RATE SUMMARIES

Friday, June 13, 2014

International Air Mail Letter Rates Part 2: Elizabethan Era 1953 - 1971

This is the second in a two-part consolidation of earlier articles dealing with air mail letter rates to international destinations other than to the United States. In this posting, rates in effect during the reign of Queen Elizabeth up to 1971 are presented. On July 1, 1971, the international letter rate to all destinations other than the United States was set at 15 cents per ounce ending the distinction between air mail and surface letter mail for items weighing up to 8 ounces. 

Organization
I. 1953-1954 : Karsh Issue
a) To June 30,1953
b) From July 1, 1953
II. 1954 - 1963 : Wilding Issue

III. 1963 - !967 : Cameo Period

IV. 1967 - 1971 : Centennial Issue
 a) To June 30, 1971
 b) From July 1, 1971

I. 1953 - 1954 : Karsh Issue

a) To June 30, 1953 

 Bermuda, Mexico, Central and South America, West Indies

The rate was 10 cents for each quarter ounce until June 30, 1953.

[Not shown]


Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Europe

The rate was 15 cents for each quarter ounce to June 30, 1953.


Toronto to Geneva, Switzerland, June 24 1953
15 cents one quarter ounce air mail letter rate



Toronto to London, March 23 1953
15 cents one quarter ounce air mail letter rate


Asia, Africa, Oceania

The air mail letter rate was 25 cents for each quarter ounce until June 30, 1953.


Penticton to Lagos, Nigeria, May 6 1953
25 cents one quarter ounce air mail letter rate



Montreal to Calcutta, India, June 25, 1953
25 cents one quarter ounce air mail letter rate


b) From July 1, 1953

 

 Bermuda, Mexico, Central and South America, West Indies

The rate was reduced from 10 cents for each quarter ounce to 10 cents for each half-ounce on July 1, 1953.


Toronto to Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 31 1953
10 cents one half ounce air mail letter rate


Montreal to Buenos Aires, Argentina, September 1 1953
10 cents one half ounce air mail letter rate


Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Europe

 The rate was reduced from 15 cents for each quarter-ounce to 15 cents for each half-ounce on July 1, 1953.


Toronto to Copenhagen Denmark, January 5, 1954
15 cents one half ounce air mail letter rate



Levis to Liege, Belgium, December 7 1953
15 cents one half ounce ounce air mail letter rate


Asia, Africa, Oceania

The rate was reduced from 25 cents for each quarter-ounce to 25 cents for each half-ounce on July 1, 1953.


Calgary to Port Morseby, Papua, July 12, 1953
25 cents one half ounce air mail letter rate


II. 1954 - 1963 : Wilding Period

The international air mail letter rates were unchanged during the Wilding period.


Bermuda, Mexico, Central and South America and the West Indies

The rate was 10 cents for each half ounce.


Vancouver to Colon, Panama, August 3, 1956
10 cents air mail rate to Central America


Toronto to Sousfriere, St. Lucia, November 21 1957
10 cents one-half ounce air mail rate to the West Indies


Ottawa to French St. Martin Island, French West Indies, August 7 1957
10 cent air mail rate to the West Indies


Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Europe

The rate was 15 cents for each half ounce.


Assistant Secretary to the Governor General, Ottawa to London, August 15, 1960
15 cents one half ounce air mail letter rate
Stamps overprinted "G"



Edmonton to Newcastle-on-Tyne, May 12, 1960
15 cents air mail letter rate
Canadian Pacific perfins


Arborg, Manitoba to Reykjavik, Iceland, March 3 1959
15 cents air mail letter rate


Edmonton to Glasgow, Scotland, March 11, 1960
15 cents air mail letter rate


Asia, Africa, Oceania

The air mail letter rate was 25 cents for each half ounce.


Toronto to Dahran, Saudi Arabia, November 28 1959
25 cents one half ounce air mail rate



Toronto to Taipei, Taiwan, December 7, 1955
25 cents air mail letter rate



Montreal to Tokyo, August 15, 1957
25 cents air mail letter rate
Re-mailed in Japan, 35 yen stamp cancelled August 22, 1957



Ladysmith to Hong Kong, January 3, 1958
25 cents air mail letter rate
Re-mailed from Hong Kong to London, January 8, 1958 ($1.30 postage)



Barrie to Adamstown, Pitcairn Islands, July 27, 1959
25 cents air mail letter rate
Pitcairn Islands receiver July 24, 1959



Ottawa to Amkhut, India, April 16 1956
25 cents paying the 1/2 ounce air mail rate



Clinton to Seoul, October 28 1955
50 cents paying the 1 ounce air mail rate (2 x 25 cents/ 1/2 ounce)


IV. 1963 - 1967 : Cameo Period

The international air mail letter rates introduced on July 1, 1953, remained in effect during the Cameo  period.

 Bermuda, Mexico, Central and South America and the West Indies

The rate was 10 cents for each half ounce.


Rockglen to Quezeltenago, Guatemala, September 1966
10 cents one-half ounce air mail rate to Central America


Machine receiver September 29, 1966
Quezeltenago receiver September 30, 1966



Beachville to Rio Cuarto, Argentina, May 17, 1965
10 cents one-half ounce rate to South America


Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Europe

The rate was 15 cents for each half ounce.


Tete Jaune Cache, B.C., to Norwich, England, February 16, 1963
15 cents paying the one-half ounce air mail rate
Jasper and Prince George R.P.O. (135) handstamp



Toronto to Digby, England, June 7, 1963
15 cents one-half ounce rate



Toronto to Wolfsburg, West Germany, October 26, 1964
15 cents one-half ounce rate to Europe



Kitchener to Stockholm, December 19, 1964
15 cents one-half ounce rate



Downsview to s'Gravenhage, November 21, 1965



Lachute to Milan, May 18, 1964
15 cents one-half ounce rate to Europe


Asia, Africa, Oceania

The air mail letter rate was 25 cents for each half ounce.


Toronto to Holon, October 27, 1962
25 cents one-half ounce rate



Calgary to Kobe, Japan, December 31, 1966
25 cent rate to Asia



Downsview to Gadag, India, October 1, 1964
25 cent rate to India



Goderich to Gilbert and Ellice Islands, November 13, 1963
25 cents air mail letter rate


St. Francois de Laval to Cotonou, Dahomey
25 cents air mail letter rate



Sorel to Elizabethville, Congo, December 21, 1964
25 cent rate to Africa



Vancouver to Utulei Vava'u, July 31, 1966
25 cent rate to Oceania



Vancouver to Numurkah, Western Australia, December 17, 1963
25 cent rate to Oceania
Redirected at Numurkah, January 8, 1964



Camp Borden to Accra, Ghana, December 7 1965
50 cents paying the 1 ounce air mail rate


 V. 1967 - 1971 : Centennial Issue


At the start of the Centennial period, February 8, 1967, there were three international air mail rate destinations in effect (excluding the United States). The rates were simplified during the period and on July 1, 1971 a 15 cent (1st ounce) letter rate to all destinations was introduced.


 Bermuda, Mexico, Central and South America and the West Indies

 10 cent rate To May 31, 1967

The air mail letter rate to destinations in the Western hemisphere was 10 cents for each half ounce, and was in effect from April 1, 1954 to May 30, 1967.

Jamaica

 Vancouver to Linstead, April 18, 1967
10 cent air mail letter rate to the West Indies

Chile

Toronto to Santiago, April 5, 1967
10 cents air mail letter rate to South America

 Argentina

Beauharnois to Cordoba, February 16, 1967
10 cents air mail letter rate


15 cent rate from June 1, 1967

On June 1, 1967, the air mail letter rate to destinations in the Western Hemisphere was increased to 15 cents for each half ounce, the same as the rate to Great Britain, Ireland and Europe.


Trinidad

North Surrey to Port of Spain, August 9, 1967
15 cents air mail letter rate

Mexico

Victoria to Mexico City, July 22, 1969
15 cents air mail letter rate

Argentina

Windsor to Cordoba, August 22, 1968
15 cents air mail letter rate

Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and Europe

Great Britain

 Victoria to Old Windsor, December 14, 1967
15 cents air mail letter rate to Great Britain


German Federal Republic

Vancouver to Munich, July 31, 1967
15 cents air mail letter rate to Europe

 German Democratic Republic

Levis to Treuen, May 12, 1968
15 cents air mail letter rate to Europe

France

Montreal to Paris, June 22, 1967
15 cents air mail letter rate to Europe

 Switzerland

Montreal to Nietikon, June 15, 1967
15 cents air mail letter rate to Switzerland

Iceland

Toronto to Icelnad, December 16, 1969
15 cents air mail letter rate to Europe

Italy

Toronto to Rome, December 28, 1967
15 cents air mail letter rate to Europe


Africa, Asia and Oceania

The air mail letter rate to destinations in Africa, Asia and Oceania was 25 cents for each half ounce.

Kenya

Victoria to Ugunja, Kenya, February 25, 1967
25 cents air mail letter rate

Bahrain

New Westminster to Awali, December 7, 1968
25 cents air mail letter rate

India

Islington to Amristsar, December 18, 1970
25 cents air mail letter rate

South Africa

 Vernon to Johannesburg, May 25, 1971
25 cents air mail letter rate

 Egypt


 Montreal to Alexandria, April 7, 1970
25 cents air mail letter rate

 Australia

Victoria to Melbourne, January 2, 1969
25 cents air mail letter rate


 Singapore

Montreal to Singapore, February 24, 1971
25 cents air mail letter rate


B. From July 1, 1971

On July 1 1971, the international air mail letter rate to all countries (excluding the U.S.) was set at 15 cents per ounce. More significantly, the surface and air mail rates for items up to 8 ounces to all destinations were the same, effectively eliminating the surface letter rate for items weighing up to 8 ounces.



 Slogan cancellation to advise mailers of the change in international postal rates. Surface letter rates were no longer in effect.

Rates per item:
i)1 oz. or less------------------------ .15
ii) more than 1 oz. but
not more than 2 oz.------------------.30
iii)more than 2 oz. but
not more than 4 oz.------------------.40
iv) more than 4 oz. but
no more than 8 oz.-------------------.90

For air mail letters weighing more than 8 ounces there were two rate destinations (excluding the USA):

  • Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Europe, Bermuda, Mexico, Central and South America, West Indies:
v) more than 8 oz. but
not more than 12 oz.----------------2.00
vi)more than 12 oz. but
not more than 1 lb.------------------2.80
vi) each additional 4 oz.
or fraction thereof--------------------.80
  • All other countries
v) more than 8 oz. but
not more than 12 oz.----------------3.50
vi)more than 12 oz. but
not more than 1 lb.------------------4.50
vi) each additional 4 oz.
or fraction thereof-------------------1.40

Great Britain
  Whitehorse to Westminster, August 1971
15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce
Sweden

 Kitchener-Waterloo to Stockholm, December 13, 1971
15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

 India

Toronto to Delhi, December 17, 1971
15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce

Japan
 Ottawa to Tokyo, March 5, 1973
15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce


Australia

Bleinheim to New Lambton, September 22, 1972
15 cents international letter rate for the 1st ounce