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It’s amazing to think how far the postal services in each of these countries has come, now regularly delivering mail to millions of people every day. Read on to discover the amazing story of how stamps came to be in each of these countries and how much stamps cost historically. Each country has their own unique tale to tell to answer the million dollar question how much is a stamp?

How Much is a Postage Stamp

Postage stamps have changed a lot over the years. The original postage stamp was actually just that, an ink stamp used to mark a letter or package as paid. Postage prices have changed quite a bit over the years as well, especially during times of uncertainty and economic problems.

Most original stamps in the US, UK, CA and AU were just a penny each and covered up to a half ounce. It was quite a while before a stamp in any of these countries hit the double digits. Since then prices have been steadily increasing to help cover the additional costs of fuel and labor involved with delivering letters and packages to billions of people worldwide.

United States Postage Stamp History

In the United States, the first ever stamp was offered at the rate of $0.06 (6 cents) back in 1863, prior to the end of the civil war. By the end of the civil war the price had decreases to the lowest rate in history at just $0.02 (2 cents) for a single letter. It wasn’t until 1974, nearly 100 years later, that the price of a stamp hit double digits at $0.10 (10 cents).

Only 7 years later, in 1981, the stamp had already risen to double the 10 cent price of 1974, making the cost of a stamp $0.20 (20 cents). This was largely due to the fuel shortages at the time, although the stamp never went back down in cost. The next doubling in price didn’t occur for another 16 years when it became $0.40 (40 cents) in May of 2007. The latest changes to the cost of a stamp came in April of 2011 when the stamp became $0.45 (45 cents).

United Kingdom Postage Stamp History

The United Kingdom has a long history of sending letters through a mail system, starting with Henry the first who had personal messengers who would carry letter for him in the 1100s. It’s estimated that his personal messengers delivered approximately 5,000 letters from 1100 to 1135. At this time, private individuals had to make their own arrangements when sending letters.

Royal Mail in the UK was created under the ruling of Henry VIII, appointing Brian Tuke as the first ever postmaster in 1516. It wasn’t until 1635 that Royal Mail became available to the public, employing countless numbers of people and serving thousands of designated routes. At the time, postage was paid by the recipient, although it was possible to prepay the postage if necessary.

Canadian Postage Stamp History

The first Canadian postage stamps that could be use anywhere in the province of Canada were issued back in 1851. The original values were 3d, 6d and 12d. The 3d stamp is a classic design featuring a beaver which became the first ever stamp that didn’t feature a monarch. The 6d stamp had a picture of Prince Albert while the 12d stamp featured Queen Victoria.

At the time, the rate for mainland letters was 3d per half ounce. Letters being sent to the US were 6d per half ounce, with the exception of California and Oregon which cost 9d per half ounce. The original stamps had an inherit design flaw, being created with laid paper, which has a somewhat ribbed texture that made it hard for the stamp to stick to anything. Just a year later stamp producers changed to a woven paper which worked much better. Copies of original stamps made on laid paper are extremely rare and could cost more than $50,000 in mint condition today.
Amazingly, stamp prices actually went down for a short while following the initial offering. In 1852 half cent, 7.5 cent and 10 cent stamps were the new norm, eliminating the need for a 12d stamp. By 1858 the first perforated stamps were introduced in Canada which had half cent, 3d and 6d values and went back to the classic designs of the original stamps which include the beaver, Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. By 1859 the province of Canada had finally settled on a single monetary system and ushered in new 1 cent, 5 cent, 10 cent, 12.5 cent, 17 cent and 2 cent stamps which were printed in New York by the American Bank Note Company. Existing designs were used on the new stamps to maintain heritage.

The six original colonies of Australia began issuing their own stamps in January of 1901 which could be used to send letters using their own postal service. The commonwealth of Australia began taking responsibility for the needs of the people including postal services, telegraph services, telephone services and other communication services.
The original stamp solid in Australia, also known as the “Roo” stamp was sold for one penny starting in January of 1913. This was considered the first proper stamp to be used in Australia, issued by the commonwealth. The image of a kangaroo set over an Australian map made this the first stamp that really represented Australia.

The first ever commemorative stamp in Australia was issued in May of 1927 to commemorate the construction of the first Parliament House located in Canberra Australia. Many other stamps have appeared over the years marking major Australian achievements and landmarks through history. It wasn’t until 1956 that Australia released their stamps in more than one color to commemorate the Olympics that were held in Melbourne. These were printed by a foreign company, making the 50th anniversary or the Australian Inland Mission the first ever multi-colored Australian stamp printed in 1962.

How Much is a Postcard Stamp

Postcard stamps typically cost about 30% less than regular stamps made for sending letters. As of 2011, the current postcard stamp price is $0.29 (29 cents) up from $0.28 (28 cents). This is still a great value when compared to the normal price of $0.45 (45 cents) to send a letter.

A postcard is usually a thick piece of paper (or thin piece of cardboard) that will typically have a picture on the front (Greetings from Florida! … etc) and a place on the back where you can write a short message. Postcards are the classic way to write home when out traveling the world. They are still a great way to send something personal to those you love, without the informality and coldness of an email.

When you send a postcard, the first thing you get to do is select a card with a fun image on the front, or a picture of where you’ve been. Hand writing a letter to someone is a lot more personal than an email or even a phone call. Sending a postcard gives someone something they can hold onto for the rest of their lives if they choose.

What other form of communication offers so much for so little? Postcards are also a great way to send yourself a nice record of the vacation you just took. Send a postcard to yourself from every stop on a road trip to make a nice little diary of your trip that you can then turn into a scrapbook, along with all the other pictures you take along the way.

How Much is a Forever Stamp Worth

A forever stamp costs as much as a regular stamp, yet only increases in value as the price of stamps go up. The short answer to “how much is a forever stamp worth” is: however much a regular stamp is currently selling for. As of writing this article, currently stamps cost $0.45 (45 cents) in the United States, making a forever stamp worth just that, 45 cents.

The reason a forever stamp is only worth 45 cents is because no one would buy a stamp for more, when they could just as easily buy one new for the same price or less. The real value in a forever stamp is the fact that you will never be scrambling to those 1 and 2 cent stamps to make up for the latest postal rate increase. This makes forever stamps extremely convenient.

Forever stamps could actually be considered an investment to some people. If you were to purchase a large quantity of forever stamps immediately prior to a postal rate increase, your stamps would actually go up in value after the rate increase. It’s possible that at some point in the future the US Postal Service will stop selling forever stamps, which could easily make their value go up instantly. The value will always increase depending on how much is a stamp.