2c + 2c Liberty double reply card
Object Details
- Description
- The Universal Postal Union was established at Berne, Switzerland, in 1874 (as the General Postal Union) to facilitate postal networks and simplify the accounting of postal transactions among member nations.
- One early result of the Union's work was the introduction of international postal reply cards. These are actually two separate but attached postal cards, each valid for postage at the standard UPU international postal card rate. To buy the US international reply card pictured here, first issued on March 1, 1893, the purchaser paid four cents -- two for the outbound message and two to prepay the reply. He or she would then write a message on one of the cards and mail them both, folded but still attached. A recipient anywhere in the world could sever the unused card, write a reply on it, and mail it back at the same rate without affixing additional postage. The system is still in use today.
- The postal indicia on both the message and reply cards consists of Liberty's head encircled by a garter in blue and the words REPLY CARD / TWO CENTS. The cards themselves are of gray-white paper. Forty printing plates were used in production (twenty message and twenty reply). The cards were printed in sheets of eighteen and sold at the post office scored along the joint but unfolded.
- Data Source
- National Postal Museum
- Date
- 1893
- Object number
- 2001.2001.288
- Type
- Postal Stationery
- Medium
- paper; ink
- Dimensions
- 17.7 x 13.8 cm (6 15/16 x 5 7/16 in.)
- Place
- United States of America
- See more items in
- National Postal Museum Collection
- Title
- Scott Catalogue USA UY2
- Topic
- Postal Stationery
- Record ID
- npm_2001.2001.288
