INTERNATIONAL REPLY COUPONS

What is an IRC? First of all, it has nothing to do with the other IRC, Internet Relay Chat! For info on that subject click here. For radio amateurs exchanging QSL cards, celebrity autograph collectors, philatelists, and others who have a need to correspond internationally, IRCs are International Reply Coupons. An IRC is a coupon that may be redeemed for airmail postage of a standard 20 gram letter anywhere in the world.

Where can I get IRCs? They are available and may be exchanged for postage at the local post office in any member nation of the Universal Postal Union. The UPU maintains a published list of postal administrations which sell IRCs (a smaller subset of the member nation list). However, this list conflicts with actual experience. Always check with your local P.O. or PTT to be sure of local policy.

How do I use them? Normally, if you wanted to send someone a letter and prepay the postage, you would simply enclose a self-addressed envelope with sufficient return postage affixed. However, when corresponding internationally, it can be a bit difficult to obtain foreign stamps. IRCs allow you to circumvent that problem. You purchase a coupon locally, and enclose it in the envelope to your foreign correspondent. They then redeem it for airmail postage at their local post office.

To be valid for air-mail reply, an IRC must have the following characteristics.

	IRC Front
	1. 2. 3. 1. The issuing Post Office stamp goes here (mandatory) 2. The local currency value where issued goes here (optional) 3. This space must be blank (redeeming Post Office stamp goes here) The exception to Rule #1 (above) is for U.S. IRCs issued shortly after the international postage rate increased from $.95 to $1.05 USD, in July of 1995. According to the Dec. 18, 1995 issue of Linn's Stamp News (pg. 20), postal historian Terence Hines reported that a message was transmitted to all U.S. post offices July 11, 1995, stating in part, "Old rate international reply coupons (95¢) will continue to be sold in combination with the 10¢ Red Cloud [stamp] or its equivalent. The additional postage is to be affixed to the IRCs at the point of sale." In other words, you may see an IRC with a postmarked 10¢ stamp in position #1. It is unusual to find them now, but if you do (and if position #2 is imprinted as 95¢), they are valid.
*	IRC Back
	* Be sure it says sent by air. Older IRCs will say sent by surface, and are only worth half as much ( if the redeeming P.O. will even accept them)! A new style of IRC has been phased in (click HERE to see it). For the first time ever, IRCs now have an expiration date — 31 DEC, 2006. In many jurisdictions, the older style shown above continue to be accepted. However, Section 372.4d of the USPS International Mail Manual states, "As of October 11, 2007, only international reply coupons printed by the Universal Postal Union can be redeemed at U.S. Post Offices. The valid version of the international reply coupons printed by the Universal Postal Union is approximately 3.75 inches by 6 inches, has a barcode on the back, and has an expiration date of December 31, 2009. This policy is for international reply coupons issued by the United States as well as for those issued by foreign postal administrations." Always verify the local policy of your redeeming PO/PTT, as redemption of the older style can now no longer be assumed (ref: USPS IMM & PUB. 51 REVISIONS document). Check back here for further updates. New(er) International Reply Coupons: A new International Reply Coupon by the Universal Postal Union has been issued and available for sale at all post offices as of 1 September 2006. They are exchangeable till 31 December 2009. These newest IRCs also have a new look: two fingers about to touch, framed in a postage stamp, this image inspired by the famous Michelangelo work adorning the Sistine Chapel ceiling symbolizes the notions of communication and exchange that the International Reply Coupon represents. There is also a limited edition Centenary version IRC being issued, which will be highly prized by collectors (if they can locate a selling source). It is identical in appearance to the current 2006 version, except it has "100 years" overprinted on the stamp image. As with the 2006 version, it is valid through the end of 2009. UPDATE: Many U.S. Amateurs have contacted me because IRCs are "not available at their local Post Offices." This is incorrect. If you receive such a response, please direct the postal clerk to Section 372 of the International Mail Manual. As of this writing, the current edition is Issue 35, updated May 12, 2008. Sub-section 372.2 clearly states, "Reply coupons may be requisitioned by Post Office facilities in the same manner as postage stamps. The coupons should be stocked at Post Office facilities that have a demand for them." In other words, if they don't have them, ask them to order some. Since it is a normal, requisitioned supply, you should NOT be expected or required to pay in advance. IRCs currently cost $3.50 in Canada and $2.10 in the United States. Orange, CALIFORNIA 92869 United States of America (Page last updated: 20-May-2008)