Page 80 - Prepaid Reply Cards

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5 .1 Even though the number of UPU regulations was very limited, the utilization of prepaid reply cards
ERRORS, MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND MISUSES –BYTHE POSTAL CUSTOMER

was prone to error. Misunderstandings and misuses are common. This chapter indicates the most
common errors, misunderstandings and misuses experienced in daily usage, both from the side of the postal
customer and the postal service. Many of these never were detected or led to complaints.

MISJUDGEMENT OF VALIDITY OF FRANKING
Maybe the most common misunderstanding was the fact, that the receiver of the reply card was not aware of the
valid prepayment through the foreign stamp. As a result, double cards with a used question part and an unused
reply card are very common among collectors.

Quite an unique example, this domestic double card was originally mailed from Uruguay to Australia.
Unfortunately the reply part lacks the necessary additional franking of one cent. This was contrary to
regulations and the Uruguayan authorities should have rejected the card. The Australian receiver took a note
of this – the card is not valid for reply except from Argentina (where the domestic postage would have been
sufficient). He adds, that this would also pose a problem, if the missing one cent would be added – this again is
a misconception, as is the writers reference to Argentina rather than Uruguay.

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