An international reply coupon (IRC) is a coupon that can be exchanged for one or more postage stamps representing the minimum postage for an unregistered priority airmail letter of up to twenty grams sent to another Universal Postal Union (UPU) member country. IRCs are accepted by all UPU member countries.
UPU member postal services are obliged to exchange an IRC for postage, but are not obliged to sell them.
The purpose of the IRC is to allow a person to send someone in another country a letter, along with the cost of postage for a reply. If the addressee is within the same country, there is no need for an IRC because a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) or return postcard will suffice; but if the addressee is in another country an IRC removes the necessity of acquiring foreign postage or sending appropriate currency.
Nairobi Model
This IRC was made available since 1 July 2009 and is called the "Nairobi" model, and is available from post offices in 116 countries as at December 2012. IRCs are ordered from the UPU headquarters in Bern, Switzerland, by postal authorities.
Previous editions of the IRC, the "Beijing" model and all subsequent versions, bear an expiration date. Consequently, a new IRC will be issued every three years. The current IRC will become obsolete on 31 December 2013. Current stockpiles in the hands of users should be expended by then, or exchanged for the new issue to be introduced at that time. The current issue IRC may be exchanged until 31 December 2013 (date printed on coupon).
Obverse Text
CN 01
UPU
UNION POSTALE UNIVERSELLE
Le Timbre-poste, vecteur d'éxchange
UN is contre le
CHANGEMENT CLIMATIQUE ??NUE
Empriente de controle du pays d'origine (fadultative)
DK
DANEMARK
COUPON-RÉPONSE INTERNATIONAL
Ce coupon est échangeable dans tous les pays de l'Union postale universelle contre l'affranchissement minimal d'un envoi prioritaire ordinaire ou d'une lettre-avion ordinaire expédié à l'étranger.
A échanger jusqu'au 31.12.2013
Timbre du bureau qui effectue l'échange
Ne pas apposer l'empreinte du timbre à date hors de ce cadre
Reverse Text
This coupon is exchageable in any country of the Universal Postal Union for the minimum postage for an unregistered priority item or an unregistered letter sent by air to a foreign country.
Must be exchanged by 31.12.2013
(in several languages)
Serial Number
DK 20120914 20131231 0085258 074 AI
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Texts and Images were taken from and courtesy of Exonumi.com
URL: http://www.exonumi.com/publish-SP.1.99
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