The Fifty-cent Prexie

Penalty mail, registered, return receipt

A registered penalty letter with declared indemnity of $50.01 through $75.00 and return receipt requested cost fifty cents from January 1, 1949 until January 1, 1952. The breakdown is forty-five cents for registry and five cents for return receipt, with no charge for postage.

This official letter was sent registered, return receipt requested, from Boston in July of 1952. (Cover in the Michael Ley collection.)

This 1949 penalty envelope was registered with minimum indemnity for twenty-five cents. The return receipt cost five cents, as above, and restricted delivery was added for twenty cents (March 25, 1944 to July 1, 1957) to bring the total, fees only, to fifty cents.

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