SHOW MENUSurface Postcard Rates 1930-2004
No service to Europe from 1st February 1982. From 1975 (except for a short time in 1980-81) the rates to the UK were the same as the basic surface letter rate, which was in turn the same as the basic inland second class rate. Specific postcard rates were no longer quoted in the rates leaflets from 1999, but were mentioned in the Post Office Schemes until 2004, when surface letter post service to the Forces ceased.
1930-1957
| Date | UK, Eire, HM Forces, C/wealth | USA | Rest of the world | Date | UK, Eire, HM Forces, C/wealth | USA | Rest of the world |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| by 1930 (1 Jul) |
1d | 1½d | 1½d | 1940 (1 May) |
free | 2d | 2d (France local: free) |
| 1948 (1 Apr) |
1d | 2d | 2d | 1948 (1 Jul) |
1d | 2d | 2d |
| 1950 (1 Oct) |
1d | 2d | 2½d | 1957 (30 Sep) |
Last day | ||
1957-1975
| Date | UK, Eire, Forces, C/wealth | Rest of world | Date | UK, Eire, Forces, C/wealth | Rest of world | Date | UK, Eire, Forces, C/wealth | Rest of world |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 (1 Oct) |
1½d | 4d | 1965 (17 May) |
2d | 4d | 1966 (3 Oct) |
2d | 5d |
| 1968 (16 Sep) |
4d | 5d | 1971 (15 Feb) |
1½p | 2p | 1971 (1 Jul) |
2½p | 3p |
| 1973 (10 Sep) |
3½p | 4p | 1974 (24 Jun) |
4p | 4p | 1975 (16 Mar) |
Last day | |
1975-2004
It is not clear if the civilian cheaper rates to the EEC from 1986-90 also applied to the Forces, hence the question marks below.
| Date | UK, Eire, Forces | Rest of world | Date | UK, Eire, Forces | Rest of world | Date | UK, Eire, Forces | Rest of world | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 (17 Mar) |
5½p | 6p | 1975 (29 Sep) |
6½p | 7p | 1976 (26 Apr) |
6½p | 7p | |
| 1976 (7 Jun) |
6½p | 7p | 1977 (13 Jun) |
7p | 8p | 1979 (20 Aug) |
8p | 9p | |
| 1980 (4 Feb) |
9½p | 10½p | 1981 (26 Jan) |
11½p | 18p | 1982 (1 Feb) |
12½p | 19½p | |
| 1983 (5 Apr) |
12½p | 20½p | 1984 (3 Sep) |
13p | 22p | 1985 (4 Nov) |
12p | 22p | |
| 1986 (20 Oct) |
13p | 22p (EEC 18p?) |
1988 (5 Sep) |
14p | 23p (EEC 19p?) |
1989 (2 Oct) |
15p | 24p (EEC 20p?) |
|
| 1990 (17 Sep) |
17p | 26p (EEC 22p?) |
1991 (16 Sep) |
18p | 28p | 1993 (1 Nov) |
19p | 30p | |
| 1996 (8 Jul) |
20p | 31p | 1999 (26 Apr) |
19p | 34p | 2000 (27 Apr) |
20p | 34p | |
| 2002 (4 Jul) |
19p | 37p | 2003 (8 May) |
20p | 37p | 2004 (31 Mar) |
Last day | ||
Notes
- Imperial and Foreign Post Warrant 1930
- Imperial and Foreign Post Amendment (No. 3) Warrant 1940. Includes a free rate to addresses in France from Army or RAF personnel serving in France, omitted from the next update 21 Nov 1940 (Imperial and Foreign Post Warrant 1940)
- British Commonwealth and Foreign Post Warrant 1948
- British Commonwealth and Foreign Post Amendment (No. 1) Warrant 1948
- British Commonwealth and Foreign Post Amendment (No. 4) Warrant 1950
- British Commonwealth and Foreign Post Amendment (No. 2) Warrant 1957
- British Commonwealth and Foreign Post Amendment (No. 5) Regulations 1965
- British Commonwealth and Foreign Post Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 1966
- British Commonwealth and Foreign Post Amendment (No. 3) Regulations 1968
- Post Office (British Commonwealth and Foreign Post) Amendment (No.2) Scheme 1971
- Post Office Overseas Letter Post Scheme 1971
- Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.5) Scheme 1973. The previous direct references to mail from HM Forces were removed from clause 5 of the Scheme – it appears that the general clause 42 regarding such mail now implied that the rates were the same as for mail posted from the UK?
- Note regarding rate equivalence as above. PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet gave a rate of 4½p. The Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.7) Scheme 1974 of 23rd May had the same rate, but that Scheme had errors and was revoked and replaced by the Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.7A) Scheme 1974 of 27th June (coming into operation 8th July). Unfortunately this quoted the postcard rate as 4p! The higher rate appears to be correct
- Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.8) Scheme 1975
- (second) Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.9) Scheme 1975 (the number of this Scheme was duplicated in error)
- Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.11) Scheme 1976
- Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.12) Scheme 1976
- Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.13) Scheme 1977
- Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.2) Scheme 1979
- Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.4) Scheme 1980
- Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.6) Scheme 1981
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Scheme 1982
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.2) Scheme 1983
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.3) Scheme 1984
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.4) Scheme 1985
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.6) Scheme 1986
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.8) Scheme 1988
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.9) Scheme 1989
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, and technically Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.11) Scheme 1991
(The Schemes published in the London Gazette in 1990 jumped from No.10 to No.12, with the missing No.11 apparently being the one which would have contained the rates in the leaflet. Replacement No.11 and No.12 schemes were published in March 1991 to correct what appears to have been a blunder. In the circumstances I have taken what appear to be the correct rates (matching the civilian ones), but evidence from actual items is welcome) - PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.13) Scheme 1991
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.15) Scheme 1993
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.16) Scheme 1996, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.17) Scheme 1998
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.18) Scheme 1999
- PO HM Forces Overseas Postal Rates leaflet, Post Office Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.20) Scheme 2000
- Consignia plc Inland Letter Post Amendment (No.4) Scheme 2002
- Royal Mail Group plc Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.7) Scheme 2003
- Royal Mail Group plc Overseas Letter Post Amendment (No.9) Scheme 2004
