[SEDXC] Search IMM Issue 37 - International Mail Manual > 3 Extra Services > 380 Supplemental Services

[n4xp at juno.com]

Internation Reply Coupons are addressed in the "International Mail
Manual" or IMM under "Supplemental Services"

See 381.4  a., b, c, etc. below regarding "stamp".   You interpet  as you
see it.  It requires it in a. and then says in b. some countires are not
required to stamp it!
  
380 Supplemental Services
 381 International Reply Coupons
381.1 Description
The sender of a letter may prepay a reply by purchasing reply coupons
that are sold and exchangeable for postage stamps by postal
administrations in member countries of the Universal Postal Union. 
International reply coupons (in French Coupons–Reponse Internationaux)
are printed in blue ink on paper that has the letters “UPU” in large
characters in the watermark. The front of each coupon is printed in
French. The reverse side of the coupon shows the text relating to its use
in German, English, Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, and Russian. 
Coupons sold in the United States have the selling price printed on them
while coupons in other countries may not. 
381.2 Availability
Reply coupons may be requisitioned by Post Office facilities in the same
manner as postage stamps. The coupons should be stocked at Post Office
facilities that have a demand for them.
381.3 Selling Price and Exchange Value
See Notice 123, Price List, for the selling price of a reply coupon in
the United States. One coupon is exchangeable in any other member country
for a stamp or stamps representing the minimum postage on an unregistered
air letter. Unused U.S. coupons (that is, those with the U.S. selling
price stamped on them) may be exchanged only for United States postage
stamps by the original purchaser at a discount of 1 cent below the
purchase price. 
With the exceptions noted in 381.4d, international reply coupons
purchased in foreign countries are exchangeable at U.S. Post Office
facilities toward the purchase of postage stamps and embossed stamped
envelopes at the current maximum First-Class Mail International 1-ounce,
letter-size price, per coupon, irrespective of the country where they
were purchased. See Notice 123, Price List. 
381.4 Processing Requests
When an international reply coupon is sold the Postal Service clerk must
place a postmark in the block which is headed control stamp of the
country of origin. 
Under Universal Postal Union’s regulations member countries are not
required to place a control stamp or postmark on the international reply
coupons that they sell. Therefore some foreign issue reply coupons which
are tendered for redemption may bear the name of the issuing country
(generally in French) rather than the optional control stamp or postmark.
Such coupons are exchangeable for U.S. postage as specified in 381.3b. 
A Post Office facility redeeming an unused U.S. coupon must postmark it
in the unpostmarked circle. A Post Office facility exchanging a foreign
reply coupon must postmark it in the right circle. Post Office facilities
must not accept foreign coupons that already bear a Postal Service
postmark. 
Effective January 1, 2010, the only valid version of the international
reply coupons printed by the Universal Postal Union is Item Number
330800, which is approximately 3.75 inches by 6 inches, has a barcode on
the reverse side, and has an expiration date of December 31, 2013. This
policy is for international reply coupons issued by the United States as
well as for those issued by foreign postal administrations. 
Reply coupons formerly issued by the Postal Union of the Americas and
Spain are no longer valid. These coupons are printed in green ink and
bear the caption Cupon Respuesta America–Espanol. Customers possessing
any of these coupons should return them to their correspondents in the
country of issue for redemption through the selling post office. 
Postmasters must process exchanged foreign and redeemed U.S.
international reply coupons as prescribed in 11-6.6, International Reply
Coupons, in Handbook F-101, Field Accounting Procedures.