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Hi Everyone,
So...I went to my local Post Office this morning to order two of the IRCs to put with my request for the free Tower of London lockup tickets.

The lady at my post office called the main Post Office where she orders her stamps from and they told her they had the $1.85 IRCs but not the $2.10 IRCS. The clerk from the main post office said they could just put additional postage with it to make up the 25 cent difference.

Does this sound right? If that were the case why couldn't I just send $4.20 in US postage along with my request. (I know I can't do that) Please help. Should I just purchase three $1.85 IRCs so I can be sure to have enough? What would all of you suggest?
Thank you,
Michele

www.usps.com has extremely detailed conditions of every product - check it out if you have not.

seems like the adding of stamps just shows you have paid the new price of IRC's but i'd send the three myself.

You could not send $4.20 in postage because it's the IRC that locals can convert to postage for first class mail is my understanding.

Hi PalenQ,
Thank you for your reply. Yes, I did have the printout from the USPS website that described the IRCs and that is where it stated that the IRCs are converted in postage in the UK. That's why I didn't think it made sense to send US postage with it.

The clerk at my post office is doing more checking so I'll wait and see what she finds out. I just wanted Fodors' opinions since they are more familiar with this than the Post office it seems.

Thank you,
Michele

Hi Michele d,

Same thing happened to me two months ago when I sent away for my Tower of London tix. I, being fairly dumb about this sort of thing, just went along with what the post office said and had them stick an extra 25 cents on the front of each of the IRC's and off went my request. I got my tickets via return mail about two weeks later, so it worked out ok for me!

YMMV.

There is no need for extra postage. Just enclose two $1.85 IRC's. That is what I did Jan. 2 and I received my tickets on Saturday.

Meant to add - the Tower would have absolutely no use for extra US postage. They can't use it to mail things from the UK. That is why they ask for IRCs instead of SASEs

I'm wondering why the Tower is still asking for IRCs instead of just absorbing the cost of sending out tickets - they charge enough for entry at other times to cross-subsidise, surely?

Hi Happy and Janisj,
Thanks for the info. I will have the post office order 2 IRCs at whichever value they can get and will send it off that way. I'm six months out so there is time in case it doesn't work the first time.
Thanks again,
Michele

There is no need for extra postage. Just enclose two $1.85 IRC's. That is what I did Jan. 2 and I received my tickets on Saturday.>

why then does the Post Office say to add stamps? It seems to bring it up to the right price and nothing to do with the Tower using them for postage.

jj apparently is saying to cheat, for a whopping 25 cents.

jj can correct me as usual if i'm not understanding what she advises.