Postal History Corner: 3. United States Letter Rates: 1851 to the present day

Special postal treaties (Conventions) between Canada and the United States have governed letter rates between the countries since before Confederation.

A. 1851 - 1868

1. 1851 - 1859

In 1851, an agreement between the United States and Canada established a uniform combined rate of 6d. currency or 10 cents American per one-half ounce letter with prepayment and use of postage stamps optional. A number of exchange offices were designated which were required to stamp "Canada" on all letters passing through.

Paid Letters

Paid letter from Smith Falls to Washington, D.C., March 10, 1855

6 d. currency /10 cents U.S. rate

"PAID 6D" handstamp applied

"C 10" was applied by the exchange office

Paid letter from Toronto to Boston, August 25, 1856

6 d. currency /10 cents U.S. rate

Since Toronto was an exchange office, the Canadian rate was not stamped on the letter.

Paid letter Kingston to New York, October 29, 1851

6 d. currency /10 cents U.S. rate

Arc type exchange marking

PAID 10 (cents)

Unpaid Letters

Unpaid letter Kingston to New York, December 16, 1854

6 d. currency /10 cents U.S. rate

Since Kingston was an exchange office, the Canadian rate was not stamped on the letter. "CANADA 10 Cts" in black indicated that the letter was unpaid.

Unpaid letter Montreal to New York, May 9, 1851

1 s. currency/ 20 cents U.S. one ounce (double weight) letter rate to the United States

The amounts due were written in manuscript

1/- (1 shilling currency)

20 (cents U.S.)

2. 1859 - 1868

On July 1, 1859, all rates and charges made by the Post Office of the Province of Canada were to be collected in decimal currency, substituting cents for pence.

The rate to the United States became 10 cents when decimal currency was introduced. There was no further need of exchange offices to convert Canadian pence to U.S. cents.

Welland to Farmington, Michigan, May 2, 1860
10 cents letter rate to the United States

Montreal to Brattleboro, Vermont, March 26, 1861
10 cents letter rate to the United States

St. Laurent D'Orleans to Bath, Maine, July 22, 1861
10 cents letter rate to the United States

10 cents in manuscript

B. 1868 To the Present Day

When the newly formed Dominion of Canada's Post Office Act came into effect on April 1, 1868, the rate to and from the United States was 6 cents per 1/2 oz. on prepaid letters and 10 cents per 1/2 oz. on unpaid letters.

Paid

a) Stamped

Montreal to New York, June 9, 1868

6 cents prepaid letter rate to the United States

Kingston to Portland, CPnn., April 26, 1873

6 cents prepaid 1/2 oz. letter rate to the United States

b) Stampless

Postage stamps were not required for franking until October 1, 1875.

St. Athanase, Quebec, to Plattsburgh, December 16, 1873

6 cents prepaid 1/2 oz. letter rate to the United States

Unpaid

Allanburg to Belleville, N.Y., September 18, 1871

10 cents unpaid 1/2 oz. letter to the United States

U.S. "DUE 10" handstamp

A reduced letter rate agreement, effective February 1, 1875, provided that letters mailed in Canada to the United States and vice versa, were to be fully prepaid at the domestic letter rates of the country of origin, and the country of destination received, forwarded, and delivered the letters free of charge. The unpaid letter rate was abolished.

a) Stamped

Montreal to Dingmans Ferry, Pa., August 18, 1879

3 cents 1/2 oz. letter rate to the United States

b) Stampless

The use of postage stamps became compulsory in Canada on October 1, 1875.

St. Johns, quebec, to Norwich, Conn., September 27, 1875 (late date)

3 cents 1/2 oz. letter rate to the United States

The Canadian domestic letter rate was reduced from 3 cents per 1/2 oz. to 3 cents per oz. on May 8, 1889. The letter rate to the United States was similarly changed.

Toronto to West Liberty, Iowa, April 27, 1891

3 cents per ounce letter rate to the United States

The letter rate was reduced to 2 cents for each ounce.

Ottawa to Bisbee, Arizona, December 24, 1901

2 cents per ounce letter rate to the United States

Winnipeg to Cincinnati, November 16, 1906

2 cents per ounce letter rate to the United States

Halifax to New Haven, May 15, 1914

2 cents per ounce letter rate to the United States

War Tax Period I (1915- 1926)

A war tax of 1 cent was imposed only on the first ounce letter rate and not on subsequent weight steps. The tax could be paid using War Tax stamps or ordinary postage stamps.

Toronto to New Haven, August 11, 1915

2 cents postage + 1 cent War Tax paying the letter rate to the United States

Letters mailed without the prepaid War Tax were to be returned to the sender for payment of the War Tax. When the sender was not known, the letter was to be endorsed "War Tax" and sent to the Dead Letter Office (D.L.O.).

Bawle. Alberta, to Broooklyn, November 13, 1916

1 cent War Tax unpaid

No return address so letter forwarded to D.L.O. Toronto where 1 cent stamp affixed to pay the tax.

War Tax stamp combined 2 cents postage and 1 cent War Tax

Montreal to Appleton, Wisc., February 7, 1916

1Tc War Tax stamp : 2 cents postage + 1 cent War Tax paying the letter rate to the United States

Montreal to New York, July 31, 1937

1Tc War Tax stamp : 2 cents postage + 1 cent War Tax paying the letter rate to the United States

Montreal to Binghampton, N.Y., January 13, 1921

3 cent stamp : 2 cents postage + 1 cent War Tax paying the letter rate to the United States

Montreal to Los Angeles, May 31, 1926

3 cent stamp : 2 cents postage + 1 cent War Tax paying the letter rate to the United States

Removal of War Tax (1926 - 1931)

The War Tax was removed in 1926.

Montreal to Boston, March 28, 1927

2 cents letter rate to the United States

Windsor to Detroit, March 12, 1927

2 cents letter rate to the United States

Toronto to New York, October 29, 1928

2 cents letter rate to the United States

Sault Ste Marie to Worcester, August 26, 1930

2 cents letter rate to the United States

War Tax Period II (1931 - 1943)

The 1 cent War Tax was reimposed in 1931.