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Post by jamesw on Apr 6, 2014 23:53:39 GMT
Here's an unused postal card, or Private Mailing Card, as it calls itself for a harness company, circa 1920. The postal instructions in the corner caught my attention. 1¢ NO WAR TAX Put one cent stamp here. How would you folks interpret that? I take it to mean that the card is exempt from paying war tax. That only a single 1¢ stamp is required. Or am I missing something. It seems a little ambiguous to me.   |
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rod222
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Post by rod222 on Apr 7, 2014 0:39:13 GMT
I can't see it being exempt,
I'd suggest possibly the merchant pays the shortfall at the PO for instances of returned cards.
He would pay with sheets of postage dues.
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therealwesty
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Post by therealwesty on Apr 7, 2014 12:04:06 GMT
The War Tax on first class mail, being letters and postcards, was in effect from 1915 until 1926. The offer on the postcard is "good till end of August 1920" so it certainly falls into this period. I wonder if this case classifies as a business reply card or something other than first class mail, which may have given it some exemption from the war tax.
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Post by jamesw on Apr 9, 2014 1:36:49 GMT
Realwesty, I'm curious where you get the 1926 cut off date for the war tax. My research, so far, has shown the Special War Revenue Act of 1915 was on the books, though largely ignored, until it was replaced by the Excise Stamp Act of 1953. I read somewhere that the government tried to renew encouragement (for lack of a better word) of the payment of the tax in the 1930s.
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therealwesty
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Post by therealwesty on Apr 9, 2014 11:56:00 GMT
The War Tax came and went on different rates and destinations through the period. Here's a chart outlining the rates between 1868-1954 on the Postal History Corner blog. In my own notes on the domestic rate I have scribbled that only the rate on empire bound mails changed in 1926. I am not sure of the reference I used when made my own chart, but if I can find my source I will share it. |
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cjd
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Post by cjd on Apr 9, 2014 14:42:25 GMT
Hmmm, I posted something yesterday afternoon that doesn't seem to be here...
This card appears to be Third Class mail, printed matter. The War Tax did not apply to Third Class mail. The Third Class rate was one cent up to two ounces.
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tomiseksj
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What I collect: Worldwide stamps/covers, Cinderellas, Ohio Prepaid Sales Tax Receipts, U.S. WWII Ration ephemera
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Post by tomiseksj on Apr 9, 2014 15:00:56 GMT
Hmmm, I posted something yesterday afternoon that doesn't seem to be here... I recall reading your post because it prompted me to do some Googling. This isn't the first time that posts have "disappeard" from the forum and I'm not sure why that happens. Unfortunately, it seems that the proboards software doesn't maintain a "deleted" folder so there is no way that I know of to recover a deleted post or thread. |
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cjd
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Post by cjd on Apr 9, 2014 18:11:01 GMT
The other point I made yesterday, which bears repeating, is that this applies to KGV era, only. I have no idea what happened later...
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Post by jamesw on Apr 10, 2014 1:20:08 GMT
Realwesty, your chart is very useful, and I love the covers on your site, especially the Niagara ones, my old stomping grounds.
You've prompted me to take a closer look at a book I purchased recently, 'Canada, Domestic and International Postal Rates and Fees, 1870-1999' by Dr Robert Smith and Anthony Wawrukiewicz.
Sure enough the answers I seek are right in the footnotes!
As you've suggested the war tax was removed from letters on July 1, 1926 (post cards on June17, though the rate for post cards remained 2¢)
The tax was reimposed on letters (1¢) in 1931. In 1951 war tax was incorporated into the basic postage rates, leaving the effective postage cost unchanged.
Sometimes the answers are right under our noses (or on our bookshelves).
cjd's comment on third class mail makes sense. Excellent info gents. Many thanks.
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therealwesty
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Post by therealwesty on Apr 10, 2014 4:20:20 GMT
James, that site is not mine! Just one of the references I used when I made my own chart. I have an excel spreadsheet and a rough chart done with pencil and paper exploring Canadian postal rates. It's a little ongoing project to try to determine proper usage for the various stamps issued in Canada. That blog is great reference for historic rates though, and I agree the covers are excellent examples of the rates througout history. I only aspire to have such amazing samples.
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cjd
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Post by cjd on Apr 10, 2014 12:55:06 GMT
That's a great site. The distinction between local/drop letters and regular mail is interesting.
According to the site, the war tax continued after 1926 for letters that were being deposited at the post office of the addressee (i.e., letters that didn't need to be delivered to another post office...those letters only required one penny in postage, but the extra war tax surcharge continued for them).
Put another way, if I'm in Hamilton and I mail a letter to someone in Hamilton, that was a one-cent, drop letter, but if I mail a letter to someone in Toronto, that was a two-cent forward letter. I would have had to keep track of that difference up until 1926, when the war tax went away on the letter to Toronto, but continued on the letter staying in Hamilton. After 1926, it actually got easier for the mailer, as both would have been two cents.
Do I have this right?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2014 15:56:21 GMT
[Posted by former member @phc ]
cid
You have it right. I am working on the local matter rates from 1868 to 1968 and will be posting soon. The 1st step local rate was the same as the as 1st step forward rate from June 21, 1926 to June 30, 1931. But the rate for each additional ounce was 1 cent for local letters and 2 cents for forward letters. The local 2 ounce rate was 3 cents while the forward 2 ounce rate was 4 cents. So it was still a bit confusing.
Glad to see that the Postal History Corner is being read.
PHC
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therealwesty
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Post by therealwesty on Apr 11, 2014 1:24:55 GMT
PHC, your site has been an amazing resource! I have been trying to compile a comprehensive table of postal rates to present, so your site has been invaluable. My interest stems from trying to determine why stamps of a particular denomination were printed. Your examples of proper single usage and research on the rates through the ages has been a huge help. Thanks for all your hard work!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2014 5:15:07 GMT
[Posted by former member @phc]
therealwesty, thank you for your comments. While it is true that some denominations are printed to meet a specific rate need, e.g., the 7 c jet, the 7c surcharged jet, the 8 c jet stamps, other denominations were printed to make up rates. The 20 cent War Issue definitive is good example of a stamp used in multiples or with other stamps. I don't think Canada Post Office issues\d the 20 cents to prepay the rate for which a single 20 cent stamp would have been necessary : Acknowledgment of Receipt fee subsequent to mailing. For some denominations asking what it was issued for is like asking why the Bank of Canada prints $20.00 bills. It's a useful denomination.
Sometimes Canada Post Office did not issue a denomination even though there was a real need. From 1946 on, the 1st weight step airmail rate to Europe was 15 cents but he first 15 cent stamp issued in the modern era was the CAPEX commemorative, and the 15 cent Gannett definitive was issued in 1954!
phc
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