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Sample Rates 1875-1971

1937 - basic 1d for 4oz, sent to USA on the Queen Mary

The overseas sample post, as with the corresponding inland service (when available), was mostly restricted to packets containing only bona fide trade samples of merchandise sent as a 'taster' by businesses, but which did not themselves have any resale value in the form supplied.

It also covered scientific and natural history specimens (originally a wide range of such specimens were allowed, but in later years only medicines sent by recognised laboratories qualified), and (in pre-war days at least) keys and printers' blocks.

The weight limit for destinations in the Empire (and later the Commonwealth) was eventually 5lb, which was much higher than the maximum weight allowed for the rest of the world – which over most of this period was only 1lb. Where rates above 1lb are given in the table below this limit should be borne in mind.

The rates shown here originally applied specifically to UPU countries (with any existing agreements applying for countries that had not yet joined the UPU), but were made general from 1st January 1892.

Samples as a distinct category of mail were discontinued from 1st July 1971.

Date Rate Date Rate Date Rate
1875
(1 Jul)
[*]
1d - 2oz
2d - 4oz
3d - 6oz
4d - 8oz
1879
(1 Apr)
1d - 2oz
1½d - 4oz
2d - 6oz
2½d - 8oz
1879
(1 Jul)
1d - 4oz
1½d - 6oz
2d - 8oz
1899
(1 Jan)
1d - 4oz
1½d - 6oz
2d - 8oz
2½d - 10oz
3d - 12oz
1921
(13 Jun)
1d - 4oz
1½d - 6oz
2d - 8oz
2½d - 10oz
3d - 12oz
3½d - 14oz
4d - 1lb
4½d - 1lb 2oz
5d - 1lb 4oz
5½d - 1lb 6oz
6d - 1lb 8oz
6½d - 1lb 10oz

Each addl. 2oz - ½d
1949
(1 May)
1d - 2oz
1½d - 4oz
2d - 6oz
2½d - 8oz
3d - 10oz
3½d - 12oz
4d - 14oz
4½d - 1lb
5d - 1lb 2oz
5½d - 1lb 4oz
6d - 1lb 6oz
6½d - 1lb 8oz

Each addl. 2oz - ½d
1950
(1 Oct)
1½d - 2oz
2d - 4oz
2½d - 6oz
3d - 8oz
3½d - 10oz
4d - 12oz
4½d - 14oz
5d - 1lb
5½d - 1lb 2oz
6d - 1lb 4oz
6½d - 1lb 6oz
7d - 1lb 8oz

Each addl. 2oz - ½d
1957
(1 Oct)
2d - 2oz
3d - 4oz
4d - 6oz
5d - 8oz
6d - 10oz
7d - 12oz
8d - 14oz
9d - 1lb
10d - 1lb 2oz
11d - 1lb 4oz
1s - 1lb 6oz
1s 1d - 1lb 8oz

Each addl. 2oz - 1d
1963
(1 Jul)
2½d - 2oz
4d - 4oz
5½d - 6oz
7d - 8oz
8½d - 10oz
10d - 12oz
11½d - 14oz
1s 1d - 1lb
1s 2½d - 1lb 2oz
1s 4d - 1lb 4oz
1s 5½d - 1lb 6oz
1s 7d - 1lb 8oz

Each addl. 2oz - 1½d
1966
(3 Oct)
4d - 2oz
6d - 4oz
8d - 6oz
10d - 8oz
1s - 10oz
1s 2d - 12oz
1s 4d - 14oz
1s 6d - 1lb
1s 8d - 1lb 2oz
1s 10d - 1lb 4oz
2s - 1lb 6oz
2s 2d - 1lb 8oz

Each addl. 2oz - 2d
1971
(15 Feb)
1½p - 2oz
2½p - 4oz
3½p - 6oz
4½p - 8oz
5½p - 10oz
6½p - 12oz
7½p - 14oz
8½p - 1lb
9½p - 1lb 2oz
10½p - 1lb 4oz
11½p - 1lb 6oz
12½p - 1lb 8oz

Each addl. 2oz - 1p

[*]France joined the (then) General Postal Union only as from 1st January 1876. As a consequence, from 1st July to 31st December 1875 samples to several GPU countries were charged at 2d per 2oz if sent via France. This applied to Egypt, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Malta and Turkey, and except in the case of Spain was an optional route.