History of United States Postal Service rates
Encyclopedia
| Date Introduced | Rate for first ounce Ounce The ounce is a unit of mass with several definitions, the most commonly used of which are equal to approximately 28 grams. The ounce is used in a number of different systems, including various systems of mass that form part of the imperial and United States customary systems... (USD United States dollar The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies.... ) (Letter) | Rate for first ounce Ounce The ounce is a unit of mass with several definitions, the most commonly used of which are equal to approximately 28 grams. The ounce is used in a number of different systems, including various systems of mass that form part of the imperial and United States customary systems... (Package) | Additional ounces | Postcard Postcard A postcard or post card is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope.... rate | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 3, 1863 | .06 (.03 per half ounce) | .06 | .06 (.03 per half ounce) | .02 per half ounce in drop boxes | |
| March 3, 1883 | .04 (.02 per half ounce) | .04 | .04 (.02 per half ounce) | ||
| July 1, 1885 | .02 | .02 | .02 | ||
| November 3, 1917 | .03 | .03 | .03 | War Years World War I World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918... |
|
| July 1, 1919 | .02 | .02 | .02 | Dropped back by Congress United States Congress The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.... |
|
| July 1, 1928 | .02 | .02 | .02 | .01 | |
| July 6, 1932 | .03 | .03 | .03 | .01 | |
| January 1, 1952 | .03 | .03 | .03 | .02 | |
| August 1, 1958 | .04 | .04 | .04 | .03 | |
| January 7, 1963 | .05 | .05 | .05 | .04 | |
| January 7, 1968 | .06 | .06 | .06 | .05 | |
| May 16, 1971 | .08 | .08 | .08 | .06 | |
| March 2, 1974 | .10 | .10 | .10 | .08 | |
| September 14, 1975 | .10 | .10 | .09 | .07 | Last surface mail rate |
| December 31, 1975 | .13 | .13 | .11 | .09 | All domestic first class & postcards by airmail |
| May 29, 1978 | .15 | .15 | .13 | .10 | A Stamp Used |
| March 22, 1981 | .18 | .18 | .17 | .12 | B Stamp Used |
| November 1, 1981 | .20 | .20 | .17 | .13 | C Stamp Used |
| February 17, 1985 | .22 | .22 | .17 | .14 | D Stamp Used |
| April 3, 1988 | .25 | .25 | .20 | .15 | E Stamp Used |
| February 3, 1991 | .29 | .29 | .23 | .19 | F Stamp Used (also 4 cent F makeup rate stamp) |
| January 1, 1995 | .32 | .32 | .23 | .20 | G Stamp Used (also 3 cent G makeup rate stamp) |
| January 10, 1999 | .33 | .33 | .22 | .20 | H Stamp Used (also 1 cent H makeup rate stamp) |
| January 7, 2001 | .34 | .34 | .21 | .20 | Nondenominated Stamps Non-denominated postage Non-denominated postage is postage intended to meet a certain postage rate that retains full validity for that intended postage rate even after the rate is increased. It does not show a monetary value, or denomination, on the face. In many English speaking countries, it is called non-value... Used |
| July 1, 2001 | .34 | .34 | .23 | .21 | Nondenominated Stamps Used |
| June 30, 2002 | .37 | .37 | .23 | .23 | Flag and Antique Toy Stamps Used |
| January 8, 2006 | .39 | .39 | .24 | .24 | Lady Liberty Flag Stamp Used |
| May 14, 2007 | .41 | 1.13 | .17 | .26 | Shape-based postage pricing Introduced, Forever stamps introduced |
| May 12, 2008 | .42 | 1.17 | .17 | .27 | Price change announced February 11, 2008 |
| May 11, 2009 | .44 | 1.22 | .17 | .28 | Price change announced February 10, 2009 |
| April 17, 2011 | .44 | 1.71 (3 oz) | .20 (letters) .17 (packages) |
.29 |
Plot
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 2008 US cents.
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 2008 dollars was not fixed over time which added to larger jumps in adjusted prices.
However, the recent adoption of shape-based pricing has resulted in sharp increases for small packages, far above the rate of inflation.
Historical notes
Domestic Parcel PostParcel post
Parcel post is a service of a postal administration for sending parcels through the post. It is generally one of the less expensive ways to ship packages that are too heavy to be sent by regular letter post and is usually a slower method of transportation....
service was adopted in 1913, 25 years after the Post Office had agreed to deliver international parcel post packages pursuant to the Universal Postal Union
Universal Postal Union
The Universal Postal Union is an international organization that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system. The UPU contains four bodies consisting of the Congress, the Council of Administration , the Postal Operations Council and the...
treaty and various bilateral agreements with other nations. Initially, there were no or few postal regulations governing packages mailed by parcel post. To construct a bank in Vernal, Utah
Vernal, Utah
Vernal, Uintah County's largest city, is located in eastern Utah near the Colorado State Line, and 175 miles east of Salt Lake City. It is bordered on the north by the Uinta Mountains, one of the few mountains ranges in the world which lie in an east-west rather than the usual north to south...
, in 1916, a Salt Lake City Company ascertained that the cheapest way to send 40 tons of bricks to the building was by parcel post. Each brick was individually wrapped and mailed. Postal rules were promptly rewritten.
Bulk postal rates were restructured in 1996:
- Second Class became Periodicals
- Third and Fourth Class Mail became Standard Mail (A) and (B)
- Special Fourth Class Mail was renamed Special Standard Mail.
In 2007, First Class Mail was restructured to include variable pricing based on size, not just on weight. Shape-based postage pricing is a form of dimensional weight
Dimensional weight
Dimensional weight, used in shipping and freight, is a billing technique which takes into account the XYZ axis dimensions of a package.-Significance:Shipping costs have historically been calculated on the basis of gross weight in kilograms or pounds...
. Also at that time, International Parcel Post air service was rebranded as Priority Mail International, and Parcel Post surface service was discontinued for international destinations.
Regular Air Mail service began in 1918 and over the years rates varied considerably depending on distance and technology.
Additional charges for Special delivery
Special delivery (postal service)
Special Delivery is a postal service for urgent postal packets. Its meaning varies among postal services and is different and separate from Express mail delivery service offered by many postal administrations...
existed from 1885 to 2001. Today, Express Mail Overnight is the closest service.
During the summer of 2010 the USPS requested the Postal Regulatory Commission to raise the price of a first class stamp by 2 cents, from 44 cents to 46 cents, to take effect January 2, 2011. On September 30, The PRC denied the request, but the USPS filed an appeal with the Federal Court of Appeals in Washington DC
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
-Vacancies and pending nominations:-List of former judges:-Chief judges:Notwithstanding the foregoing, when the court was initially created, Congress had to resolve which chief judge of the predecessor courts would become the first chief judge...
.
See also
- Postage stamps and postal history of the United States of AmericaPostage stamps and postal history of the United States of AmericaThis is a general historical outline of postage stamps and postal history of the United States of America. The page rarely covers the subjects or topical aspects of individual Postage stamps issues at any length, and only when it is relevant to the issuance of the postage, as some events are solely...
- American Letter Mail CompanyAmerican Letter Mail CompanyThe American Letter Mail Company was started by Lysander Spooner in 1844, competing with the legal monopoly of the United States Post Office in violation of the Private Express Statutes. It succeeded in delivering mail for lower prices, but the U.S...