The next official card that we have to consider is a new Postal Union card which made its appearance suddenly in the latter part of 1896. This is one of the most striking cards that Canada has produced, being beautifully
engraved on steel and printed in a brilliant orange red. There is no frame, such as bordered the previous 2 cent card, and the stamp in the upper right corner much resembles in size and design the large 2 cent adhesive of the 1868 issue, except that the head of the Queen is turned to the left. The inscriptions follow out, in a way, the general style of British Colonial Postal Union cards, a small reproduction of the British arms with supporters occupying the center at the top. The arrangement will be seen from the illustration.
The card is approximately 5⅛ × 3⅛ inches (130 × 80 mm.) in size and printed on a very light buff stock. A variety in shade occurs, of some degree of rarity, printed in carmine. The card was first chronicled in the American Journal of Philately for 1st November, 1896, and was the last "new issue" put forth by the British American Bank Note Co. before its long contract was closed. The card was noted in the Postmaster General's Report for 1897 as follows:—"During the year a Universal Postal Union Card, conforming more closely to the regulations of the Union was introduced, thus superseding the old card." The new dimensions of the card, the removal of the frame, and the completing of the inscriptions in both English and French were among these requirements.
The American Bank Note Co., as we all know, began its work for the Canadian Government by the production of the Jubilee Issue. As will be seen by reference to the prospectus of this series already given,[236] there was included a special post card of 1 cent to the number of 7 millions. These were delivered and all issued with the exception of 3000 on hand as shown by the stamp accounts in 1903. They do not appear in the 1904 accounts, so it is not known what became of them.
The cards were issued with the Jubilee stamps on the 19th June, 1897.[237] They were the size of the ordinary 1 cent cards and on the same quality of stock. The stamp is a reproduction of the 1 cent adhesive of the Jubilee issue, but engraved for
typographic printing. "Canada Post Card" is enclosed in a fancy frame at the left and the usual instructions are found beneath it.
A curious variety of this card was noted in the Metropolitan Philatelist for August, 1897, as follows:—"We have seen the new jubilee card bearing the stamp only. This is an error caused by the design being in two pieces and in this case the inscription has dropped out."
The regular post cards produced by the new contractors did not make their appearance until several months after the first adhesives of the new type were out. The two cent card was the first issued, having been reported by the Canadian correspondent of the Weekly Philatelic Era under date of 4th December, 1897, as just out. It was a copy of the 2 cent card of 1896 in every respect except the stamp, which was naturally of the new maple leaf type, and the color was a deeper shade of orange red.