14 Usps Stamp Types (your Complete Guide)

While the postal service has tried to make things easier for the public and has been trying for years to get people to use the postal system, stamps are still important and a necessity for mail.

The United States Post Office was established in 1775, so it has been around a long time. There are a lot of different types of stamps, including commemoratives, that are useful for all sorts of things. The most common usage of stamps, though, is for mailing letters or packages. USPS stamps are usually used for shipping mail, which is used by the post office!

USPS Stamp Types In 2022

There are two types of stamps, including official and non-official. These include government stamps, like the forever stamp, semipostal stamps, and office stamps. Government stamps are still available in the form of a stamp, but are no longer commonly accepted as postage.

1. Definitive Stamps

Stamp collecting is a hobby that most people don’t think of when they think about stamps.

The definitive stamps are the most common type since they are constantly being printed and they do not have a maximum amount that can be produced.

These savings accounts are issued to different people, with different minimums and different interest rates (see numbers 15 and 16).

The definitive stamps are for the most part different from the emergency stamps. The definitive stamps feature more detail and are also much larger in size.

2. Commemorative Stamps

The last type of collectible stamp on the list is the commemorative stamp.

The stamps are usually used for commemorations, birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, and other events.

There are several different types of commemorative stamps. While they can be used for sending postage, they’re much more commonly purchased by collectors.

Stamps are usually issued at the end of a year, and commemorative stamps are harder to find than regular stamps.

Another detail that makes these specific stamps rare is that they were not all sold.

If I’m not mistaken, we might also be able to buy some of those stamps online, because that stamp issue was part of the 2013 National Park Service centennial stamp series.
And I hope that helps!

3. Forever Stamps

Forever stamps are a type of stamp that is created by the USPS.

The stamp is the most comparable to definitive stamps. That said, definitive stamps never lose value and are more difficult to come by.

The post office is a federal institution and the price of postage varies from market to market.

The United States Post Office used definite stamps for one year on which the value was determined by the price of that stamp and another year for which the value was determined with regards to the current price of the stamp.

Yes, Forever stamps never lose their value. But, because they are only good for postage purposes, if you use your stamp to actually ship something, then you will have to buy new stamps.

Forever stamps are permanent, and can be used for any purpose. You can use multiple stamps at a time.

4. Semipostal Stamps

Semipostal stamps are stamps that have been canceled using postage stamps.

To show their appreciation for all of the hard work that these organizations have put into the development of the country.

You can also buy stamps for their sentimental value, or just because of their historical significance.

The different organizations associated with the causes are why these stamps are sought after and are quite expensive to obtain.

The revenue produced by the raised funds is paid directly to the organizations by the USPS.

Instead, the United States Postal Service will coordinate with an outside organization to deliver the funds to them for them to distribute the funds appropriately.

Congress likes to force the Post Office to stamp things. The federal government really doesn’t have much business stamping things.

All stamps are created to help out society in a positive way, though they may be controversial they can be designed in anyway the creator wishes.

If you’re interested in learning more about stamps, check out this website. It offers free stamps to anyone who wants to buy stamps.

5. Official Mail Stamps

Not all stamps are the same. Each stamp and cancellation has its own collectors value and the only true way to tell if you have a genuine one is to buy a sheet of stamps and check them all.

The government’s use of postal stamps is a common way to signify the importance of a letter or package.

In an official letter, the sender needs to indicate that the letter is to be treated as the sender’s official letter, for example, by using the stamp.

The sender should ensure that the envelope carries a stamp indicating the country where the letter is being transferred.

The USPS had stopped issuing Official Mail stamp in the United States.

6. First Day Cover Stamps

FDCs are stamps that often have a higher value than standard stamps and can be sold for more money.

Since people in the past can’t have known the exact time of first issue, they decided to stamp the envelope with the date of issue.

These stamps are typically only valuable if they were released at a date and time when it was impossible to send postcards, and are generally not worth much more than the face value of the stamp.

These stamps were never released.

It is because of scarcity of it. Otherwise, if the stamp remains in circulation, it is easily accessible to anybody.

The USPS has started to offer free First Class International Shipping on some First Day covers.

7. Airmail Stamps

Airmail is a type of postage that has been largely eliminated in recent years. It is available in certain areas and for certain purposes, such as bulk rate airmail.

“Airmail” was a service by the Post office created in 1918 to transport mail by plane.

Postage stamps were a kind of advertisement in the eyes of the USPS and were the first way to bring to consumers a service of delivery and advertising.

There are no domestic postage requirements for all shipments, even with registered mail. Registered mail requires the package to be sent by a private carrier, but it is still considered mail.

Also, it should be noted that this is not the only time that the U.S. has stopped issuing stamps. As some of the comments illustrate, the U.S. has actually stopped issuing stamps for quite some time.

8. Postage Due Stamps

There are three postage due stamps you won’t normally see if you’re not using a specialized postage machine:

The Postmaster General uses one to mark mail as undeliverable and
return it to the sender.
The Chief Postal Inspector uses one to mark post office boxes as
unusable to mail.
The Federal Reserve Bank uses one to mark money as being in
circulation.

Some of the Post Office Department’s own stamps have been
withdrawn.

That said, stamps that are more than 50 years old, or that were printed in large quantities before the U.S. instituted modern pricing, are considered rare and expensive to collectors.

Although it was the sender’s responsibility to ensure the shipping costs were covered, if the mail was sent with a postage due stamp, the recipient could be held accountable for the price differential.

Postage Due stamps have different numerals to reflect the amount of postage that needs to be paid by the recipient.

The recipient has the right to refuse to pay the postage, which means the letter is not delivered.

9. Special Delivery Stamps

Special Delivery is a stamp that’s no longer used by the U.S Postal Service but are popular with collectors.

It was that time in the United States when Special Delivery stamps first made their debut. They were introduced in 1885 and were largely seen as a predecessor to Priority Mail.

Also, you can get a special postage stamp to help expedite the delivery of a certain mailpiece in the case of an emergency or urgent news.

If you have an expensive stamp, make sure you use it as soon as possible otherwise your money may be spent on stamps.

They would be among some of the most expensive stamps on the market – the two-coin set was sold at an auction in 2013 for a whopping $31,500.

10. Military Stamps

There are two main reasons for this. The first is that people now have so much information online that it’s difficult to make people interested in your products. The second reason is that digital communication has now superseded the need for physical stamp mail.

The “copper” part of stamps used to refer to the metal used to print them. The “stamps” part of stamps refers to the stamp’s image.

Military stamps are a type of stamp that are used to transport letters from soldiers to their destination.

The Vietnam War stamps not only helped soldiers communicate with their loved ones back home, they also helped those same soldiers keep their spirits up.

They have been almost obsolete in the digital age and have been replaced by newer forms of communication such as IM, video chat and online services.

11. International Stamps

The denominations on a denominationally separated system can vary in value and the stamps are used for different purposes.

It’s important to know that you need to measure one ounce of whatever you are sending overseas. Then stick it on a regular, domestic stamp so your recipient knows you sent them something.

Also, it may be worth mentioning that you can get stamps that are valid for 10 years. They cost $1.25-1.50 each and are more commonly used for letters. It will also take you longer to get them and you’ll need to apply for international postage for the 10-year stamps.

12. Nonmachinable Stamps

Nonmachinable stamps are stamps that can not be used on a machine and are used for shipping and mailing.

This means that there are stamps used specially for mailpieces that are too big or too small for the normal process.

Because they are not as fast as a normal delivery, they take longer to process, and have a higher price tag to do so.

You need to include the shipping cost as a part of the cost.
If you are shipping the same product to two different countries, you need to send the product to two different countries, not to only a single one, so it is better to send it domestically as well.

You can check the information on the Postmaster website to find out if you can use your existing stamp or if you should purchase stamps that are nonmachinable.

13. Priority Mail Stamps

USPS provides two different shipping methods for sending mail: Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express.

What that means is that they are going to try to get you your items quick, and probably more expensive than regular shipping.

Priority Mail is used when you are sending out a very large, very expensive, or very high quality package or you need to send out something as soon as possible. When you use either of these services, you have no choice about the size of your package. It will always be the largest size available.

However, if you’re using branded packaging or simply want to use plastic boxes, you could always do that.

The best way to do this is to purchase Priority Mail. When you purchase this, make sure you include your address.

It’s expensive to ship a stamp from the U.S. Post Office, so there’s not a lot of places where these stamps can be found. But if you’re willing, you can buy them online for around $35.

For these specific items, it is important to take a few steps to prepare ahead of time in your purchase.

The Priority Mail Express costs over $100 and is delivered in one to two days.

14. Additional Ounce Stamps

Stamps without a denomination are the last type of postmarks offered by the United States Postal Service.

In terms of stamps, this is normally used for mailing a letter that weighs around one ounce or less.

Furthermore, this stamp is affixed for every ounce more than 1-ounce the letter weights.

The cost of the stamps themselves is very high since they are not in high demand and you can only get them from the mint.

To learn more about the United States Postal Service and how they work, check out our posts on whether or not postal service stamps expire, what is certified mail, and if USPS first-class offers tracking.

Conclusion

Amongst, the major types of stamps offered by the post office are the ones called “postal stamps” (or just “stamps”), “international mail cards” and “stamps of value”.

A denomination stamp may be used as a postage stamp. The USPS does not consider it to be usable as a postage stamp if no value is placed on the stamp.

Denominational stamps are stamps that are used on letters of postcards or other mail that are addressed to the same denomination.