More You Know: U.S. Stamps

I have a small box where I keep my stamps. They keep them in my wooden desk drawer that used to belong to my mom. It’s made of wood and has been held together with nails and glue. It isn’t fancy but I keep it for sentimental value. I should’ve started a stamp collection in my 20s. I did not so fast forward to last week of me putting together a make shift stamp collection. It isn’t fancy either, but I took the time to print out the stamps I no longer have. That’s a lot of searching on the web and missed one or two I couldn’t find. I can deal with that. I also included those I still have since around 2016. I decided to look at the history of stamps and how much they cost over the years. Here are some key dates when it comes to stamps in the U.S and prices although not an exhaustive list.

In 1639, the first American Post Office is set up in Boston, Massachusetts.

In 1683, William Penn starts a weekly service to Pennsylvania and Maryland.

In 1693, postal service begins in Virginia colonies.

In 1775, Benjamin Franklin is the first postmaster general.

In 1847, the first U.S. postage stamps are issued.

In 1860, the Pony Express is founded by William Hepburn Russell.

In 1861, the Pony Express ends delivering mail, messages, and newspapers.

In 1879, U.S. postage stamps are issued.

In 1913, domestic parcel post delivery begins.

In 1920, transcontinental mail begins between New York City and San Francisco.

In 1989, priority mail starts.

In 1997, special delivery stops.

In 2007, the U.S. forever stamps are issued.

	Date Introduced	Letters (first ounce)	Postcards (first ounce)
(1900s)	7-Jan-63	0.05	0.04
	7-Jan-68	0.06	0.05
	16-May-71	0.08	0.06
	2-Mar-74	0.1	0.08
	14-Sep-75	0.1	0.07
	31-Dec-75	0.13	0.09
	29-May-78	0.15	0.1
	22-Mar-81	0.18	0.12
	1-Nov-81	0.2	0.13
	17-Feb-85	0.22	0.14
	3-Apr-88	0.25	0.15
	3-Feb-91	0.29	0.19
	1-Jan-95	0.32	0.2
	10-Jan-99	0.33	0.2
(2000s)	7-Jan-01	0.34	0.2
	30-Jun-02	0.37	0.23
	8-Jan-06	0.39	0.24
	14-May-07	0.41	0.26
	12-May-08	0.42	0.27
	11-May-09	0.44	0.28
	17-Apr-11	0.44	0.29
	22-Jan-12	0.45	0.32
	27-Jan-13	0.46	0.33
	26-Jan-14	0.49	0.34
	31-May-15	0.49	0.35
	10-Apr-16	0.47	0.34
	22-Jan-17	0.49	0.34
	21-Jan-18	0.5	0.35
	27-Jan-19	0.55	0.35
	26-Jan-20	0.55	0.35