I am looking for some information on Newfoundland postal rates of the 19th century. The info should be in one of the Newfoundland specialized catalogues, but unfortunately, I don't own one.
Specifically, I would like to know what rates called for a 1/2c component, justifying the 1/2c stamps of the period.
Anybody got the catalog and could look it up for me?
Thanks.
Roy
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The past is a foreign country, they do things different there. 17 Apr 2012 08:09:23pm
re: Need Info on Newfoundland Postal Rates 19th century
Roy:
I do not have a catalogue of Newfoundland postal rates.
Extrapolating from the "Guidebook and Catalogue of Canadian Stamps" (2nd edition, 1973) authored by Glenn Hansen of Winnipeg, it may have been for the same reason that the Canada provinces had ha'penny postage stamp denominations. Until 1859, currency in "Canada" was based on the British system but was not at par with the mother country
Hey, this isn't easy!
4d Sterling was equal to 4 1/2d Canada currency. This is why "Canada" had the 12d black rather than the one shilling value. Understand?
Early "Canada" postal rates, until January 1844, were based upon distance, e.g. up to 60 miles - 4d (Sterling) etc.
Thereafter, rates were based on weight. On 1 July 1859, decimal currency came into use wherein 1/2d (Canada) = 1¢.
Newfoundland went decimal in January 1865.
My suspicion (Damnation, I wish I had a catalogue of Newfoundland postal rates!) is that the interplay (love that word) of mail among Upper Canada, Lower Canada, BC and Vancouver Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and the remainder of the British Empire, dictated that Newfoundland have maximum flexibility in the values of their postage stamps; hence, the 1/2d.
Settle for this in the absence of a better explanation (and I hope there is one).
John Derry
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re: Need Info on Newfoundland Postal Rates 19th century
Thanks for the research John, but my question revolves around the 1/2 cent stamps of 1887-94 (Labrador dogs) and the 1897 1/2 cent Royal Family issue.
At the time the Canadian dollar was pegged to the US dollar (indirectly) which was defined in terms of Sterling ($486.66 per 100 Pounds sterling). Newfoundland was at a small premium from inception in 1865 ($480/100 Pounds) until 1895 when bank problems forced a revaluation to par with Canada and US.
I am sure that the ultimate answer is some newspaper rate for local delivery.
Roy
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webmaster for the ISWSC http://iswsc.org and ATA http://www.americantopicalassn.org 18 Apr 2012 08:17:37am
re: Need Info on Newfoundland Postal Rates 19th century
Roy,
I don't know if this helps but the Newfoundland Specialized Stamp Catalogue (Online excerpt) states that the 1/2c Newfoundland Dog was used for paying the proper single rate usage.
Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy.. 27 Mar 2013 02:03:42pm
re: Need Info on Newfoundland Postal Rates 19th century
Quoting from Robson Lowe, "Encyclopedia of British Empire Postage Stamps", Volume V, North America, part iv, pages 440 to 444.
1855 Halifax to St John's newspaper 1½¢
1860 St Johns to Cape Breton 6½¢
There are at least four pages under the title "Postage Rates", close printed with dozens of rates here and there that used the ½¢ value.
I was going to type them out, but it would take me all day, and be fraught with typos, just for those listings, and the total pages relating to 19th century Newfie stamps runs about 30 pages, listing known stamps and showing many illustrations.
Very interesting indeed.
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