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On September 25, 2013, the USPS announced a 3-cent increase in the First Class postal rate, effective January 26, 2014, increasing the price of a stamp to 49 cents. Bulk mail, periodicals, and package service rates were also increased by 6 percent. A loss of US$5 billion during the 2013 fiscal year was the reason given for the increase. [30]
On the same day, the Postal Service also issued an American flag stamp with the text "USA First Class", whose value is fixed at 41 cents. [62] In 2011, the Post Office began issuing all new stamps for First-Class postage—both definitives and commemoratives—as Forever stamps: denominations were no longer included on them.
After first- and second-class postage was introduced, Non-Value Indicated (NVI) stamps were produced marked "1st" and "2nd", valid for the lowest weight of that class. Either a "class" stamp can be used, or denominated stamps to the value of the postage. "Class" stamps remain valid for the stated class even after price increases.
The Penny Black, the world's first postage stamp (1 May 1840) Postage stamps have facilitated the delivery of mail since the 1840s. Before then, ink and hand-stamps (hence the word 'stamp'), usually made from wood or cork, were often used to frank the mail and confirm the payment of postage.
The U.S. Parcel Post stamps of 1912–13 were the first such stamps issued by the U.S. Post Office Department and consisted of twelve denominations to pay the postage on parcels weighing 16 ounces and more, with each denomination printed in the same color of "carmine-rose". Their border design was similar while each denomination of stamp bore ...
In 2007 the United States Postal Service issued its first undenominated "Forever stamp," which was guaranteed to remain valid for first-class postage despite any and all future postal rate increases. By 2011, the vast majority of new U. S. postal issues were forever stamps, although some new stamps still carried specific denominations.
1840 6 May - The Penny Black and Two Pence Blue, world's first postage stamps, become valid for the pre-payment of postage. 1842 1 February City Despatch Post New York local post. 1843 1 March - Zürich issue their first stamps: Zürich 4 and 6. 1843 1 August - Bull's Eyes, first stamps of Brazil.
Forever stamps are sold at the First-Class Mail postage rate at the time of purchase, but will always be valid for First-Class Mail, up to 1 ounce (28 g), no matter how rates rise in the future. [184] Britain has had a similar stamp since 1989. The cost of mailing a 1 oz (28 g) First-Class letter increased to 68 cents on January 21, 2024. [83]