[Note: U.S. rates are not included in this article]
1. Rate structure
There were two international surface post card rate destinations in effect during the Centennial period: :
- Destinations to which UPU Rates Applied
- Destinations to which Preferential Rates AppliedGreat Britain and places within the Commonwealth, Republic of Ireland, France, Spain, countries of North, Central and South America, and West Indies.
2. Rate Periods
Period 1 : to October 31, 1968
Period 2 : from November 1, 1968 to June 30, 1971
Period 3 : from July 1, 1971
Period 3 : from July 1, 1971
Period 1 : to October 31, 1968
Standard UPU Rate
The UPU surface post card rate was 6 cents. The 6 cent rate came into effect on January 1, 1966. This is one of the most difficult postal rates to find.
Netherlands
Calgary to s'Gravenhage, July 13, 1967
6 cents UPU surface post card rate
Germany
Waterloo to Frankfurt, September 18, 1968
6 cents UPU surface post card rate
Meter paying the 6 cent rate
Insufficiently Paid
Sweden
Guelph to Katrineholm, Sweden, July 8, 1968
6 cents UPU surface post card rate
Shortpaid 2 cents
Canada Tax Fraction : 4/10
Swedish postage due : 30 ore
Ethiopia
Expo 67 Montreal to Addi Ababa, October (?), 1967
6 cents UPU surface post card rate
1 cent shortpaid
Canada Tax Fraction : 2/10
No indication that Ethiopian post office charged the addressee
Beloeil, Quebec, to Budapest, September 12, 1967
6 cents UPU surface post card rate
Shortpaid 1 cent
Canada Tax Fraction : 2/10
Hungarian postage due : 40 filler
Greece
Halifax to Athens, May 4, 1968
Air mail service requested (manuscript)
Probably not noticed, but would have been sent by surface mail because it was insufficiently franked for air mail service
6 cents UPU surface post card rate
Shortpaid 2 cents and large Canadian T 4/10
No indication that Greek post office charged addressee postage due
An unusual Canadian T marking
Preferential Rate
The international preferential surface post card rate was 4 cents which had been in effect since April 1, 1954.
Great Britain
Expo 67 to Ilford, August 9, 1967
4 cents preferred surface post card rate to Great Britain
Niagara Falls to London, June 5, 1968
4 cents preferred surface post card rate to Great Britain
Guelph to Oxford, October 25, 1968
4 cents preferred surface post card rate to Great Britain
b) Period 2 : from November 1, 1968 to June 30, 1971
UPU Rate
The UPU surface post card rate was increased from 6 cents to 7 cents on November 1, 1968. The international surface letter rate was increased from 10 cents to 12 cents on November 1, 1968.
I do not have a fully paid 7 cent surface post card to show. It is a very scarce rate. The examples shown below are all insufficiently prepaid with Canadian tax fractions.
Poland
Niagara Falls to Warsaw, March 16, 1970
7 cents UPU surface post card rate
Shortpaid 1 cent and taxed 2/12
No indication that Polish post office charged the addressee postage due
Windsot to Athens, August 31, 1970
7 cents UPU surface post card rate
Shortpaid 1 cent and taxed 2/12
No indication that Greek post office charged the addressee postage due
Jugoslavia
Toronto to Zagreb, August 30, 1970
7 cents UPU surface post card rate
Shortpaid 1 cent and taxed 2/12
Jugoslavian postage due 0.40 dinars
Powell River to Lausanne, Switzerland, May 17, 1971
7 cents UPU surface post card rate
Shortpaid 1 cent and Canada tax fraction 2/12
Swiss tax was 10 centimes
Hungary
Vancouver to Budapest, May 9, 1969
7 cents UPU surface post card rate
Unpaid : Canada Tax Fraction 14/12
Hungarian postage due 2 forint (the Hungarian international post card rate)
The post card shown below was shortpaid for air conveyance. 6 cents paid 60% of the 10 cents air mail rate. Since 75% prepayment was required, the card was sent by surface mail (7 cents).
Toronto to Pavina, May 28, 1969
Shortpaid for air conveyance and sent by surface mail at 7 cent UPU surface rate
Shortpaid 1 cents and Canada tax fraction 2/12 applied
No indication that the Italian post office charged the addressee postage due
Preferential Rate
The international preferential surface post card rate was increased from 4 cents to 6 cents for on November 1, 1968.
Halifax to York, March 9, 1970
6 cents preferential surface post card rate
Kitchener to Lisburn, Northern Ireland, May 25, 1971
6 cents preferential surface post card rate
From July 1, 1971
On July 1, 1971 the surface post card rates were abolished. The post card rate to all destinations was now 10 cents, the same as the air mail rate. The international letter rate to all destinations was changed to 15 cents for the 1st ounce, eliminating the surface letter rate for items less than 8 ounces in weight.
Sweden
Quebec to Orebro, July 6, 1971
10 cents international post card rate
Great Britain
Calgary to London, October 1, 1973
10 cents international post card rate
Insufficiently paid
Hong Kong
Winnipeg to Hong Kong, October 13, 1972
10 cents international post card rate
Shortpaid 5 cent : Canadian tax fraction 10/15
No indication that Hong Kong post office charged the addressee postage due
Wellington to Douth Benfield, England, July 17, 1973
10 cents international post card rate
Shortpaid 2 cents
British tax 2p
