Pre-Stamped Letter Cards
 

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The first King George VI 1½d letter card did not appear until March 1940. (For details of the 3 year development of the stamp used on postal stationery see, 'The Evolution of British Stamped Postcards and Letter Cards' by H Dagnall).

 

When postage rates increased on 1 May 1940, the Royal Mint had still not prepared the new dies and McCorquodale had to print cards uprated with an additional 1d stamp. The 2½d card did not appear until July 1940. The scale of prices charged by the Post Office for letter cards was also simplified with the 1 May reforms, (see below). Cards issued from July to September 1940 had the message on the back still referring to the old 1½d rate.
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The quality of the cards and the printing often deteriorated during the war.

 

Letter cards proved to be very popular. In 1941 - 14 million were sold; 1942 - 20 million; and by 1945 - 25 million. Even more could have been produced, but wartime economies limited the amounts. Regional quotas were set and continued until 1949.

 

In 1951 the colours of imprinted stamps were changed to meet Universal Colour Scheme regulations set by the UPU.

 

Printed by McCorquodale & Co Ltd 


Packets and parcels of letter cards were available from the Post Office

 

Cost of pre-stamped letter cards
Before 1 May 1940 - 1½d stamp imprint
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Packet of 10 Parcel 0f 100
2d 3¾d 5½d 7¼d 9d 11d 1s0¾d 1s2½d 1s4½d 1s6d 15s.0d
From 1 May 1940 to 30 April 1952 - 2½d stamp imprint
3d each 2s0d for a pack of 8

 

Date Value Examples Colour
March 1940 1½d     Brown
June 1940 1½d + 1d Brown + Carmine
July 1940 2½d Blue (1½d in message on back
September 1940 Blue (2½d in message on back
3 May 1951 Carmine (without address lines)
1952 Carmine (with address lines)
 

 

 

Contact : Malcolm Sanders :  kg6gb@hotmail.com