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Postcard Rates 1947-2005

Introduction

1948 - Zone A airmail postcard to Palestine at 3d rate, uprated inland card
The grouping of destinations outside Europe introduced on 17th January 1947 applied to postcards as well as letters, and there were single airmail postcard rates in-between the surface postcard and airmail letter rates.

From 26th January 1981 there was a single airmail postcard rate for all non-European destinations. Initially this was the same as the minimum Zone A airmail letter rate, but between 1984 and 2005 it offered a cheaper rate than any airmail letter.

From 2005 airmail postcard rates have been the same as the basic airmail letter rates, although separate postcard rates were still quoted until 2013.

Rates

1. Zones A, B, and C 1947-1981

Date Zone A Zone B Zone C Date Zone A Zone B Zone C Date Zone A Zone B Zone C
1947
(17 Jan)
3d 6d 7d 1952
(1 May)
5d 8d 9d 1966
(3 Oct)
6d 9d 10d
1971
(15 Feb)
2½p 4p 4p 1971
(1 Jul)
3p 4p 5p 1973
(10 Sep)
4p 5p 6p
1975
(17 Mar)
6½p 7½p 9p 1975
(29 Sep)
8p 9p 10p 1977
(13 Jun)
9p 10p 11p
1979
(20 Aug)
11p 12p 13p 1980
(4 Feb)
13p 14p 15p

2. Worldwide Postcards 1981-2005

Date Rate Date Rate Date Rate Date Rate Date Rate
1981
(26 Jan)
20p 1982
(1 Feb)
24p 1983
(5 Apr)
26p 1988
(5 Sep)
27p 1989
(2 Oct)
29p
1990
(17 Sep)
31p 1991
(16 Sep)
33p 1993
(1 Nov)
35p 1996
(8 Jul)
37p 1999
(26 Apr)
38p
2000
(27 Apr)
40p 2002
(4 Jul)
42p 2004
(1 Apr)
43p