ABCs of Irish Philately: Postal Orders

ABCs of Irish Philately - Postal Orders

Postal Orders are issued by the Irish Post Office in varying denominations and a small poundage fee is paid for this.

The following regulations are quoted from the 1982 Eolaí an Phoist, Post Office Guide.

POSATGE STAMPS AFFIXED TO POSTAL ORDERS

The value of a Postal Order may be increased by affixing Postage stamps not exceeding two in number or a total of 9p in value in the case of all Orders from 10p tp £10 inclusive. No payment can, however, be made for stamps not affixed in the spaces provided, or for odd halfpence. Stamps cut out of envelopes, postcards and so on, or perforated with initials or marks cannot be used on Postal Orders.

PLACES OF ISSUE AND PAYMENT

Postal Orders are issued and paid at all Post Offices in Ireland (but are not payable at Post Offices in Britain) and in certain places abroad (for List see Volume II).

PERIOD DURING WHICH ORDERS ARE PAYABLE

If an Order is not paid within three months from the last day of the month of issue, a commission equal to the original poundage will be charged, the new commission to be affixed in Postage Stamps to the back of the Order. Postal Orders not presented for payment within six months from the last day of the month of issue must be sent to the Accountant, Department of Posts and telegraphs, College House, Dublin 2, with a request for payment at some specified Office.

POSTAL ORDERS NOT NEGOTIABLE

Postal orders do not, like Legal Tender Notes, represent value in themselves. If an Order is lost or stolen, the person into whose hands it may fall, though himself innocent, is not entitles to receive the amount of the Order. The rightful owner is alone entitled to cash the order.

In the 1982 Eolaí an Phoist Postal Orders were available in the following values:

10p,15p,20p, 30p, 35p, 40p, 45p, 50p, 55p, 60p, 75p, 70p, 75p, 80p, 85p, 90p, 95p	• •	12p
£1, £1.25, £1.50, £2, £4, £5, £6, £7, £8, £9, £10	• •	15p

A supplement was issued that put these price increases into effect from 1 April, 1982

£0.10 to £0.15	• •	12p
£0.20 to £0.95	• •	15p
£1 to £10	• •	18p

If you have additional Postal Order information to add please make contact

The three Postal Orders shown above were all issued in 1969 and were cashed at a bank and not cashed at the Post Office as indicated by the black framed Royal Bank of Ireland cachets. This was a usual way of dealing with Postal Orders for companies that received them from customers.