Page 7 - Prepaid Reply Cards
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2.1 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT: ESTABLISHING «THE POSTCARD»
PRE‐1875: POSTCARD IN INTERNATIONAL MAIL SEND AT LETTER RATE
While reduced postcard rates for domestic usage were introduced, in international mail, postcards were treated as
letters and had to be franked at the letter rate. Bilateral agreements allowed lowered rates, mainly resulting in a
rather chaotic postage rate system.
Pre‐GPU international postcard franked at 3 cents mailed in July 1874 from the USA to Switzerland.
The postage for international postcards was later lowered to 2 cents
Pre‐GPU international postcard franked at the letter rate of 7 Kreuzer mailed in January 1874 from the
Heilbronn/Wurttemberg to Antwerpen/Belgium
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