# What denomination are my U.S. stamps? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 13, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denomination-are-my-u-s-stamps/437477 "2008-02-13T19:13:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denomination-are-my-u-s-stamps/437477/1 "2008-02-13T19:13:02Z")
I have some old stamps but don’t know what they’re worth. They have a picture of the Statue of Liberty with an American flag waving in the background (ok everyone, hand on heart and tear in eye :rolleyes: ). Along the left side are the words “FIRST CLASS” reading vertically upwards, and USA in the lower left corner. There are not marked as “forever stamps” and I bought them at least a couple of rate changes ago. Any way to tell what their value is? ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denomination-are-my-u-s-stamps/437477/2 "2008-02-13T19:28:46Z")
I just checked [USPS.com](http://USPS.com) and found their Nondenominated Postage page. Looks like they are $.39 Page is here: [http://pe.usps.gov/text/qsg300/Q604a.htm](http://pe.usps.gov/text/qsg300/Q604a.htm) ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2008, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denomination-are-my-u-s-stamps/437477/3 "2008-02-13T19:29:18Z")
Funny, I had the exact same problem a few days ago, cleaning out my wallet, with what sound like the exact same stamps. This guy seems to say 39 cents. [http://alphabetilately.com/G2.html](http://alphabetilately.com/G2.html) ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2008, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denomination-are-my-u-s-stamps/437477/4 "2008-02-16T13:24:54Z")
[QUOTE=Skara\_Brae] I just checked [USPS.com](http://USPS.com) and found their Nondenominated Postage page. Looks like they are $.39 Page is here: [604a Quick Service Guide | Postal Explorer](http://pe.usps.gov/text/qsg300/Q604a.htm) [/QUOTE] Thanks! 🙂 It never occurred to me that USPS has a “nondenominated postage page.” ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2008, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denomination-are-my-u-s-stamps/437477/5 "2008-02-16T17:45:11Z")
A related question, I suppose… Why does the post office release non-denominational postage? Do they print all of these stamps up before they know the next rate hike? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2008, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denomination-are-my-u-s-stamps/437477/6 "2008-02-16T17:48:04Z")
[QUOTE=Student Driver] A related question, I suppose… Why does the post office release non-denominational postage? Do they print all of these stamps up before they know the next rate hike? [/QUOTE] Yep. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denomination-are-my-u-s-stamps/437477/7 "2008-02-16T20:09:29Z")
Are stamps marked “first class” not valid whatever the current rate over there? Obviously not, I suppose, or that page wouldn’t exist, but it seems odd to release stamps with no numerical value and then make them invalid after a certain time. In the UK, stamps marked [“1st”](http://www.adminware.ca/machin/mnvi1g-sa.jpg) and [“2nd”](http://www.gbstamps.com/machins/images/m_2nd_blue_Q_litho_0295_sm.jpg) are valid whatever the rate at the time. At the rate postage prices are going up currently, buying sheets of 2nd class stamps is probably a better investment than 99% of the stock market… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denomination-are-my-u-s-stamps/437477/8 "2008-02-16T20:38:49Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] Are stamps marked “first class” not valid whatever the current rate over there? Obviously not, I suppose, or that page wouldn’t exist, but it seems odd to release stamps with no numerical value and then make them invalid after a certain time. [/QUOTE] The “forever” stamps shown first on that page do remain valid even if rates increase. (I guess valid’s not a great term since you can use prior stamp issues at any time as long as the total value meets/exceeds the required postage cost.) ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denomination-are-my-u-s-stamps/437477/9 "2008-02-16T23:42:03Z")
So are “forever” stamps the end of the non-denominated stamp? ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denomination-are-my-u-s-stamps/437477/10 "2008-02-17T05:49:45Z")
[QUOTE=SmackFu] So are “forever” stamps the end of the non-denominated stamp? [/QUOTE] Doesn’t look like it. That “nondenominated stamp” page from the USPS shows there was a nondenominated 41 cent stamp released day/date with the forever stamp. ---
**Author:** ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denomination-are-my-u-s-stamps/437477/11 "2008-02-17T06:20:03Z")
TikkiDad has lately been puzzling over the selfsame stamps as \*\*CookingWithGas \*\*and **wolfman.** Thanks for solving the mystery, **Skara\_Brae** and wolfie. ---
**Author:** ![ChrisBooth12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denomination-are-my-u-s-stamps/437477/12 "2008-02-17T07:32:17Z")
An off topic question but how would the post office know? Do their scanners have capabilities to scan each stamp to see its value? ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denomination-are-my-u-s-stamps/437477/13 "2008-02-17T08:28:40Z")
[QUOTE=ChrisBooth12] An off topic question but how would the post office know? Do their scanners have capabilities to scan each stamp to see its value? [/QUOTE] No, the USPS does not have some sort of rad pattern recognition system to root out counterfeit stamps, AFAIK. I remember reading about some artist who designed fake stamps as art. [Here’s](http://www.reason.com/news/show/28997.html) an article about it. ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denomination-are-my-u-s-stamps/437477/14 "2008-02-17T14:11:17Z")
[QUOTE=Student Driver] Doesn’t look like it. That “nondenominated stamp” page from the USPS shows there was a nondenominated 41 cent stamp released day/date with the forever stamp. [/QUOTE] Looks like that’ll be the last one. USPS has decided to stop making them. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-denomination-are-my-u-s-stamps/437477/15 "2008-02-17T17:23:36Z")
[QUOTE=cckerberos] Looks like that’ll be the last one. USPS has decided to stop making them. [/QUOTE] There was at least one other one released after that one. The 2007 Xmas stamp was denominated. I hope that they really do stop though. It’s a pain in the ass to have to buy one and two cent stamps to make up the difference when the rate changes plus the PO must have to waste millions of stamps that no one will want to buy anymore. Rates go up another penny in May but I have a book of Forevers that I just bought.