This label indicates the contents of a package of 500 of the 55-cent Ethiopian aerogrammes. Most of these were thrown away at post offices when a new package was opened.
In more than 30 years of collecting aerogrammes, I have never come across one of these from Ethiopia. Elsewhere on the blog, I have a similar one from Nepal, which I consider equivalently rare.
Berlin aerogramme #5 sent from Berlin (23. 6. 50) to Tel-Aviv, Israel. The aerogramme contained an enclosure, as the item’s weight was marked as 14 g in the lower right corner next to the stamp. The 75 Pfg. Saar stamp was not valid for postage in Berlin, which explains the „Ungültig“ (invalid) endorsement in red crayon.
However, it remains unclear why the 60 Pfg. indicium was crossed out, as the aerogramme was valid at the time of posting.
For an ordinary air mail letter to Israel, the postage would have been 30 Pfg. UPU letter rate plus 2x50 Pfg. air mail surcharge. This would have resulted in a double deficiency of 140 Pfg. for a short-paid ordinary air mail letter.
The taxation marks seems to be a tax fraction: T 6 / 13. The only idea I have about this taxation is that the fraction represents the postage prepaid (60 as a numerator) over the required postage (130 as a denominator): 60 / 130 = 6 / 13. However, this was contrary to the UPU rules of taxation.
No apparent postage due handling in Israel.
Enclosures were not allowed in aerogrammes.
Aerogramme form (dated inside 1 July 1956) sent from Johore Bahru, Malaya, to Redwood City, US.
Franked only at the UPU surface rate of 20c.
Aerogramme type designation and routing instruction voided with blue crayon and aerogramme form diverted to surface mail.
New Zealand air letter form sent from Christchurch (5 JE 48) to the UK. Prepaid at 6d, the air letter was short paid by 2d for the 8d air letter rate.
Taxation handstamp „To Pay / 4d / Deficient Postage“ but contrary to UPU regulations no conversion of this amount into UPU centimes. No apparent postage due handling in the UK.
