The International Reply Coupon or IRC was very much a part of amateur radio history for decades. If you wanted a QSL card from a station for a particular contact that you had made then the idea was that you would send them an envelope containing a self-addressed envelope, your QSL card and an IRC to pay for the return postage.
Some people preferred to use $1 notes but they were more prone to theft. The IRC could only be used to pay for postage for an unregistered international airmail letter and had no other value.
In reality, these IRC's often didn't get cashed in at all and went around in circles. Someone would send you a QSL card with an IRC enclosed and then you'd use the same IRC to send to someone else for a QSL card that you wanted.
My own experience with IRCs was that the local small post office had no idea what they were. If you wanted a postage stamp then you had to pay in cash. I think I tried taking them to the main post office in the city centre and I didn't fare much better. It was like trying to pay for something with magic beans! 😂
I was using them over 20-years ago so I'm not sure if any radio amateurs were using them anymore?
The older type of IRC is shown at the top of the post. The more 'modern' version is shown below.
The UBU (Universal Postal Union) announced on the 15th of December 2025 that the International Reply Coupon would no longer be valid after the 31st of December 2026.
Press Release: End of a chapter, start of a legacy – the international reply coupon enters the history books
15 December (Berne, Switzerland) – Since its introduction on 1 October 1907, the international reply coupon (IRC) has accompanied generations of correspondents, travellers and collectors across the world. Serving as a truly universal paper currency, it enables the holder to pay for postage of an unregistered international airmail letter between the UPU’s 192 member countries.
For almost 120 years and across 10 successive models, the IRC has embodied the values of universality, fairness and solidarity upon which the universal postal service is founded.
On 17 September 2025, at the 28th Universal Postal Congress in Dubai (United Arab Emirates), the UPU member countries decided, with a view to adapting and simplifying the universal services, to discontinue the IRC as of 31 December 2026. This decision is a natural progression within the broader transformation of international postal services, in alignment with the digital practices and modern outlook of their customers.
The UPU International Bureau is proud to provide support in this transition and is currently working towards the IRC’s transformation into a part of the UPU’s heritage, in keeping with its history and unique role in global postal cooperation. IRCs will remain valid and available for sale by and exchange with the designated operators of UPU member countries until 31 December 2026.
Lastly, in celebration of the exceptional legacy of the IRC, a special commemorative product will be released. Tracing the history of the IRC and offering an unprecedented customer experience, this product will honour this iconic page in the history of philately and the UPU.
