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The "Foreign Rate" Cards of 1883

Introduction

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Exhibit provided by
Maurice Buxton
Competition
R. A. G. Lee Cup 2024
On 1st January 1883, a set of six new stamped post cards for the standard overseas rates were issued. There were 1d and 1½d cards for the existing rates for those values, a new 2d card for the rates on the faster route to the East via Brindisi, and for the first time a corresponding set of three reply cards for foreign use (albeit only to those countries which had agreed to accept them).

The 1d and 1½d cards could use the existing value dies for the previous issue, but the 2d value required a new design to be prepared.

The card size was increased, from the 4¾"x3½" of the previous issue to the maximum allowed by UPU regulations (140x90mm, translated to 5½"x3½" in Imperial measurements). This was in fact significantly larger than the 4¾"x3" of the inland cards, a situation that remained until nearly the end of the reign.

This exhibit illustrates the cards with mint examples and some proof and specimen material, together with some noteworthy usages (including rarely seen examples of the 1½d and 2d reply cards to their intended destinations).

(link)

Frame 1

  1. Introduction
  2. Wider Format Foreign Rate Cards
  3. 1d Single Foreign Cards
  4. 1d Brown Single and 1d + 1d Reply Card – Specimens
  5. 1d Cards on Buff Stock – Uprated for 1½d Rate Destinations
  6. 1½d Single Foreign Cards
  7. 1d + 1d and 1½d + 1½d Reply Cards – Berne UPU Specimens
  8. 1½d Brown Single and 1½d + 1½d Reply Card – Specimens
  9. 1½d Brown – Printed Card for Dominican Oranges
  10. l½d Brown – Printed Card for Railway Wagon Sales
  11. 1½d + 1½d Brown Reply Card perf. 14/3 – Early Use to St Kitts
  12. 1½d + 1½d Brown Reply Card perf. 14/3 – Used to Japan
  13. 2d Single Foreign Cards
  14. 2d Brown – Die Proof and Specimen
  15. 2d Brown Single and 2d + 2d Reply Card – Specimens
  16. 2d + 2d Brown Reply Card perf. 14/3 – Used to Japan