What's the equivalent of an IRC in the USA?

Question

If you go to post office in the USA and you give them an IRC what will they give you back?

What's equivalent in gram of a 41 cent stamp ?

Answer 1

IRC = International Reply Coupon in the USA and other countries.

According to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_reply_coupon
"An international reply coupon (IRC) is a coupon that can be exchanged for one or more postage stamps representing the minimum postage for an unregistered priority airmail letter sent to another Universal Postal Union (UPU) member country. IRCs are accepted by all UPU member countries.

UPU member postal services are obliged to exchange an IRC for postage, but are not obliged to sell them.

The purpose of the IRC is to be able to send someone in another country a letter, along with the cost of postage for them to reply. If the addressee is within the same country, there is no need for an IRC because a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) will suffice; but if the addressee is in another country an IRC removes the necessity of acquiring foreign postage or sending appropriate currency....

Prices for IRCs vary by country; as of August 2007, the price was $2.00 USD within the United States. In the United States, the IRCs issued in any foreign country can be exchanged toward the purchase of postage stamps and embossed stamped envelopes at the rate of $0.90 USD per coupon."

A citizen can get them at their local post office so they can send an international letter without having to get currency from that country.

UPU = Universal Postal Union
According to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Postal_Union
"The Universal Postal Union (UPU, French: Union postale universelle) is an international organization that coordinates postal policies between member nations, and hence the world-wide postal system. Each member country agrees to the same set of terms for conducting international postal duties. Universal Postal Union's headquarters are located in Berne.

Prior to the establishment of the UPU, a country had to conclude a separate postal treaty with each other country that it wished to carry international mail to or from. The United States called for an international postal congress, which was held in 1863. This led Heinrich von Stephan, German Minister for Posts, to found the Universal Postal Union, the second oldest international organization (after the ITU). It was created in 1874, under the name "General Postal Union", as a result of the Treaty of Berne signed on 9 October 1874. In 1878, the name was changed to "Universal Postal Union"...

The United Nations member states may all become member countries of the UPU. The 192 United Nations member states are all UPU member countries except Andorra, Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau whose situation with regard to the UPU has not yet been settled. A non-member state of the United Nations may also become a UPU member if two-thirds of the UPU member countries approve its request. Vatican City is a UPU member country and a non-member state observer of the United Nations (as the Holy See).

The UPU has 191 member countries since Timor-Leste joined on 28 November 2003 and Montenegro on 26 July 2006, including the Dutch territories of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba as a single UPU member, and the British overseas territories, which are not independent states.

The Republic of China joined the UPU on 1 March 1914. After the People's Republic of China was founded, the Republic of China continued to represent China in the UPU, until the UPU decided on 13 April 1972 to recognize the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate Chinese representative. This results in International Reply Coupons not being available for Taiwan. Mail addressed to Taiwan will still be delivered there, albeit routed through a third country.

Various other non-recognized countries such as Somaliland, Sealand and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus need to have their mail routed through third countries as the UPU will not allow direct international deliveries (Sealand's mail goes via the UK, TRNC's mail via Turkey, and Somaliland's mail via Ethiopia). Other entities without direct UPU representation are the Palestinian Authority and the Sahrawi Republic / Western Sahara."

Check the article to make sure your country is in the UPU.

Answer 2

A 41 cents stamp. ONE IRC is good for the first class domestic mail postage.