SHOW MENUSample Rates 1899-1971
Introduction
1937 - basic 1d for 4oz, sent to USA on the Queen Mary
It also covered scientific and natural history specimens (originally a wide range of such specimens were allowed, but in later years only medicines sent by recognised laboratories qualified), and (in pre-war days at least) keys and printers' blocks.
The weight limit for Empire (and later on Commonwealth) destinations was 5lb, which was much higher than the maximum weight allowed for the rest of the world – which over most of this period was only 1lb. Rates above 1lb are given in the table below but this limit should be borne in mind.
Samples as a distinct category of mail were discontinued from 1st July 1971.
Rates
| Date | Rate | Date | Rate | Date | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1899 (1 Jan) |
1d - 4oz 1½d - 6oz 2d - 8oz 2½d - 10oz 3d - 12oz |
1921 (13 Jun) |
1d - 4oz 1½d - 6oz 2d - 8oz 2½d - 10oz 3d - 12oz 3½d - 14oz 4d - 1lb 4½d - 1lb 2oz 5d - 1lb 4oz 5½d - 1lb 6oz 6d - 1lb 8oz 6½d - 1lb 10oz Each addl. 2oz - ½d |
1949 (1 May) |
1d - 2oz 1½d - 4oz 2d - 6oz 2½d - 8oz 3d - 10oz 3½d - 12oz 4d - 14oz 4½d - 1lb 5d - 1lb 2oz 5½d - 1lb 4oz 6d - 1lb 6oz 6½d - 1lb 8oz Each addl. 2oz - ½d |
| 1950 (1 Oct) |
1½d - 2oz 2d - 4oz 2½d - 6oz 3d - 8oz 3½d - 10oz 4d - 12oz 4½d - 14oz 5d - 1lb 5½d - 1lb 2oz 6d - 1lb 4oz 6½d - 1lb 6oz 7d - 1lb 8oz Each addl. 2oz - ½d |
1957 (1 Oct) |
2d - 2oz 3d - 4oz 4d - 6oz 5d - 8oz 6d - 10oz 7d - 12oz 8d - 14oz 9d - 1lb 10d - 1lb 2oz 11d - 1lb 4oz 1s - 1lb 6oz 1s 1d - 1lb 8oz Each addl. 2oz - 1d |
1963 (1 Jul) |
2½d - 2oz 4d - 4oz 5½d - 6oz 7d - 8oz 8½d - 10oz 10d - 12oz 11½d - 14oz 1s 1d - 1lb 1s 2½d - 1lb 2oz 1s 4d - 1lb 4oz 1s 5½d - 1lb 6oz 1s 7d - 1lb 8oz Each addl. 2oz - 1½d |
| 1966 (3 Oct) |
4d - 2oz 6d - 4oz 8d - 6oz 10d - 8oz 1s - 10oz 1s 2d - 12oz 1s 4d - 14oz 1s 6d - 1lb 1s 8d - 1lb 2oz 1s 10d - 1lb 4oz 2s - 1lb 6oz 2s 2d - 1lb 8oz Each addl. 2oz - 2d |
1971 (15 Feb) |
1½p - 2oz 2½p - 4oz 3½p - 6oz 4½p - 8oz 5½p - 10oz 6½p - 12oz 7½p - 14oz 8½p - 1lb 9½p - 1lb 2oz 10½p - 1lb 4oz 11½p - 1lb 6oz 12½p - 1lb 8oz Each addl. 2oz - 1p |
