| Q13 Febuary 17, 2006 member 240 British Postal Order for use in Egypt I recently noticed this intriguing item on eBay and wonder if anyone can cast light on its usage … it is a regulation British Postal Order value 2s 6d, approximately 6 3/4in wide by 3 1/4in deep (17.15 x 8.25cm) according to the vendor, and bears the image of King George V with tax of One Penny due on purchase. But the One Penny line has been barred out and the image covered with a provisional surcharge comprising four lines of text in capitals: Poundage / Payable in / Egypt / 6 Millièmes. The Postal Order was purchased (see postmark), at Alexandria / C.4 on what seems to be 10 JL 33, but no payee was named and it appears never to have been cashed. Were British Postal Orders commonly in use in Egypt? For how long? Were all of them surcharged in this way? Why 6m when a closer approximation to 1d would have been 5m?  |
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| R1 August 17, 2008 ESC 240 In February 2006 I asked about the usage of British Postal Orders within Egypt and specifically why the poundage commission was 6 mills, when 5m would have been closer to the British equivalent (1d). The Circle's purchase of Postal Bulletins has helped to resolve at least one of the queries: No 23 of 1920 (June 7) reports that from June 1 the rate of poundage was increased to 6m (presumably from 5m?) for Postal Orders up to value of 2s 6d. 
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