from 1977 to 2000. Collectors of these issues will find this post to be rather basic. For more detailed information, readers should refer to the following excellent references:

The Unitrade Specialized Catalogue of Canadian Stamps
The Corgi Times
The Robin Harris Canadian Specialized Definitive Books

Contents

1.  Houses of Parliament Series : 1977 - 1982
2.  Maple Leaf: 1981 - 1985
3. Parliament Buildings : 1985 - 1989
4.  Canadian Flag: 1989 - 2000
5. Flag "Quick - Stick" Booklet Issues : 1989 - 1993 
6. Stylized Maple Leaf : 1998


1. Houses of Parliament Series : 1977 - 1982

The stamps were also issued in coil format.

12 cents

Letter Rate : March 1, 1977 - March 31, 1978

Wellandport to Toronto, November 28, 1977

Hensall to Toronto, October 16, 1977

12 cent coil

14 cents
Letter Rate : April 1, 1978 - March 31, 1979

 Kapuskasing, November 23, 1978

Kapuskasing, November 7, 1978

14 cents coil

17 cents

Letter Rate : July 1, 1979 - December 31, 1981

Fruitland to Oakville, June 13, 1979

Harricanaw Ouest, December 8, 198ö

2. Maple Leaf: 1981 - 1985

(a) "A" Stamp (30 cents)
Rate Period : January 1, 1982 - February 14, 1983

The domestic letter  rate jumped from 17 cents to 30 cents on January 1, 1982, shortly before Canada Post Corporation took over the operation of the postal service. The maple lead stamp was  issued bearing on its face the letter A instead of the traditional denomination shown in Arabic numerals. Canada Post provided this information in its press release:

Because of the time required for production, the interval between the date of final approval of a new denomination stamp and the desired date of its issue would be too short to allow the stamp design with the correct numerical value to be printed, distributed, and ready for sale as soon as needed. Since a letter instead of a number is used in the design of the new stamp, the approved postage value can be assigned at a later date thus allowing the "A" stamp to be available in postal outlets for immediate use when the new rate is announced.

The "A" stamp was issued in sheet and coil formats.

Toronto to Weston, March 17, 1982

To Postal Station K, April 17, 1982

"A" coils paying 60 cents postage due

The maple leaf design was used for the 30 cent and 32 cent denominations issued in sheets and booklet panes (not shown). Coil formats for each denomination were printed in colours different from the sheet versions.

(b) Denominated Maple Leaf Stamps

Sheet and Coil Stamps

Booklet Panes

Vending Machine Panes

Vending machine booklets were also issued, panes of which contained one letter rate stamp in the upper right corner of each pane.

30 cents
Rate Period : January 1, 1982 - February 14, 1983

Fredericton to Guelph, July 22, 1982

Innisfail, December 10, 1982
30 cents booklet stamp

Scarborough to Guelph, February 4, 1983

30 cents coil stamp

32 cents
Rate Period : February 15, 1983 - June 23, 1985

Toronto local letter, May 11, 1982

Sept-Iles to Niagara Falls, March 12, 1984

32 cents booklet stamp

Sudbury to Niagara Falls, June 12, 1984

32 cents coil

St-Jean-sur-Richelieu to Lesotho, February 16, 1984

Pair of 32 cent coils paying the 64 cents international letter rate

3. Parliament Buildings : 1985 - 1989

In 1985, a new set of  Parliament definitives, replaced the maple leaf issue. The attractive sheet stamps featured  different images of Parliament Hill. The 34 cent and 36 cent stamps showed summer and autumn foliage respectively while different views of the Parliament buildings without foliage were featured on the 37 cent and 38 cent stamps. The coil stamps featuring Parliament Buildings with foliage were printed in single colours.

Booklet Panes

The sheet stamp designs were also used in the printing of multi-coloured booklet panes.

Panes of 10
2 x 5 : 36c, 37c
3 columns : 38c

Panes of 25
5 x 5 : 34c, 36c, 37c
3 columns : 38 c (not shown)

Vending Machine Booklets

The vending booklet panes contained one letter rate stamp  in the lower right corner of each pane, printed in a single colour.

34 cents
Letter Rate : June 24, 1985 - March 31, 1987

 Irricana to Niagara Falls, March 7, 1987

Val Rita to Aylmer West, November 26, 1985

34 cents coil

 Alexandria to Niagara Falls, June 17, 1986

34 cents from vending machine booklet

36 cents
Letter Rate : April 1, 1987 - December 31, 1987

Acton to Kitchener, December 18, 1987

MPO 140, Curtis Park, to Niagara Falls, September 15, 1987

36 cents booklet stamp

Cobourg to Kitchener, October 16, 1987

36 cents coil

Montreal to Toronto, November 25, 1987

36 cents from vending machine booklet

37 cents
Letter Rate : January 1, 1988 - December 31, 1988

 

 Sechelt to Niagara Falls, October , 1988

Cobourg local business correspondence, December 28, 1988

37 cents booklet stamp

Kapuskasing to Niagara Falls, May 12, 1988

37 cents coil

38 cents
Letter Rate : January 1, 1989 - December 31, 1989

Mission to Toronto, May 10, 1989

Summerside to Niagara Falls, July 3, 1989

38 cents booklet stamp

 Midland to Niagara Falls, October 30, 1989

38 cents coil

4.  Canadian Flag: 1989 -2000

The Canadian flag appeared on the definitive letter rate stamps replacing the Parliament Buildings theme of previous years. The flag definitives featured a fluttering or flapping flag set against various landscapes or familiar objects from diverse areas of the nation. The stamps were issued in sheet, booklet and coil formats.The 47 cent denomination was only issued in self-adhesive booklet format.

Various booklet panes were produced for each denomination (not shown). Self-adhesive booklet panes were only available  for the 46 cent and 47 cent denominations.

Coils

A fluttering flag was featured on the single-colour coil stamps.

The 47 cent stamp was not issued in coil format.

Vending Machine Booklets

The vending booklet panes contained one letter rate flag stamp  in the lower right corner of each pane.

 

 39 cents

Letter Rate : January 1, 1990 - December 31, 1990

Westport to Kingston, Augus 20, 1990

Hamilton local business correspondence, May 11, 1990

39 cents coil

40 cents
Letter Rate : January 1, 1991 - December 31, 1991

Ottawa to Rexdale, June 17, 1991

Leaf Rapids to Rexdale, June 4, 1991

40 cents booklet stamp

Schumacher to Rexdale, June 10, 1991

40 cents coil stamp

42 cents
Letter Rate : January 1, 1992 - December 31, 1992

London local correspondence, October 8, 1992

 Brampton, November 6, 1992

42 cents coil stamp

43 cents
Letter Rate : January 1, 1993 - December 31, 1995

Ottawa, August 12, 1993

Maple Creek to Niagara Falls, January 14, 1994

43 cents booklet stamp

Sudbury to Georgetown, April 3, 1995

43 cents coil

45 cents 
Letter Rate : August 1, 1995 - December 31, 1998

 Owen Sound to North York, December 2, 1995 (LPP ink jet)

 Georgetown to Norval, September 13, 1995 (LPP cancellation)

45 cents coil stamp

 46 cents
January 1, 1999 - December 31, 2000

 Brampton, January  30, 1999

46 cents from self-adhesive booklet

47 cents
Letter Rate : January 1, 2001 - January 14, 2002

Love, Saskatchewan to Kanata, March 15, 12001

5. Flag "Quick - Stick" Booklet Issues : 1989 - 1993

Five Quick-Stick booklets were issued from 1989 to 1993 showing the Canadian flag over regional backgrounds. The Canada Post Corporation provided this information in its postage stamp press release:

In recognition of today's consumers' search for products saving time and effort, Canada Post Corporation is issuing new stamp packs of 12 pressure sensitive or self-adhesive definitive stamps featuring the Canadian Flag. The stamps need only to be peeled from their backing and affixed to an envelope, offering an alternative to traditional gummed stamps.

38 cents

Edmonton to Toronto, October 12, 1989

39 cents

Toronto, October 12, 1990

40 cents

Douglastown to Toronto, March  27, 1991

42 cents

Toronto, September 14, 1992

43 cents

Ottawa to Toronto, November 9 , 1993

6. Stylized Maple Leaf : 1998

(a) Canada Post and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)  Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Trial

In April, 1998, Canada Post and CIBC initiated a one-year trial in which ATM customers could purchase domestic letter stamps at 22 CIBC ATMs located in south-central Ontario. The ATMs dispensed a self-adhesive pane of 18 stamps. The ATM stamps featured a stylized maple leaf and were issued in two denominations, 45 cents (April, 1998) and 46 cents (December 28, 1988).

 

 46 cents FDC, December 28, 1998

(b) General Distribution 45 cents Coil

On September 30, 1998, Canada Post began selling coils of 100 self-adhesive 45 cents stylized maple leaf stamps through mail order or at selected postal outlets.