A Forever stamp doesn’t have a price printed on it, and that’s the whole point of it. It covers a First-Class letter whenever you mail it, so the stamp you bought years ago still works today. There are really two answers to what a Forever stamp is worth, though, and they aren’t the same number. One is what it covers in postage. The other is what someone will actually pay you for it.
What a Forever stamp is worth in postage
A Forever stamp is worth the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate, regardless of the price that was paid for the Forever stamp at the time of purchase. The current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate is 82 cents, and the 82 cent rate took effect on July 12, 2026. A Forever stamp that was purchased before July 12, 2026 at the previous rate of 78 cents is worth 82 cents in postage today, and a Forever stamp purchased at 82 cents will be worth the new rate whenever the First-Class Mail one-ounce rate changes again.
The Forever stamp is described by the United States Postal Service as non-denominated, which means that no fixed cash amount is printed on the face of the Forever stamp. A non-denominated Forever stamp does not expire, and a non-denominated Forever stamp does not lose postage value when the First-Class Mail one-ounce rate increases.
Current USPS postage rates
| Mail type | Current price |
|---|---|
| First-Class Mail letter, one ounce (Forever stamp) | 82 cents |
| First-Class Mail letter, metered, one ounce | 78 cents |
| Each additional ounce | 29 cents |
| Domestic postcard | 65 cents |
| International letter or postcard (Global Forever stamp) | $1.75 |
The prices listed in the table above took effect on July 12, 2026, when the First-Class Mail one-ounce rate was raised from 78 cents to 82 cents. The additional-ounce price was not changed at that time and remained at 29 cents. A Global Forever stamp covers a one-ounce international letter to any destination country, and the Global Forever stamp is worth the current international letter rate in the same way that a domestic Forever stamp is worth the current domestic letter rate.
What a book of Forever stamps is worth
A book of Forever stamps contains 20 Forever stamps. A book of 20 Forever stamps carries a postage value of 20 multiplied by the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate, which produces a postage value of $16.40 at the current rate of 82 cents. A coil of Forever stamps contains 100 Forever stamps, and a coil of 100 Forever stamps carries a postage value of $82.00 at the current rate of 82 cents.
The postage value of a book of Forever stamps rises automatically whenever the First-Class Mail one-ounce rate rises, because the postage value of a book of Forever stamps is calculated from the current rate rather than from the price that was paid for the book of Forever stamps.
Postage value and cash value are separate figures
The postage value of a Forever stamp and the cash value of a Forever stamp are two separate figures, and the postage value of a Forever stamp is not intended to be treated as the cash value of a Forever stamp. The postage value of a Forever stamp is the amount of postage that the Forever stamp covers when the Forever stamp is affixed to a mail piece. The cash value of a Forever stamp is the amount that a buyer is willing to pay for the Forever stamp when the Forever stamp is sold rather than used as postage.
The United States Postal Service does not repurchase Forever stamps for cash. Unused Forever stamps may be exchanged at a Post Office for other postage products under limited conditions, and an exchange of that kind returns postage rather than money. Retailers that sell Forever stamps, including grocery stores and pharmacies, also do not repurchase Forever stamps for cash.
What unused Forever stamps sell for
Sell Forever Stamps purchases unused Forever stamps at 50 percent of face value. The 50 percent rate is applied to First-Class Forever stamps, to Global Forever stamps, to 2 Ounce Forever stamps and to 3 Ounce Forever stamps. A book of 20 Forever stamps carries a face value of $16.40 at the current rate of 82 cents, and a book of 20 Forever stamps is therefore purchased at $8.20.
Non-Forever stamps are purchased at two separate rates that are determined by the denomination printed on the non-Forever stamp. A non-Forever stamp carrying a denomination above the current First-Class rate of 82 cents is purchased at 40 percent of face value. A non-Forever stamp carrying a denomination below the current First-Class rate of 82 cents is purchased at 30 percent of face value. Both of the non-Forever rates include unused vintage stamps that were issued after 1930. The full rate table is published on the what we pay page.
Stamps that are not purchased
- Bulk-Rate stamps
- Nonprofit-Rate stamps
- Presort-Rate stamps
- Official stamps
- Postage Due stamps
- Foreign postage stamps
The categories of postage listed above are not purchased, because the categories of postage listed above cannot be presented by a general mailer as ordinary First-Class postage.
How condition affects the amount paid
Condition determines whether an unused Forever stamp is purchased at the published rate or is declined. A Forever stamp that remains unused, undamaged and free of adhesive residue is purchased at the published rate for the relevant stamp category. A Forever stamp that has been canceled, torn, water damaged or mounted in an album with hinges is not purchased, because a canceled or damaged Forever stamp cannot be presented as valid postage.
Common questions about Forever stamp values
Do Forever stamps lose value after a rate increase
Forever stamps do not lose postage value after a rate increase. A Forever stamp that was purchased at an earlier and lower rate is worth the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate, which means that a rate increase raises the postage value of every Forever stamp already held.
Are old Forever stamps still valid
Forever stamps remain valid for postage indefinitely, and Forever stamps carry no expiration date. A Forever stamp that was issued in any year since the introduction of the Forever stamp program is valid for a one-ounce First-Class letter at the current rate. Further detail is available in the explanation of what a Forever stamp is.
What is the cash value of a book of Forever stamps
The cash value of a book of 20 Forever stamps depends on the buyer. Sell Forever Stamps purchases a book of 20 unused Forever stamps at $8.20, which represents 50 percent of the $16.40 face value at the current rate of 82 cents.
Turn unused Forever stamps into cash
If you’ve got unused Forever stamps sitting in a drawer or a safe, we’ll tell you what they’re worth before you send anything. Start your offer on the sell Forever stamps page, and once you accept a purchase offer, payment goes out within three business days. No listing fees, no auction, and no waiting to see whether a bid shows up.
We’ve been buying unused postage since 2016, and we’ve paid out over $7.4 million to more than 3,200 customers in that time.
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