Sunday, August 1, 2010

1952 Forest Products Definitive

Queen Elizabeth II was proclaimed sovereign of each of the Commonwealth realms on February 6 1952, after the death of her father, King George VI. Queen Elizabeth's Coronation took place on June 2, 1953, several months after she acceded to the throne.

This is the first in a series of posts that will deal with the definitive and commemorative stamps issued during the Elizabethan period.

The first stamp issued during Queen Elizabeth's reign was the 20 cent Forest Products definitive issued on April 1, 1952. This denomination was commonly used to pay the minimum registration fee.

The stamp was designed by Alan L. Pollock.

Approved Essay



1. First Day Covers















2. Usages

Acknowledgment of Receipt Subsequent to Despatch


20 cent AR subsequent to despatch of registered article.
Card mailed from Toronto Station E, October 28, 1958. Article had been mailed on July 22, 1952 and delivered on July 23, 1952




Domestic Registration

The minimum registration fee was 2o cents (up to $25 indemnity)


Registered 3 ounce letter from Halifax to Bonavista, October 8, 1953
20 cents registration fee + 8 cents three ounce surface forward letter rate
"G" overprints



British Columbia General Election mailing
The letter contained a Ballot Box key and documents mailed to the Returning Officer after the election
Ganges to Nanaimo, June 13, 1952
20 cents registration fee + 6 cents forward letter rate ( 2 ounces)

International Air Mail



C.D. Howe, Minister of Trade and Commerce
House of Commons to Scarborough, England, December 8 1952
30 cents paying the double air mail rate to Great Britain ( 2 x 15 cents per one-half ounce)
Official stamps "G" overprints



Milverton to Subiaca, West Australia, December 9, 1953
25 cents paying the 1/2 ounce rate to Oceania



Toronto to Geelong, Australia, December 7, 1953
25 cents one-half ounce air mail letter rate to Oceania
Undeliverable and returned with a charge of 3 cents

Letters with return addresses originating from Canada addressed to any country other than Canada, Great Britain, Republic of Ireland, the United States, Mexico, and Columbia, were NOT returned directly to senders if they failed to be delivered at the office of destination. The letters were returned through the Canadian Dead Letter Office subject to the charge of 3 cents each.


Vancouver Dead Letter Office (DLO) No. 3
February 19, 1954


3 cent return charge applied by the Vancouver DLO


International Registration

The international registration fee was 20 cents


Lethbridge to Budapest, May 23, 1953
20 cents registration fee + 15 cents air mail post card rate to Europe