3. United States Letter Rates: 1851 to the present day


Special postal treaties (Conventions) between Canada and the United States have governed letter rates between the countries since before Confederation.

A. 1851 - 1868

1. 1851 - 1859

In 1851, an agreement between the United States and Canada established a uniform combined rate of 6d. currency or 10 cents American per one-half ounce letter with prepayment and use of postage stamps optional. A number of exchange offices were designated which were required to stamp "Canada" on all letters passing through.

Paid Letters

Paid letter from Smith Falls to Washington, D.C., March 10, 1855
6 d. currency /10 cents U.S. rate
"PAID 6D" handstamp applied


"C 10" was applied by the exchange office

Paid letter from Toronto to Boston, August 25, 1856
6 d. currency /10 cents U.S. rate

Since Toronto was an exchange office, the Canadian rate was not stamped on the letter.


Paid letter Kingston to New York, October 29, 1851
6 d. currency /10 cents U.S. rate

Arc type exchange marking
PAID 10 (cents)


Unpaid Letters

Unpaid letter Kingston to New York, December 16, 1854
6 d. currency /10 cents U.S. rate

Since Kingston was an exchange office, the Canadian rate was not stamped on the letter. "CANADA 10 Cts" in black indicated that the letter was unpaid.


Unpaid letter Montreal to New York, May 9, 1851
1 s. currency/ 20 cents U.S. one ounce (double weight) letter rate to the United States

The amounts due were written in manuscript
1/- (1 shilling currency)
20 (cents U.S.)

2. 1859 - 1868

On July 1, 1859, all rates and charges made by the Post Office of the Province of Canada were to be collected in decimal currency, substituting cents for pence.

The rate to the United States became 10 cents when decimal currency was introduced. There was no further need of exchange offices to convert Canadian pence to U.S. cents.


Welland to Farmington, Michigan, May 2, 1860
10 cents letter rate to the United States



Montreal to Brattleboro, Vermont, March 26, 1861
10 cents letter rate to the United States



St. Laurent D'Orleans to Bath, Maine, July 22, 1861
10 cents letter rate to the United States



10 cents in manuscript


B. 1868 To the Present Day




When the newly formed Dominion of Canada's  Post Office Act came into effect on April 1, 1868, the rate to and from the United States was 6 cents per 1/2 oz. on prepaid letters and 10 cents per 1/2 oz. on unpaid letters.


Paid

a) Stamped

 Montreal to New York, June 9, 1868
6 cents prepaid letter rate to the United States


 Kingston to Portland, CPnn., April 26, 1873
6 cents prepaid 1/2 oz. letter rate to the United States

b) Stampless

Postage stamps were not required for franking until October 1, 1875.

St. Athanase, Quebec, to Plattsburgh, December 16, 1873
 6 cents prepaid 1/2 oz. letter rate to the United States

Unpaid

 Allanburg to Belleville, N.Y., September 18, 1871
10 cents unpaid 1/2 oz. letter to the United States
 U.S. "DUE 10" handstamp



A reduced letter rate agreement, effective February 1, 1875, provided that letters mailed in Canada to the United States and vice versa, were to be fully prepaid at the domestic letter rates of the country of origin, and the country of destination received, forwarded, and delivered  the letters free of charge. The unpaid letter rate was abolished.

a) Stamped

 Montreal to Dingmans Ferry, Pa., August 18, 1879
3 cents 1/2 oz. letter rate to the United States

b) Stampless

The use of postage stamps became compulsory in Canada on October 1, 1875.

 St. Johns, quebec, to Norwich, Conn., September 27, 1875 (late date)
 3 cents 1/2 oz. letter rate to the United States



The  Canadian domestic letter rate was reduced from 3 cents per 1/2 oz. to 3 cents per oz. on May 8, 1889. The letter rate to the United States was similarly changed.

 Toronto to West Liberty, Iowa, April 27, 1891
3 cents per ounce letter rate to the United States



The letter rate was reduced to 2 cents for each ounce.

 Ottawa to Bisbee, Arizona, December 24, 1901
2 cents per ounce letter rate to the United States

Winnipeg to Cincinnati, November 16, 1906
2 cents per ounce letter rate to the United States

 Halifax to New Haven, May 15, 1914
2 cents per ounce letter rate to the United States
 
War Tax Period I (1915- 1926)

A war tax of 1 cent was imposed only on the first ounce letter rate and not on subsequent weight steps. The tax could be paid using War Tax stamps or ordinary postage stamps.



 Toronto to New Haven, August 11, 1915
2 cents postage + 1 cent War Tax paying the letter rate to the United States


Letters mailed without the prepaid War Tax were to be returned to the sender for payment of the War Tax. When the sender was not known, the letter was to be endorsed "War Tax" and sent to the Dead Letter Office (D.L.O.).

Bawle. Alberta, to Broooklyn, November 13, 1916
1 cent War Tax unpaid
No return address so letter forwarded to D.L.O. Toronto where 1 cent stamp affixed to pay the tax.


War Tax stamp combined 2 cents postage and 1 cent War Tax

Montreal to Appleton, Wisc., February 7, 1916
1Tc War Tax stamp : 2 cents postage + 1 cent War Tax paying the letter rate to the United States


 Montreal to New York, July 31, 1937
1Tc War Tax stamp : 2 cents postage + 1 cent War Tax paying the letter rate to the United States


 Montreal to Binghampton, N.Y., January 13, 1921
3 cent stamp : 2 cents postage + 1 cent War Tax paying the letter rate to the United States

 Montreal to Los Angeles, May 31, 1926
3 cent stamp : 2 cents postage + 1 cent War Tax paying the letter rate to the United States


Removal of War Tax (1926 - 1931)

The War Tax was removed in 1926.



 Montreal to Boston, March 28, 1927
2 cents letter rate to the United States

 
 Windsor to Detroit, March 12, 1927
2 cents letter rate to the United States

 Toronto to New York, October 29, 1928
2 cents letter rate to the United States

Sault Ste Marie to Worcester, August 26, 1930
2 cents letter rate to the United States

War Tax Period II (1931 - 1943)

The 1 cent War Tax was reimposed in 1931.



 Toronto to Leominster, 
3 cents paying the 2 cent letter rate + 1 cent War Tax to the United States


 Montreal to Flushing, February 10, 1934
3 cents paying the 2 cent letter rate + 1 cent War Tax to the United States


 Crystal Beach to Buffalo, May 28, 1936
3 cents paying the 2 cent letter rate + 1 cent War Tax to the United States

 
Sherbrooke to Hudson Falls, N.Y., May 13, 1937
 3 cents paying the 2 cent letter rate + 1 cent War Tax to the United States


Winnipeg to Washington, March 23, 1943
3 cents paying the 2 cent letter rate + 1 cent War Tax to the United States


War Tax Period III (1943 - 1951)

The War Tax was increased from 1 cent to 2 cents for the 1st ounce.



Revelstoke to Oakland, April  1945
4 cents paying the 2 cent letter rate + 2 cent War Tax to the United States

 Toronto to Oswego, N.Y., August 1, 1951
4 cents paying the 2 cent letter rate + 2 cent War Tax to the United States


First Weight Step Letter Rate Incorporates War Tax

The first weight step letter rate incorporated the war tax making the letter rate 4 cents for the first ounce and 2 cents for each additional ounce. There was no effective change in the letter rate.



Ottawa to Portland, February 1, 1953
4 cents letter rate to the United States

Alfred to Pacoima, Calif., December 4, 1953
4 cents letter rate to the United States



The surface letter rate to the United States was increased to 5 cents for the 1st ounce and 3 cents for each additional ounce.

Quebec to Minneapolis, October 3, 1955
5 cents surface letter rate to the United States


 Port Credit to Wellesley, Mass., June 15, 1966
5 cents surface letter rate to the United States


Black Harbour to Proctor, Vermont, October 30, 1968
5 cents surface letter rate to the United States



The surface letter rate was 6 cents for the first ounce and 4 cents for each additional ounce.

Virgil to Chicago, June 20, 1969
6 cents surface letter rate to the United States

Prince Albert to Peoria, December 19, 1970
6 cents surface letter rate to the United States


The letter rate was increased to 7 cents for the first ounce and 5 cents for each additional ounce.

 Downsview to New York, July 27, 1971
7 cents surface letter rate to the United States



Hull to Holland, Michigan, June 9, 1973
8 cents surface letter rate to the United States

Calgary to Buffalo, May 3, 1974
8 cents surface letter rate to the United States



The surface/ air mail letter rate distinctions were abolished. All letter mail to the United States was forwarded the most expeditious way. The rate for all letter mail to the United States was 10 cents for the first ounce and 9 cents for each additional ounce.

Richmond, B.C., to Jackson, Miss., January 17, 1977
10 cents all-up letter rate to the United States


Aylmer West to Portland, Oregon, April 22 1976 (7:00 am cancellation)
8 cents affixed originally, thus shortpaid 2 cents
The letter was returned to the sender for additional postage:


2 cents added (Macdonald definitives) and cancelled at Aylmer West, August 22 1976 (10 p.m. cancellation)


The letter rate was 12 cents for the first ounce and 10 cents for each additional ounce.

Lachine to Milwaukee, October 11, 1977
12 cents letter rate to the United States



The rate was 14 cents for the first ounce and 12 cents for each additional ounce.

 Kapuskasing to New York, July 31, 1978
14 cents letter rate to the United States
 


The rate was 17 cents for the first ounce and 14 cents for each additional ounce.

 Mississauga (L4W 1T0) to Sun City, Ca., May 1, 1979
17 cent letter rate to the United States




Letter weights were now measured in grams. The first weight step was up to 30 grams.

Macamic to Holland, Mich., November 21, 1981
17 cents 30 g. letter rate to the United States



Toronto (M4L 3T0) to Tamarac, Florida, September 17, 1982
35 cents 30 g. letter rate to the United States



Kazlo to Daly City, Ca.,  July 6, 1984
37 cents letter rate to the United States



Kingston, N.S., to Arlington, Va., December 4, 1986
39 cents letter rate to the United States
Forwarding label affixed



Meteghan River, N.S. to Mount Clemens, Mich., December 10, 1987
42 cents letter rate to the United States



Rouyn- Noranda to Belmont, Mass., June 7, 1988
43 cents letter rate to the United States



Salmon Arm to Anderson, In., July 4 1989
44 cents letter rate to the United States



Scarborough to Clearwater, May 19, 1990
45 cents letter rate to the United States



Comox to Palmyra, N.Y., December 23, 1991
46 cents letter rate to the United States



Port Colborne to Buffalo, November 9, 1992
48 cents letter rate to the United States



Beauvallon, N.B., to Indianapolis, July 16, 1993
49 cents letter rate to the United States



Nanaimo to Longview, Wash., April 11, 1995
50 cents letter rate to the United States



Toronto to Chicago, May 1, 1998
52 cents letter rate to the United States



Saint John to Chicago, December 1, 2000
55 cents letter rate to the United States



 
 Guelph to Midlothian, Va., December 18, 2001
60 cents letter rate to the United States




 Sackville to Mislothian, Va., September 13, 2003
65 cents letter rate to the United States



 Cover not shown


 
Brampton (Toronto LPP) to Safety Harbor, Fla., December 2005
85 cents letter rate to the United States




 Clavet, Sask., to Clive, Iowa, January 27, 2006
89 cents letter rate to the United States


 
 Cover not shown



 Corner Brooke to Concord, N.H., October 22, 2008
96 cents letter rate to the United States



 Vancouver LPP to Los Angeles, September 11, 2009
98 cents letter rate to the United States


 
 Ste Rose du Lac, Man., to Los Angeles, August 10, 2010
$1.00 letter rate to the United States



 Cover not shown




 Toronto to Austin, November 12, 2012
$1.05 letter rate to the United States



Cover not shown