# Stamp postage

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stamp-postage/338903>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 7, 2006, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stamp-postage/338903 "2006-01-07T16:43:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![PaperDoll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/848f3c/32.png) [@PaperDoll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaperDoll)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stamp-postage/338903/1 "2006-01-07T16:43:13Z")

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Let’s say I have to mail 4 letters today. What if I put 2 stamps on each letter to mail instead of having a 37 cent stamp plus a 2 cent stamp? Will the post office still accept a letter containing 74 cents of postage ( Two 37 cent stamps)?

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stamp-postage/338903/2 "2006-01-07T16:47:47Z")

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Sure. The USPS doesn’t mind at all if you want to waste money. It frankly encourages it.

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**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stamp-postage/338903/3 "2006-01-07T17:08:38Z")

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If the letter is in the mailbox today I think it will go for 37 cents.

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**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stamp-postage/338903/4 "2006-01-07T17:16:47Z")

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Absolutely. Stamps are like currency. You can pay for it however you want with stamps worth their face value. Overage is fine and stamps never expire. Those 2 cent stamps who collected from 1937 are still good. Just put 19 of them on and they will deliver it.

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**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stamp-postage/338903/5 "2006-01-07T17:52:01Z")

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Certainly. The USPS is fine with more postage than necessary.

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**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stamp-postage/338903/6 "2006-01-07T17:55:57Z")

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Yep just don’t expect change.

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stamp-postage/338903/7 "2006-01-07T18:02:31Z")

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OTOH, I have a sheet of 2 cent stamps from the last time postage went up 2 cents. They’ve been collecting dust for all these years, and now I get to use them.