Q51 December 2008   member 74 Poste Restante rates The fee charged for poste restante letters (i.e., those left at the post office for collection), collected with fiscal stamps, was 5 mills for the long period in which the letter rate was fixed at 5 mills. With the rise in letter rates, in many steps, beginning in 1940, one would expect the charge for poste restante letters to increase accordingly, but until recently I had not seen any examples. Through the courtesy of Mr. Rida Bazzi I have now seen covers with a charge of 10 piasters in November, 1990, when the internal letter rate was also 10 piasters, and one charged 15 piasters in March, 1991, a date when I had understood the letter rate still to be 10 pi. (believed to have risen to 15 pi. in January, 1993). It is not necessary that the letter rate and the poste restante charge to be locked in tandem, although that is a reasonable supposition. Two questions arise. Did the letter rate of 15 pi. begin earlier than January, 1993? What were the poste restante charges in the interim period 1940 to 1989, during which the letter rate became successively 6 mills (1940), 10 mills (1943), 20 mills (1967), 3 piasters (1981). 5 piasters (1985), and 10 ,piasters (1989) ? The answers could come from covers in the hands of members, or from those who have access to postal regulations (members in Egypt?).Let us hear from any members with any information, however partial! See members section