History of United States Postal Service rates
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| Date Introduced | Rate for first ounce (USD) | Additional ounces | Postcard rate | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 3, 1863 | .03 (.23) per half ounce | .03 (.23) per half ounce | ||
| March 3, 1883 | .02 (.19) per half ounce | .02 (.19) per half ounce | ||
| July 1, 1885 | .02 (.20) | .02 (.20) | ||
| November 3, 1917 | .03 (.23) | .03 (.23) | War Years | |
| July 1, 1919 | .02 (.12) | .02 (.12) | Dropped back by Congress | |
| 1926 | .02 (.11) | .02 (.11) | .01 (.06) | |
| July 6, 1932 | .03 (.22) | .03 (.22) | .01 (.07) | |
| January 1, 1952 | .03 (.11) | .03 (.11) | .02 (.08) | |
| August 1, 1958 | .04 (.14) | .04 (.14) | .03 (.10) | |
| January 7, 1963 | .05 (.16) | .05 (.16) | .04 (.13) | |
| January 7, 1968 | .06 (.17) | .06 (.17) | .05 (.14) | |
| May 16, 1971 | .08 (.20) | .08 (.20) | .06 (.15) | |
| March 2, 1974 | .10 (.20) | .10 (.20) | .08 (.16) | |
| September 14, 1975 | .10 (.19) | .09 (.17) | .07 (.13) | |
| December 31, 1975 | .13 (.24) | .11 (.20) | .09 (.17) | |
| May 29, 1978 | .15 (.23) | .13 (.20) | .10 (.15) | "A" Stamp Used |
| March 22, 1981 | .18 (.20) | .17 (.19) | .12 (.13) | "B" Stamp Used |
| November 1, 1981 | .20 (.22) | .17 (.19) | .13 (.14) | "C" Stamp Used |
| February 17, 1985 | .22 (.20) | .17 (.16) | .14 (.13) | "D" Stamp Used |
| April 3, 1988 | .25 (.21) | .20 (.17) | .15 (.13) | "E" Stamp Used |
| February 3, 1991 | .29 (.21) | .23 (.17) | .19 (.14) | "F" Stamp Used (also 4 cent "F makeup rate" stamp) |
| January 1, 1995 | .32 (.21) | .23 (.15) | .20 (.13) | "G" Stamp Used (also 3 cent "G makeup rate" stamp) |
| January 10, 1999 | .33 (.20) | .22 (.13) | .20 (.12) | "H" Stamp Used (also 1 cent "H makeup rate" stamp) |
| January 7, 2001 | .34 (.19) | .21 (.12) | .20 (.11) | Nondenominated Stamps Used |
| July 1, 2001 | .34 (.19) | .23 (.13) | .21 (.12) | Nondenominated Stamps Used |
| June 30, 2002 | .37 (.21) | .23 (.13) | .23 (.13) | Flag and Antique Toy Stamps Used |
| January 8, 2006 | .39 (.20) | .24 (.12) | .24 (.12) | "Lady Liberty Flag" Stamp Used |
| May 14, 2007 | .41 (.21) | .17 (.09) | .26 (.13) | Shape-Based Pricing Introduced |
| May 12, 2008 | .42 (.21) | .17 (.09) | .27 (.14) | Price change announced February 11, 2008. |
Unparenthesized amounts are the actual denomination of the stamps. Parenthesized amounts are adjusted to constant 1982-84 dollars according to the United States Consumer Price Index.
[edit] Plot
Taking the above data and plotting it yields the graph shown to the right. The dark plot is the actual issued price of the stamp and the light plot is the price adjusted for inflation and is shown in 2007 US dollars.
This plot shows that, despite the rise in the nominal cost of a first-class stamp, the adjusted cost of the stamp has stayed relatively stable. The large jumps in the early 1900s are because a change by a single penny was large compared to the cost of the stamp. For example, the price increase from $0.02 to $0.03 on July 6, 1932 was a 50% increase in cost. Additionally, while the cost of the stamp itself remained fixed, the adjusted price in 2007 dollars was not fixed over time which added to larger jumps in adjusted prices.
It is instructive to note that the rapid increase in the price of stamps starting in 1957 was coincident with the establishment of the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee.
[edit] Sources
- History of First-Class Stamp Rates
- The History of Postage Rates in the United States
- Consumer Price Index data
- New Postage Rates under Shape Based Pricing
- Nondenomination Stamps FAQ
- Paying the Postage in the U.S., 1776-1921
