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Open envelope with in the upper left corner in braille writing the imprint of the word: BRAILLE. It contains a Christmas greetings card also written in braille.
The letter was sent from Posterholt (The Netherlands) to Cleveland, Ohio (United States of America) on December 23, 1998.
On the left of the envelope a special braille label is was attached (type P4530).
Braille letters are free of all charges, with the exception of priority sendings outside Europe; this is 10 cents for every 10 grams.
The letter was correctly franked with the lowest possible postal fee of The Dutch Post ! Consequently the headline above this little story could also have be: " What does The Dutch Post still do for just ten cents".
The postage stamp was canceled with a machine cancellation with the slogan "Postcode / Gebruik 'm goed" (In English language: "Postcode / Use it well " ), by the sorting center 's-Hertogenbosch. On the front of the letter an incoming US inkjet sorting code in black , which was deleted again by a black crayon stroke.
To deter abuse, braille sendings (letters, braille books and recorded books) are subjected to some regulations.
In the postal rate guide of January,1998, the regulations about this kind of sendings read:
Page 49:
Sendings ( up to 7 kgs.) only containing information in braille, can be sent free of charge or at a special rate, depending on the chosen service. Braille sendings must to be handed open and must be provided by a special label. (Rates, see page 51).
Page 51:
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Priority
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Priority
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Standard
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Standard
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Weight
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Europe
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Outside Europe
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Europe
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Outside Europe
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0- 7 kgs.
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postage free
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10 cents every
10 grs. each
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postage free
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postage free
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