Burma: Short-paid Aerogramme

Burma #1 sent to New York, US, on 30 DEC 53. At the time of posting the aerogramme rate to the US was 12 AS, so the uprated aerogramme still was 2 AS short-paid. Taxed 16 UPU centimes in the circular "T" handstamp.

The standard rate fixed at the 1952 Brussels UPU congress was UPU letter rate = 20 UPU centimes, but the regulations allowed for deviations in a given range. The Indian postal authorities set the exchange rate to 1 AS = 4 UPU centimes (instead of 1 AS = 5 UPU centimes).

In the US the conversion rate was 3 UPU centimes = 1 cent, i.e. a postage due of 5 cent after rounding down, as is documented by the endorsement to the single line postage due handstamp. A 5 cent postage due stamp shows that the addressee has made the required payment.