expensive United States International Postal Money Orders may be presented abroad. In the United States, international money orders are pink and domestic money orders are green. Canada Canada had its own postal orders (called postal notes) from 1898 until 1 April 1949, when these were discontinued and withdrawn. A British Forces Post Office in Suffield, Alberta was issuing British postal orders as late as July 2006. China Chinese Imperial Post began issuing postal orders since 1897, the so-called "remittance certificate". After purchase, these certificates are payable at main post offices in China and usually bearing franked postage stamps represented as fee. Since 1925, a set of special stamps were used by post offices to issue secured postal orders. Since 1929, Chinese Post were capable of selling international postal orders cashable under UPU protocol at a few other countries including Japan, Britain, France, and the US. Australia A Defence canteen order was a variant of a postal order used in Australia during World War II. Purchased at a post office, it was payable to an enlisted person in goods from a canteen rather than being a cash instrument. Collecting Postal orders are gaining in popularity as collectibles, especially among numismatists who collect banknotes. There is an active numismatic organisation in the UK called the Postal Order Society that was established in 1985 with members both domestically and overseas. They hold twice-yearly postal auctions of postal orders and related material from across the British Commonwealth. Advantages Despite competition from cheques and electronic funds transfer, postal orders continue to appeal to customers, especially as a form of payment for shopping on the Internet, as they are drawn on the Post Office's accounts so a vendor can be certain that they will not bounce. They also enable those without a bank account, including minors, to make small financial transactions without the need for cash. Postal workers in the United Kingdom use voided or cancelled orders in their training. See also George Archer-Shee, whose court case inspired Terence Rattigan's play The Winslow Boy. List of countries that have used postal orders Promotional postal order References Further reading Lunn, Howard. (1984) A Guide to the History and Values of British Postal Orders 1881-1984. Howard Lunn. Lunn, Howard. (1997) Promotional Postal Orders. East Stour, Gillingham: Howard Lunn. External links Malaysian Postal Order images - RM1 to RM100. USPS Money Orders Numismatics Payment systems