The Twelve-cent Prexie
Third class use
From the beginning of the Prexie period until January 1, 1949 third-class items were charged one-and-one-half cents per two ounces up to the third-class limit of eight ounces. The maximum third-class charge thus would have been twelve cents. This portion of a wrapper most likely came from a package weighing anywhere between six and eight ounces, sent during that period.
My reasoning is as follows: postage for a package sent fourth-class to zone 8 was more than twelve cents at any time during the period, so the package went third class. From January1, 1949 to August 1, 1958 there was no combination of rates and weight (eight onuces and under) that could produce a third-class charge as high as twelve cents, and the APO the package was sent to closed in May of 1947, indicating use before then. Admittedly, there could be a stamp missing, but there is no appearance of such. The package could also have been sent after August 1, 1958 when the third-class weight limit went up, IF the APO number had been re-used, but I can't find any indication that it had.
