23. Reply Coupons

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Did you ever write to a stamp dealer or a stamp collector in a foreign country and not get a reply? Children in particular write to other youngsters for trading and correspondence and hope to get an answer. Postage is a big expense, especially for kids in less developed countries. The price of postage is a burden on their finances. You have a better chance for a reply if you enclose an International Reply Coupon, also known as an IRC.

A specimen of the current IRC.

All countries that are members of the Universal Postal Union issue IRCs. You simply need to go to your neighborhood post office, purchase one of these small forms (about 4 by 6 inches) for $1.75 and include the IRC in your letter. The recipient can redeem this coupon at his or her post office for the airmail stamps needed to return a letter to you. This only pays for the lightest weight airmail letter back to you. Additional IRCs are needed if the return letter is heavier, or special services such as registration is needed.

Businesses have their own form of prepaid mailers called the international business reply service. This program allows specially marked envelopes and cards to be returned to the sender from certain countries without prepayment of postage. It works like the familiar BRCs (business reply cards), which are postcards or envelopes sent within the US at no charge to the sender. Companies pay the postage and fees only for the pieces returned. Consult your post office for details, or ask for Publication 513.

If you need to send money overseas, international postal money orders might be able to do the job for you. Many countries have agreements with the US Postal Service for exchanging these securities. The maximum amount for a single money order is $700.00. Check with your post office for fees and further information.

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