Postal historian Ron Majors will examine how postage rates and the stamps used to pay them can reveal the stories behind Canadian covers during an online presentation hosted by the British Empire Study Group on Oct. 8.
Majors will present “Canadian Postal History: A Rate Study using Decimal-Franked and Stampless Covers (1859–1868)” beginning at 6 p.m. ET. The presentation will focus on the Province of Canada’s Cents era and demonstrate how understanding postal rates can help collectors recognize unusual frankings, scarce usages and historically significant covers.
The period from 1859-68 encompassed major changes in both Canada and its postal system. The Province of Canada moved from postage denominated in pence to cents in 1859, eight years before Confederation. More uniform postal rates followed in 1868. Majors will examine rates from throughout the decade, along with postal routes where they help explain the charges paid on individual covers.
An important part of the presentation will involve determining how frequently particular postal usages survive.
Dealer Charles “Chuck” Firby conducted pioneering work compiling a census of known covers and the combinations of stamps used to pay their postage. Majors has been expanding that record with additional discoveries, providing collectors with a better understanding of which usages are relatively common and which are seldom encountered.
Examples will range from domestic and cross-border correspondence to stamped and stampless covers mailed to more unusual destinations. While the presentation concentrates on Canadian material, organizers say the approach can be applied to postal history from other countries by examining the relationship between rates, routes, destinations and the stamps appearing on covers.
The presentation will be followed by a discussion in which participants can share observations and experiences. The online program begins at 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 8, corresponding to 11 p.m. in the United Kingdom.
Registration is required to participate.