USPS stamp price history: every First-Class letter rate since 1863

A Forever stamp costs 82¢, the price of a 1 oz First-Class letter since Jul 12, 2026. When USPS first sold Forever stamps, on Apr 12, 2007, they cost 41¢. The basic letter rate started at 3¢ per half ounce in 1863 and has been a price per ounce since Jul 1, 1885, when it was 2¢; it has changed 40 times and gone down 3 times. A postcard costs 65¢.

Letter and postcard rates from the USPS Historian's published tables; Forever stamp prices from each USPS price list since 2007, checked against those tables. Download: CSV or JSON (CC BY 4.0; the JSON has both Historian tables). Today's prices for every letter size and extra service: USPS stamp prices.

Rates verified on Oct 19, 2026

What did a stamp cost in a given year?

Year

In 1990, the first ounce of a First-Class letter cost 25¢ all year. A postcard cost 15¢.

From the USPS Historian's tables below. Before July 1, 1885, the letter rate was per half ounce.

Letter and postcard postage, 1863 to now

First-Class letter, first ounce (half ounce before 1885)
Stamped card and postcard

Postage in cents on the day each rate took effect, from the USPS Historian. The shaded stretch before 1885 is the price per half ounce. The tables below list every rate.

Every Forever stamp price since 2007

Newest first. Each row is a USPS price list, keyed to the date it took effect, and matches the USPS Historian's letter-rate table; the CSV and JSON add every USPS copy each row was checked against. 16 increases and 1 cut since the stamp went on sale; 7 changes since 2022, each in January or July.

What a USPS Forever stamp sold for, by period: the single-piece First-Class Mail 1 oz stamped letter price (from Apr 12, 2007, when the stamp went on sale, the price that took effect on May 14, 2007), verified Oct 19, 2026.
In effect	Price	Change	Source
Jul 12, 2026 to now	82¢	+4¢ (+5.1%)	Notice 123
Jul 13, 2025 to Jul 11, 2026	78¢	+5¢ (+6.8%)	Notice 123
Jul 14, 2024 to Jul 12, 2025	73¢	+5¢ (+7.4%)	Notice 123
Jan 21, 2024 to Jul 13, 2024	68¢	+2¢ (+3.0%)	Notice 123
Jul 9, 2023 to Jan 20, 2024	66¢	+3¢ (+4.8%)	Notice 123
Jan 22, 2023 to Jul 8, 2023	63¢	+3¢ (+5.0%)	Notice 123
Jul 10, 2022 to Jan 21, 2023	60¢	+2¢ (+3.4%)	Notice 123
Aug 29, 2021 to Jul 9, 2022	58¢	+3¢ (+5.5%)	Notice 123
Jan 27, 2019 to Aug 28, 2021	55¢	+5¢ (+10.0%)	Notice 123
Jan 21, 2018 to Jan 26, 2019	50¢	+1¢ (+2.0%)	Notice 123
Jan 22, 2017 to Jan 20, 2018	49¢	+2¢ (+4.3%)	Notice 123
Apr 10, 2016 to Jan 21, 2017 USPS's 4.3 percent exigent surcharge ended on Apr 10, 2016, under a Postal Regulatory Commission order; USPS's release names the Forever stamp among the prices it had to lower.	47¢	-2¢ (-4.1%)	Notice 123
Jan 26, 2014 to Apr 9, 2016	49¢	+3¢ (+6.5%)	Notice 123
Jan 27, 2013 to Jan 25, 2014	46¢	+1¢ (+2.2%)	Notice 123
Jan 22, 2012 to Jan 26, 2013 The only archived Notice 123 for 2012 is marked DRAFT, so this row comes from the Postal Bulletin, which gives the price after the January 22, 2012 change. The DRAFT price list and the USPS Historian table show the same 45 cents.	45¢	+1¢ (+2.3%)	Postal Bulletin 22325
May 11, 2009 to Jan 21, 2012	44¢	+2¢ (+4.8%)	Notice 123
May 12, 2008 to May 10, 2009	42¢	+1¢ (+2.4%)	Prices and Fees
Apr 12, 2007 to May 11, 2008 Forever stamps went on sale on April 12, 2007, at 41 cents, the 1 oz letter price that took effect on May 14, 2007 (Postal Bulletin 22203A). Until May 13, 2007 a 1 oz letter cost 39 cents, so a Forever stamp used in that month paid 39 cents of postage: its value is the 1 oz price on the day it is mailed.	41¢	first price	Rates and Fees

Every First-Class letter rate since 1863

Newest first, as the USPS Historian lists them: postage for the first ounce (the first half ounce before Jul 1, 1885). Since September 14, 1975, extra ounces have cost less than the first, and since July 15, 1979, a surcharge applies to envelopes of non-standard size. From Jul 1, 1885 to Jul 12, 2026 the per-ounce rate went from 2¢ to 82¢ (+4,000%). The longest time without a change was 32 years, from Jul 1, 1885 to Nov 2, 1917.

USPS Historian, Rates for Domestic Letters Since 1863 (AUGUST 2026 edition), with the change from the rate before and the years since that change, computed here.
Effective	Rate	Change	Years since last change
Jul 12, 2026	82¢	+4¢ (+5.1%)	1.0
Jul 13, 2025	78¢	+5¢ (+6.8%)	1.0
Jul 14, 2024	73¢	+5¢ (+7.4%)	0.5
Jan 21, 2024	68¢	+2¢ (+3.0%)	0.5
Jul 9, 2023	66¢	+3¢ (+4.8%)	0.5
Jan 22, 2023	63¢	+3¢ (+5.0%)	0.5
Jul 10, 2022	60¢	+2¢ (+3.4%)	0.9
Aug 29, 2021	58¢	+3¢ (+5.5%)	2.6
Jan 27, 2019	55¢	+5¢ (+10.0%)	1.0
Jan 21, 2018	50¢	+1¢ (+2.0%)	1.0
Jan 22, 2017	49¢	+2¢ (+4.3%)	0.8
Apr 10, 2016	47¢	-2¢ (-4.1%)	2.2
Jan 26, 2014	49¢	+3¢ (+6.5%)	1.0
Jan 27, 2013	46¢	+1¢ (+2.2%)	1.0
Jan 22, 2012	45¢	+1¢ (+2.3%)	2.7
May 11, 2009	44¢	+2¢ (+4.8%)	1.0
May 12, 2008	42¢	+1¢ (+2.4%)	1.0
May 14, 2007	41¢	+2¢ (+5.1%)	1.3
Jan 8, 2006	39¢	+2¢ (+5.4%)	3.5
Jun 30, 2002	37¢	+3¢ (+8.8%)	1.5
Jan 7, 2001	34¢	+1¢ (+3.0%)	2.0
Jan 10, 1999	33¢	+1¢ (+3.1%)	4.0
Jan 1, 1995	32¢	+3¢ (+10.3%)	3.9
Feb 3, 1991	29¢	+4¢ (+16.0%)	2.8
Apr 3, 1988	25¢	+3¢ (+13.6%)	3.1
Feb 17, 1985	22¢	+2¢ (+10.0%)	3.3
Nov 1, 1981	20¢	+2¢ (+11.1%)	0.6
Mar 22, 1981	18¢	+3¢ (+20.0%)	2.8
May 29, 1978	15¢	+2¢ (+15.4%)	2.4
Dec 31, 1975	13¢	+3¢ (+30.0%)	1.8
Mar 2, 1974	10¢	+2¢ (+25.0%)	2.8
May 16, 1971	8¢	+2¢ (+33.3%)	3.4
Jan 7, 1968	6¢	+1¢ (+20.0%)	5.0
Jan 7, 1963	5¢	+1¢ (+25.0%)	4.4
Aug 1, 1958	4¢	+1¢ (+33.3%)	26.1
Jul 6, 1932	3¢	+1¢ (+50.0%)	13.0
Jul 1, 1919	2¢	-1¢ (-33.3%)	1.7
Nov 2, 1917	3¢	+1¢ (+50.0%)	32.3
Jul 1, 1885	2¢	now per ounce	1.7
Oct 1, 1883	2¢ per ½ oz	-1¢ (-33.3%)	20.3
Jul 1, 1863	3¢ per ½ oz	first rate

Every postcard rate since 1873

Newest first, from the USPS Historian. Privately printed postcards did not get a special rate until July 1, 1898; since then they have paid the same as stamped cards except from April 15, 1925, to July 1, 1928. Stamped cards sold by USPS cost more than the postage shown, to pay for the card: one cent more from January 10, 1999, two from January 7, 2001, three from May 12, 2008, four from January 27, 2013 and five from August 29, 2021.

USPS Historian, Rates for Stamped Cards and Postcards (AUGUST 2026 edition), with the change from the rate before, computed here.
Effective	Rate	Change
Jul 12, 2026	65¢	+4¢ (+6.6%)
Jul 13, 2025	61¢	+5¢ (+8.9%)
Jul 14, 2024	56¢	+3¢ (+5.7%)
Jan 21, 2024	53¢	+2¢ (+3.9%)
Jul 9, 2023	51¢	+3¢ (+6.3%)
Jan 22, 2023	48¢	+4¢ (+9.1%)
Jul 10, 2022	44¢	+4¢ (+10.0%)
Aug 29, 2021	40¢	+4¢ (+11.1%)
Jan 24, 2021	36¢	+1¢ (+2.9%)
Jan 21, 2018	35¢	+1¢ (+2.9%)
Apr 10, 2016	34¢	-1¢ (-2.9%)
May 31, 2015	35¢	+1¢ (+2.9%)
Jan 26, 2014	34¢	+1¢ (+3.0%)
Jan 27, 2013	33¢	+1¢ (+3.1%)
Jan 22, 2012	32¢	+3¢ (+10.3%)
Apr 17, 2011	29¢	+1¢ (+3.6%)
May 11, 2009	28¢	+1¢ (+3.7%)
May 12, 2008	27¢	+1¢ (+3.8%)
May 14, 2007	26¢	+2¢ (+8.3%)
Jan 8, 2006	24¢	+1¢ (+4.3%)
Jun 30, 2002	23¢	+2¢ (+9.5%)
Jul 1, 2001	21¢	+1¢ (+5.0%)
Jan 1, 1995	20¢	+1¢ (+5.3%)
Feb 3, 1991	19¢	+4¢ (+26.7%)
Apr 3, 1988	15¢	+1¢ (+7.1%)
Feb 17, 1985	14¢	+1¢ (+7.7%)
Nov 1, 1981	13¢	+1¢ (+8.3%)
Mar 22, 1981	12¢	+2¢ (+20.0%)
May 29, 1978	10¢	+1¢ (+11.1%)
Dec 31, 1975	9¢	+2¢ (+28.6%)
Sep 14, 1975	7¢	-1¢ (-12.5%)
Mar 2, 1974	8¢	+2¢ (+33.3%)
May 16, 1971	6¢	+1¢ (+20.0%)
Jan 7, 1968	5¢	+1¢ (+25.0%)
Jan 7, 1963	4¢	+1¢ (+33.3%)
Aug 1, 1958	3¢	+1¢ (+50.0%)
Jan 1, 1952	2¢	+1¢ (+100%)
Jul 1, 1928	1¢	-1¢ (-50.0%)
Apr 15, 1925 1 cent for stamped cards; 2 cents for postcards	2¢ (1¢ stamped card)	+1¢ (+100%)
Jul 1, 1919	1¢	-1¢ (-50.0%)
Nov 2, 1917	2¢	+1¢ (+100%)
May 12, 1873 stamped cards only: privately printed postcards did not qualify for a special rate until July 1, 1898	1¢	first rate

Questions

How much is a Forever stamp now?

82¢, since Jul 12, 2026, up from 78¢ (USPS Notice 123). USPS sells Forever stamps at the current 1 oz First-Class Mail letter price, and each one is worth that price whenever you mail it (DMM 604.1.10). Extra ounces, postcards, large envelopes and Certified Mail: USPS stamp prices.

When did the Forever stamp come out, and what did it cost?

USPS began selling it on Apr 12, 2007, at 41¢ (Postal Bulletin 22203A). That was the 1 oz letter price that took effect on May 14, 2007; until then a 1 oz letter still cost 39¢. Since its launch the price has risen 16 times and fallen once, to 82¢ today (+100%).

How many times has the price of a stamp gone up?

In the USPS Historian's table, the letter rate changed 40 times from Jul 1, 1863 to Jul 12, 2026: 36 increases, 3 cuts and, on Jul 1, 1885, the switch from a price per half ounce to a price per ounce. Since Jul 1, 1885 (2¢ an ounce) the rate has gone up 36 times, to 82¢. The busiest decade was the 2020s, with 8 changes so far.

Has the price of a stamp ever gone down?

Yes, twice since the rate became a price per ounce: Jul 1, 1919, 3¢ to 2¢; and Apr 10, 2016, 49¢ to 47¢. Before that, on Oct 1, 1883, the half-ounce rate fell from 3¢ to 2¢, and on Jul 1, 1885 the same 2¢ began to pay for a full ounce instead of half an ounce (USPS Historian). The Apr 10, 2016 cut came when USPS's 4.3% exigent surcharge ended under a Postal Regulatory Commission order (USPS release, Feb 25, 2016).

What was the biggest stamp price increase?

In percentage terms, +50.0%, twice: Nov 2, 1917, 2¢ to 3¢; and Jul 6, 1932, 2¢ to 3¢. The Jul 6, 1932 rise took the rate back to the 3¢ it had been from Nov 2, 1917 to Jun 30, 1919. In cents, the biggest single steps were 5¢, on Jan 27, 2019 (50¢ to 55¢, +10.0%), Jul 14, 2024 (68¢ to 73¢, +7.4%) and Jul 13, 2025 (73¢ to 78¢, +6.8%). The longest stretch without a change ran 32 years, from Jul 1, 1885 (2¢) to Nov 2, 1917.

How often does USPS change the stamp price now?

Since 2022, 7 times, each in January or July: Jul 10, 2022 (60¢), Jan 22, 2023 (63¢), Jul 9, 2023 (66¢), Jan 21, 2024 (68¢), Jul 14, 2024 (73¢), Jul 13, 2025 (78¢) and Jul 12, 2026 (82¢). We don't estimate prices before USPS files them; what is known about the next change is on USPS price changes for 2027.

What does a postcard stamp cost, and how has it changed?

65¢ since Jul 12, 2026, up from 61¢ (Notice 123). The USPS Historian's postcard table starts at 1¢ on May 12, 1873 (stamped cards only; privately printed postcards got the same rate from July 1, 1898) and lists 41 changes, 4 of them cuts (Jul 1, 1919, 2¢ to 1¢; Jul 1, 1928, 2¢ to 1¢; Sep 14, 1975, 8¢ to 7¢; and Apr 10, 2016, 35¢ to 34¢). Stamped cards sold by USPS cost more than the postage: one cent more from 1999, five cents more since August 29, 2021 (USPS Historian).

How much is a book of Forever stamps?

$16.40 for a booklet of 20 and $8.20 for a booklet of 10, at 82¢ a stamp; a coil of 100 is $82.00. USPS sells each Forever stamp at the 1 oz letter price (DMM 604.1.10), and the manual lists Forever stamps in booklets of 10 and 20, sheetlets of 18, panes of up to 24 and coils of 50, 100, 3,000 and 10,000 (DMM 604.1.1). Before Jul 12, 2026, a booklet of 20 was $15.60.

Are old stamps still good?

Yes. A Forever stamp is worth the current 1 oz letter price no matter when you bought it (DMM 604.1.10), and every US postage stamp issued since 1860 is valid for postage except the few the manual lists (DMM 604.1.2). The stamps on a piece have to add up to at least the postage due, and nondenominated stamps other than Forever stamps, such as the "A" to "H" stamps USPS issued with rate changes from 1978 through 1998 (USPS Historian), count at the price they were issued at (DMM 604.1.2). So a 1 oz letter needs 82¢ of stamps today: one Forever stamp, or older stamps adding up to 82¢.

How we built this

The letter and postcard tables are the USPS Historian's, as printed in its AUGUST 2026 editions, which we downloaded on Oct 19, 2026. The Forever stamp rows come from USPS's own price lists in the Postal Explorer archive: the Rates and Fees page of each Domestic Mail Manual edition through 2008 and Notice 123 from 2009 (the 2012 price is from Postal Bulletin 22325, since that year's only archived list is a DRAFT). Each row is keyed to the effective date printed on its price list, checked against at least one other USPS copy, and matches the Historian's rate for that date. The first row starts on Apr 12, 2007, the day the stamp went on sale.

We compute every change, count and percentage on this page from those tables. Before Jul 1, 1885 the rate was per half ounce, so we don't compute a percentage across that switch. Related: today's stamp prices, Media Mail price history, Priority Mail and package price history, all price histories.

Sources

Rates verified on Oct 19, 2026 from each official page below.

Free 1-page Reseller Cheat Sheet: fees on 8 platforms, Media Mail and stamp prices

What each platform takes from a $10, $25 and $50 sale, Media Mail 1-10 lb, Ground Advantage to Zones 1, 5 and 8, and the Forever stamp, on one printable page. The link appears as soon as you sign up.