The Admiral Stamps of Canada

Post Cards

Introduction

In 1871, Canada became the eleventh country to issue post cards, preceding the United States and Newfoundland by three years.

During the Admiral issue era, post cards were a common, convenient medium for exchanging short messages in much the same way as is done by telephone, facsimile and electronic-mail today. Post cards bearing the Admiral design were available from 1912 to 1929 and were issued in many shades, using a wide range of header styles on several different card stocks. The early issues were printed on smooth, firm stock. Thick, soft paper was used for printing beginning in approximately 1920. The standard size was 140 x 86mm, except for the Universal Postal Union printings, which were slightly smaller.

With the exception of the Universal Postal Union cards, which were line engraved, all Admiral issue post cards were typographed.

Denominations

Admiral issue post cards may be found in the following denominations:

half-cent blue (used as a business reply card)
one-cent green
one-cent carmine
one-cent orange
one-cent orange plus half-cent blue (reply card)
one-cent orange plus one-cent orange (reply card)
one-cent black plus one-cent black (reply card)
two-cent carmine
two-cent green
two-cent blue (used to pay the U.P.U. rate to another country)

Dies

The one and two-cents imprints were produced from the following dies (with Die IA only being used for the two-cent value):

Die I - horizontal shading, straight epaulettes with trace of fifth showing at right, lower leaf on left extends into white oval but does not break it
Die IA - same as Die I except that white line on collar curves upward around the neck
Die II - horizontal shading, slightly curved epaulettes with four showing, lower left leaf breaks white oval
Die III - cross-hatched shading

Die I

Die IA

Die II

Die III

Header Types and Inscriptions

Type 1 - No inscription

TYPE 2 POST CARD
Type 2 - Horizontal line below stamp

TYPE 3 POST CARD IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE
Type 3 - Lines Forming 'L' for Address Area

TYPE 4 POST CARD IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE
Type 4 - 'The space below ...' L'espace ci-dessous...' below stamp

TYPE 5 POST CARD
Type 5 - Straight line 'CANADA POST CARD' top centre of card

TYPE 6 POST CARD
Type 6 - As type 5 with second line: 'The address to be ...'

TYPE 7 POST CARD IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE
Type 7 - Bilingual 'CANADA/POST CARD' top centre

TYPE 8 POST CARD
Type 8 - As Type 7, additional lines: 'The address only ...' and 'Cote reserve a ...'

TYPE 9 POST CARD IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE
Type 9 - 'CANADA/BUSINESS REPLY CARD', two lines top left

TYPE 10 POST CARD
Type 10 - As Type 9, additional line: 'CARTE REPONSE D'AFFAIRES'

TYPE 11 POST CARD
Type 11 - Three lines, 'CANADA/BUSINESS REPLY CARD/The address only ...'

TYPE 12 POST CARD
Type 12 - Two lines, 'CANADA POST CARD/(REPLY)'

TYPE 13 POST CARD
Type 13 - As Type 12, with third line, 'The address to be ...'

TYPE 14 POST CARD IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE
Type 14 - Two lines, 'CANADA/REPLY POST CARD-CARTE POSTALE REPONSE'

TYPE 15 POST CARD
Type 15 - Five lines: 'CANADA/BUSINESS REPLY CARD
CARTE REPONSE D'AFFAIRES/The address.../Cote reserve a ...'

TYPE 16 POST CARD IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE
Type 16 - As Type 14, with two additional lines: 'The address only .../Cote reserve a...'

TYPE 17 POST CARD
Type 17 - 'UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION'

TYPE 17 OVERPRINTED POST CARD
Type 17 - Overprinted '6 CENTS'

ENGLISH JUBILEE INSCRIPTION
Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Confederation

Summary of Values, Dies and Types

Value
Die Types Remarks

half cent blue n/a 9, 10, 11, 15 nil

one-cent green I 3, 4, 6 type 3 has both black and green lines
type 4 known only with CPR railway views

one-cent green II 2, 3, 6, 8 types 2, 6, 8 are on hard and soft stocks
type 3 has green lines

one-cent carmine I 3, 4 nil

one-cent carmine II 4 nil

one-cent orange II 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 Types 6 and 8 are on hard and soft stocks

one-cent orange III 1 nil

one-cent orange and half-cent blue n/a 5 & 9, 6 & 11, 5 & 12, 6 & 13, 7 & 14, 8 & 16 types 8 & 15 have two sub-types: 63mm top line, and 69mm top line
types 6 & 13 are on hard and soft stock

one-cent black and one-cent black n/a 6 & 13, 8 & 16 nil

two-cent carmine I 3, 6, 8 nil

two-cent carmine IA 3, 6 nil

two-cent carmine II 2, 3, 6, 8 types 2, 6 and 8 are on hard and soft stock
type 6 is on English Confederation Statistics
type 8 is on bilingual Confederation Statistics

two-cent green II 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 type 6 is on hard and soft stock

two-cent green III 1 nil

two-cent blue n/a 17 nil

six cents overprint n/a 17 nil

Updated: 24 Apr 01

Value	Die	Types	Remarks
half cent blue	n/a	9, 10, 11, 15	nil
one-cent green	I	3, 4, 6	type 3 has both black and green lines type 4 known only with CPR railway views
one-cent green	II	2, 3, 6, 8	types 2, 6, 8 are on hard and soft stocks type 3 has green lines
one-cent carmine	I	3, 4	nil
one-cent carmine	II	4	nil
one-cent orange	II	1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8	Types 6 and 8 are on hard and soft stocks
one-cent orange	III	1	nil
one-cent orange and half-cent blue	n/a	5 & 9, 6 & 11, 5 & 12, 6 & 13, 7 & 14, 8 & 16	types 8 & 15 have two sub-types: 63mm top line, and 69mm top line types 6 & 13 are on hard and soft stock
one-cent black and one-cent black	n/a	6 & 13, 8 & 16	nil
two-cent carmine	I	3, 6, 8	nil
two-cent carmine	IA	3, 6	nil
two-cent carmine	II	2, 3, 6, 8	types 2, 6 and 8 are on hard and soft stock type 6 is on English Confederation Statistics type 8 is on bilingual Confederation Statistics
two-cent green	II	1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8	type 6 is on hard and soft stock
two-cent green	III	1	nil
two-cent blue	n/a	17	nil
six cents overprint	n/a	17	nil