IRC Question

[lizane]

Hello!

It's the first time I want to send (or heard about!) IRC. I've never used it before, I've always sent aerograms. I actually found out on this site that I have to use IRC! Anyways, my question is: :arrow: I'm from South Africa and I have no idea how many IRC I should send because it cost A LOT here! I can possibly not buy 3 IRC for 1 postcard with a autograph! Can you please help me and tell me if it's neccesary to even buy IRC at all or how much I should buy? I went to our local post office's website (here it is: http://www.sapo.co.za) but nothing answered my question! I figured you can mabey help me?

Thank you very much!!

BTW, my successes with aerograms(no SAE, IRC or picture) are: Eric Bana, Real Madrid football club and Kimi Raikkonen.

[nowandagain]

Hi Lizanne

It is preferred you send out IRC's with your request, as it will not only cover the costs of having something returned to you, but is also polite to pay for costs when you're asking for something from someone.

Some celebrities will send you something without sending IRC's, but not everyone.

I know IRC's can be very expensive (they're really expensive here in Australia too!) 1 IRC will cover the cost of a regular sized envelope. You will need to send 2 or 3 for an envelope that will fit a large 8x10 photo.

Are you sending postcards or smaller photos to be signed? 1 IRC should probably be enough for your SAE. Celebrities have been known to add extra postage if you haven't sent the full amount.

Additionally, if you have an opportunity you could purchase US stamps (if you're sending requests to the US) from the USPS website which can be found here. In the long run, the stamps will be cheaper than sending IRC's.

Good luck!

nowandagain [rockon]

[allhahaheehee]

i live in the uk and i send usa dollars,

[lizane]

Thank you very much!! I don't send any photos, I only send letters (and now IRC!). What size are the pics that the celebrities send, are they all a postcard size or are some bigger?

Thank you!!

[nowandagain]

Thank you very much!! I don't send any photos, I only send letters (and now IRC!). What size are the pics that the celebrities send, are they all a postcard size or are some bigger?

Thank you!!

Hi Lizanne

It really depends on the celebrity. Some send out large 8x10 inch photos, others may send small 6x4 inch photos (sometimes maybe even 3x5 inch).

nowandagain [rockon]

[lizane]

Thank you very much!! I think I know what to do now! Mabey I'll send to some my own and to others 2 - 3 IRC! Thanks for your help!

[loveryan]

Hi!!
We only send one IRc in the letters

[TheCollector]

Hi!!
We only send one IRC in the letters

It really depends where abouts you are writing to If you are sending from a European address to another European address, then 1 IRC might be enough.

IRC's are valid for the minimum postage value to in the country where they are reimbursed. So for example if you wrote from Europe to the USA then 1 IRC would be valid for a small letter or a postcard. If you were being sent back something heaver than that then 1 IRC would probably not cover it.

On occasion you might get lucky and get something heavier sent back with 1 IRC, but in all probability the celeb would have had to pay the increased postage themselves

Just a word of warning . . . Just because you get "some" of your successes back using only 1 IRC, you are probably losing a lot where the postage paid is just not enough! I know IRC's can be confusing, but remember - 1 IRC is only worth the minimum postage value for a single letter in the country where they are exchanged. If you expect something bigger, then use more IRCs!!!!

Hope this helps!
Ian