The Small Queens
The Main Rates - A Short Guide
As a rule of thumb, all letter rates were per half ounce or part thereof until May 1889 when the domestic rate and that to the United States were increased to one ounce or part thereof. Until October 1, 1875 while it was mandatory to prepay registration fees, it was required neither to pay postage with the use of stamps, nor indeed to prepay postage at all, though that failure cost the recipient 5˘ instead of 3˘ had the sender forked out the cash.
Half Cent Rates
Domestic newspaper rate
Unaddressed circular rate, i.e., ‘junk mail’
Unsealed mail containing circulars. In fact not an official rate, but the Maritime Provinces allowed such mail through without surcharge.
One Cent Rates
Drop Letter rate , i.e., letters collected by the addressee at the post office at which the letter was mailed. Until 1875 there is no weight restriction mentioned, thereafter it was per half ounce until May 1889 when it became per one ounce.
Addressed circulars
Two Cents Rates
Registration fee within the Dominion until Registered Letter Stamps were introduced in November 1875
Newspaper sent abroad
Soldier’s letter rate where countersigned by the Commanding Officer. Sailor’s rate was the same.
From November 1875, apart from the two previously mentioned, it had little use except in combination with other values to ‘make up’ other rates. This changed in May 1889.
From May 1889 it paid the one ounce delivered ‘drop letter’ or, in common parlance, the local delivery rate
The domestic half ounce, then from May 1889 the one ounce rate
The rate to the United States from January 1, 1875, weights as for the Dominion
The rate to Prince Edward Island per half ounce. There was no change in 1873 when that province joined Confederation.
Five Cents Rates
Letter Rate per half ounce to the U.K. October 1, 1875 – December 1898
Letter rate to members of the U.P.U. after Canada was admitted in 1878
Six Cents Rates
Half ounce letter rate to the U.K. via Quebec until October 1, 1875. It was an extra 2˘ if mailed via Cunard ships sailing from New York.
Half ounce letter rate to U.S.A. until January 1, 1875
Double weight letters wherever the 3˘ rate was in force
From 1879 small parcel rate not exceeding 4 oz
Eight Cents Rates
Half ounce letter rate to the U.K. via New York until October 1, 1875 (made by combining values such as the Six Cents and Two Cents stamps)
After 1 October 1875 when the 8˘ rate to the U.K. was superseded, there was no Eight Cents rate
The rate for postage plus registration both domestic and to the United States was 8˘ from 1889, and the combination Eight Cents stamp was issued in 1893 primarily to pay both charges.
Ten Cents Rates
Paid the double letter rate where the 5˘ single letter rate was in force
Parcel post use
Finally there was a bulk printed matter rate in force from October 1, 1875 of 1˘ per pound or part thereof. All stamps other than the Half Cent on its own can be found on receipts paying this rate.