Sunday, November 11, 2007

USA's non denominated but permanent valued stamps

In Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Belgium, etc., stamps are sold with non denominated values printed, but that can be always be used for a certain service : generally the first rate of the prioritary letter.

In the United States, these for-one-service value stamps exist and are useful : you don't have to remember the exact postal rate. However, their monetary value don't evolve : it is the value of their issue. After two or three rate changes, the expeditor can be puzzled when the USPS bring back one of his letter, estimated underfranked with a "first class mail" stamp.

That's why the Forever stamp was in May 2007 a postal revolution in the United States : finally, the federal Congress authorized the existence of a stamp whose monetary value will always suffice for the simple letter postage rate.

How can our US citizen know if he can stick alone his old "first class mail" stamp ? The Virtual Stamp Club found a help page by the USPS (pdf file).

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