Sundry Jottings from my database (circa 2002)
Take from it, what you will
In 1898, the UPU required that the postage stamps representing typical
Union rates be printed in blue for letters, red for postcards, green for
printed matter.
In 1898, the US rates were 5, 2,and 1 cents respectively.
In 1925, the card rate was raised to 3 cents. In 1932, the printed matter
rate was raised to 1.5 cents, yet the 1 and 2 cent stamps were maintained
in green and red through the 1952 end of the color rule and beyond.
Does anyone know (presumably from something published between 1925 and the
present) the reason why the US did not change colors when the rates were
changed.?
Canada does appear to have changed colours with the rates.
1903 Edward VII
1c green printed matter,
2c carmine postcard ,
5c blue letter.
US 1c special postcard Rate:
images.andale.com/f2/104/103/20403533/1125428068264_Scan10081.jpg 2c postcards to Peru + Belgium
filateliamk.freeservers.com/1105/53981a.jpg filazap.8m.com/aa/aa659a.jpg 1908 Quebec as 1903
1911 Admirals as 1902
guillermojalil.com/images/48361.jpg US 1c special postcard rate 1916
filateliamk.freeservers.com/1124/9665a.jpg 1922 Admirals reissued
2c green (previously carmine), printed matter (+1c)
3c carmine (previously brown) , postcard (+1c)
8c blue (no previous 8c) letter (+3c)
1c changed to orange
5c changed to violet
1928 George V as 1922 issue
1930 issue (depression)
1c reverts to green printed matter (-1c)
2c green becomes brown
3c carmine (no change) postcard (--)
5c reverts to blue letter (-3c)
8c changes to orange
1c postcard as printed matter (short message)
www.southcollector.com/images/w678.jpg 1942 George VI per 1930
1949 George VI
1c remains green printed matter (--)
3c changed to violet
4c now carmine postcard (+1c)
5c remains blue letter (--)
1953 issue
1c reverts to brown
2c becomes green printed matter (+1c)
3c reverts to carmine postcard (-1c)
4c becomes violet
5c remains blue Letter (--)
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In 1898 the UPU issued rules to standardize the color of stamps for certain
basic rates so postal clerks in any country could tell if a the postage on a
letter was properly paid. The colors were green for a domestic post card, red
for the first weight unit of a domestic letter (in the U.S., the first ounce),
and blue for the first weight unit of an international letter. The rule was
issued in 1898, forcing the U.S. to change the colors of several of its current
definitives (see Scott 279 and following). Red remained the color of a basic
U.S. domestic letter rate stamp until 1933, when the rate went to 3 cents and
the Post Office entered its "Purple Period." Without digging out all sorts of
other reference books, I couldn't say why red did not become the color of the
new 3-cent stamps.
(TSF Member Mr Blair Stannard)
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Blair again,
Hi Dakota:
In the old days, postal clerks around the world were not too
knowledgeble about the currencies of the various countries.
To ensure that letters were properly prepaid, the UPU made up
rules that covered the colour of stamps.
Thus the stamp paying the basic rate for a letter would be red.
Hence the US 2c stamp was red as was the UK 1d stamp, the
Canadian 2c and later 3c stamps and the Australian (and other
British Empire countries) 1d stamps. Thus postal clerks abroad
knew that the proper letter rate was paid.
I believe the practice continued into the 1930s.
Blair
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