A kilo of boots

Contemporary use of definitive stamps

Here is a good example of how definitive stamps where used in the beginning of the 70s. A mix of old and new. This is yet another domestic parcel and its weight is below 1 kg. The postal rate at the time was 3.80 kr. At the top we find the 1 kr Dancing Cranes from February 1968, the 1 kr was a complimentary denomination. In the middle the 2 kr wine-red Three Crowns from January 1969. It was the last stamp issued in the Three Crown series. The series consists of 30 stamps and they were issued during almost three decades. The Three Crown series was by 1971 aging and the 2 kr was probably the last denomination in use. There was however a single use for that stamp, it covered the rate for domestic letter  - 250 g until October the same year. At the bottom the 80 öre blue/brown the Waxholm Boat issued in January 1971, 80 öre was a complimentary denomination as well. 1 + 2 + 0.80 makes 3.80, three stamps were required this time. That was not always the case further back.

Domestic parcel  - 1 kg fee: 3.80 kr
1968, 21 February. 1 kr green-black Dancing Cranes. Qty: 140,000,000
1969, 20 January. 2 kr wine-red Three Crowns. Qty: 67,700,000
1971, 22 January.80 öre  blue/brown the Waxholm Boat. Qty: 58,100,000

In the 60s the three most common parcel rates for the lowest weight classes each had a stamp covering each rate. Covering those rates was for along time the purpose of the Three Crown series. That changed in the 70s  and one reason is because the rates were raised more often from now on. In the 60s the rates were raised every second year or so, in the early 70s once a year and sometimes even twice a year. Issuing specific stamps for parcel rates were not practical anymore.

According to the parcel address cars the parcel contained boots. It was sent on Friday 13 August 1971 from the Post Office in Stenungsund to the Post Office in Ytterby and picked up there on the following Monday. The sender was the firm Cykel & Fritid in Stenungsund a shop were you could buy bikes, sports equipment, camping gear and other items to make your leisure time more enjoyable. The receiver of the parcel was the incorporated company Hefa AB in Ytterby, outside the small town of Kungälv. Hefa was in those days mainly in wholesales of sports products, shoes, boots, bags and garden furniture. How many boots can there be in a parcel weighing 1 kg? not too many pairs, most likely just one pair. My guess is that this parcel contained a pair of boots that had to be returned to Hefa. A customer complaint.

Where are the places:
Stenungsund is situated 387 km south west of Stockholm.
Ytterby is situated 392 south west of Stockholm.
The distance by road is only 23 km between the two places.

Some domestic parcel rates 1 January 1971 until 30 September 1971:
- 1 kg 1 - 3 kg 3 - 5 kg 5 - 7 kg 7 - 9 kg
[3.80 kr] 4.80 kr 5.80 kr 9.00 kr   10.50 kr

Hefa is still out there: http://www.hefa.se/en/