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1st-Class Stamp Price to Rise 1¢

Postal service hikes cost more easily under new system

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 11, 2008 4:45 PM CST

(Newser) – First-class snail mail will cost a penny more starting May 12, the US Postal Service announced today. Stamps are going up to 42¢, as is the Forever stamp, which was billed as a hedge against future first-class rate increases when it was introduced last year. The 41¢ Forevers will still work after the rate hike.

Postage prices last rose in May 2007, when the price of a first-class stamp rose 2¢. Rates for periodicals, advertising mail, Priority Mail and other special services will also rise. The USPS can change rates if they're in sync with inflation over the previous year, the AP reports. Increasing rates once required complex regulatory hearings that lasted nearly 12 months.

Robert McEvilly, president and owner of Postal Pack n Ship, holds a roll of a 100 USA First-Class stamps at his independent full service discount packaging & shipping business in Glendale, Calif. Monday,... (Associated Press)

A new "forever" stamp, left, that features a likeness of the Liberty Bell, appears next to the new 41 cent first-class flag stamp, right, at the Norwood Post Office, in Norwood, Mass., Monday, May 14,... (Associated Press)

This image provided by the U.S. Postal Services shows the Liberty Bell which will adorn the Postal Service's new forever stamp. It will cost a bit more to mail letters and parcels starting Monday. (AP... (Associated Press)

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1st-Class Stamp Price to Rise 1¢

Postal service hikes cost more easily under new system

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USPS Has Dismal Holiday, Loses $3.3B in Quarter

Decline in regular mail more than offsets gift shipping bump

Post Office to Slow Mail, Kill Next-Day Letter Delivery

Half of USPS mail processing centers to shut down this spring

Stamps Going Up a Penny

It will cost 45 cents to mail a first-class letter in January

Capitol Hill Buried in Avalanche of Angry Mail

One office seeing 1,422% more mail than in 2002

USPS Teeters on Brink of Default

Huge labor costs, declining usage have deficit at $9.2 billion this year

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1st-Class Stamp Price to Rise 1¢

Postal service hikes cost more easily under new system

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

mail • price • cost • price increases • USPS • stamps

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

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More Newser Stories

USPS Has Dismal Holiday, Loses $3.3B in Quarter

Decline in regular mail more than offsets gift shipping bump

Post Office to Slow Mail, Kill Next-Day Letter Delivery

Half of USPS mail processing centers to shut down this spring

Stamps Going Up a Penny

It will cost 45 cents to mail a first-class letter in January

Capitol Hill Buried in Avalanche of Angry Mail

One office seeing 1,422% more mail than in 2002

USPS Teeters on Brink of Default

Huge labor costs, declining usage have deficit at $9.2 billion this year

About Us

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Newser By Users

Community

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More News

What is Newser?