Brief History of Postage Due Stamps

Before l870 Various marks on envelopes were employed to denote underpayment.                         

(note that number relates to the post office)

1/8/1870  Following an “Arrete Ministeriel “ (Ministerial Decree) of 20 July 1870, two stamps were issued (10 and 20 centimes) for use only for under-franked letters sent to an address within the area of the same post office.

This issue seems to be more common bisected on cover than used whole!

10c TX1 Bisected diagonally on unfranked wrapper  to Gent,GAND  9 DECE 1-S 1893 Single-ring and “T” cachet.

1/7/1875

Tax fixed for first time at double the amount underpaid.

15/5/1876

The mark 'T' replaced “AFFRANCHISSEMENT INSUFFISANT”

1/11/1895 

1. First issue 10c &- 20c with drawn, but usage actually continued until stocks were exhausted – as late as July 1900

2. Five new stamps were issued. 

    (5c. 10c. 20c. 50c . and 1fr.)  

This design by Privat-Livemont continued, albeit with some modification until 1966.

28/5/1900

Colours of 10c. 50c. & 1 fr. altered.

1/4/1909

 Much needed 50c blue issued.

1915-1918

German Postage Due Markings used  PORTO  etc

1/9/1916

Centime values of 1095 re-issued with the shading round the lion thickened.

25/4/1919

Because of fraud the post office overprinted the name of each post office on the Postage Dues, mainly on 1916 stamps, but also seen on l895 and 1919 issues.

30/6/1919

Post offices short of 5 centime stamps were authorised to cut 10c into two equal parts.

1919

 Definitive stamps of 1915 authorised for use as Postage dues with T overprinted on the stamp

10/9/1919

Centimes values issued with white centres.

All Stamps except 50 centimes also perforated 14 x 15

PSC 56 10c HOUDENG 19-20 3 XI 1926

“13 dots” Single-ring to Bruxelles, “T” Cachet,  manuscript 0.10,  10c TX27 cancelled BRUXELLES-BRUSSEL 23-24 3-XI 1920

Single-ring & LES VIREMENTS POSTAUX ECONOMISENT BILLETS ET NUMÉRAIRE/POSTOVERSCHRIJ VINGEN SPARENBANKBRIEF JES EN SPECIËN flag slogan.

1922/1938

 Issued at various dates, 18 values 5c to 5.50 fr., stamps with figures and colours modified from that of the 1919 issue. Pert 14 x 13½.

Distinct difference in shape of the C between 1919 left and 1922 right.

PPC COMPIEGNE ? 1-6 25 DISE Single-ring to Wadeck, 15c SG396a, “T” Cachet, manuscript 0,60, 10c TX33 [Yelow Green], 50c TX38a, [Ultramarine] WODECQ 3 VI 5-6 1927  “7 dots” Single-ring.

10/9/1945

Liberation Issue sold only by subscription. 7 stamps 10c to 2 fr. and the first duesirst with BELGIQUE-BELGIE. Virtually unknown used.

1946/1953

Issued at various dates, 10 stamps. 65c to 10 fr. of the 1922 type.

Envelope 23 SEPT 49 Paris to Bruxelles 15fr., Dues 3FR. TX60 [N2 Brown-red], 20c TX34 [N3 Brown-light], 1C BRUXELLES 1C BRUSSEL 24 IX 3-4 1949 Single-ring. .

30/6/1959

All Postage Dues withdrawn and until 1966 ordinary current postage stamps surcharged “T” used instead.

PPC Vienna franked 30g SG1115 to Brussel, cancelled WIEN 101 3-6-1962 46 Machine single-ring and Taxed “T” 35g in manuscript. Postage due met by 3f 1067 and 50c 854 [Lion Chiffre] surcharged “T” no cancellation.

30/6/1959

1966 Totally new design of Postage Due stamps without any wording issued.

7 values from 1 fr. to 20 fr.

Subsequently issued with modified design. There were many types of paper and gum employed with this issue.

Vichte 8560 –2-1-8514 textielcentrum Single-ring to Antwerpen. No stamp, “T” Cachet & manuscript 21fr, 20F TX72, 1F TX66 cancelled 6 ANTWERPEN 6 08.01.85-09 2008 Single-ring.

15/3/1976

 Introduction of the “Taxe de traitement” system.

Cover to water company, OOSTENDE 15-3-76-5  D X D Single-ring to Kortrijk, 5fr.  1645 [Elström], letter rate 6.50fr. hence 2fr. due (1,50fr. rounded to 2fr.) plus 2fr. Taxe de traitement met by 3FR TX68, 1FR TX66A cancelled 1 KORTRIJK X 1 16-3-76 8500 Single-ring [This was the date of introduction of the “Taxe de traitement” system], “T” cachet with manuscript 4f, Geweigerd voor de vracht/Refusé pour la taxe label tied by circled 32 postman’s mark, TERUG AN AFZENDER/RETOUR A ENVOYEUR cachet.

1981

"Meter Marks" used as postage dues some marked direct onto the envelope, some on a separate piece of paper gummed onto the envelope

1/8/1998

Underpaid mail is returned to sender with a polite request to add additional stamps and repost the item.

If sender's address is not known then “AFFRANCHISSEMENT INSUFFISANT” label applied