Postage Rates

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Economic Summaries

U.S. Postal Rates Historical Chart

Here is a table showing how the cost to mail a letter in the United States has grown over the years.

This chart lists every standard postage stamp increase for the past century. The cents-per-decade column has been added for clarity, to show the acceleration of postage stamp prices in recent decades.

US Postal Rates Over Time -
Historical Cost to Mail A Letter

Year
Postal Rate/ Postage Stamp Denomination
Increase in Cents
Cents Increase per Decade

One-half Ounce Rates

Up to 3,000 miles per 1/2 oz.

1855
3 ¢

 

Over  3,000 miles per 1/2 oz.

1855
10 ¢

Drop letters

1855
1 ¢

All U.S., per 1/2 oz.

1863
3 ¢

One Ounce Rates

All U.S., per 1 oz.
1885
2 ¢
 -1

  -1¢

1890's

0¢

1900's

0¢

(W.W.1 Emergency increase)

1917

3 ¢
1

0¢

(restoration of pre-war rate)

1919

2 ¢
-1
All U.S., 1st oz.
1920's

0¢

1932

3 ¢
1
1¢
1940's

0¢

1958

4 ¢
1
1¢
1963
5 ¢
1
 2¢
1968
6 ¢
1

1971

8 ¢
2
 9¢

1974

10 ¢
2

1975

13 ¢
3

1978

15 ¢
2
1981
18 ¢
3
 10¢
1981
20 ¢
2
1985
22 ¢
2
1988
25 ¢
3

1991

29 ¢
4
 8¢

1995

32 ¢
3

1999

33 ¢
1
2000
34 ¢
1
9¢
2002
37¢
3

Jan. 7, 2006

39¢
2

May 14, 2007

41¢
2

May 12, 2008

42¢
1

The "forever stamp" went on sale on April 12, 2007, at 41 cents each. These stamps can be used forever, and will still be good to mail a first-class letter in the future, even though the rates go up.

There you have it.

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This Vaughns U.S. Postal Rates History Chart webpage was last updated on 2008-03-05.