How Many Postcard Stamps to Mail a Letter – USPS Latest News

Imagine you just returned from a great holiday and are eager to tell the people you care about it through a heartfelt postcard.
You’ve carefully chosen the perfect postcard and written your message.
Now it’s time to answer the hot question: How many postcard stamps do I need to send this letter?
Postage can be hard to understand, whether you’re a seasoned tourist or have never sent a postcard.
But don’t be afraid!
In this piece, we’ll go into detail about mailing postcards and show you how to figure out how many postcard stamps you need to send a letter.
So please sit back, take a deep breath, and let’s figure out this puzzle together.

How Much Are Postcard Stamps?

Before discussing how many postcard stamps are needed to mail a letter, let’s first understand the concepts of postcard stamps and permanent stamps.
Postcard stamps and Forever stamps are two different types of stamps issued by the United States Postal Service (USPS), each with its purpose and value.

1. Postcard Stamps: Postcard stamps are designed for sending postcards within the United States. Postcard stamps are usually worth less than ordinary first-class letter stamps.
   The exact value of postcard stamps depends on current USPS postage rates, which may change over time. The current price of postcard stamps must be checked with the USPS or its official website.
   According to the latest news, in 2023, the price of 1 ounce of metered mail will increase to 63 cents, and the price of sending a domestic postcard will increase to 51 cents.
   A 1-ounce letter sent to another country will cost $1.50. The single-letter and peace add-on ounce price will remain unchanged at 24 cents.
   Here are USPS suggested prices:

2. A “Forever Stamp” is a postage stamp that can mail a one-ounce (about 28-gram) letter no matter when the stamp was bought.
   The word “Forever” means that the stamp will still be worth its face value even if mail rates go up in the future. This means that if you buy a Forever stamp for a specific price, it will still mail a one-ounce letter even if mailing rates go up in the future.
   Both postcard stamps and Forever stamps are easy ways to send mail, but according to USPS rules, it’s essential to know their unique purpose and current value. Consult the USPS or their official website for the most exact and up-to-date information on stamp values and postage rates.
   Let’s find out if the stamp on a letter from the post office is a forever stamp.

Are Postcard Stamps Forever？

Yes. The United States Postal Service (USPS) started selling Forever stamps for postcards on May 14, 2015.
Since then, postcard stamps have been available as “Forever” stamps. This means that customers can use them to mail postcards at the current rate for sending a one-ounce letter, even if prices change in the future.
This means that even if the price of postage goes up in the future, standard-sized postcards can still be sent within the U.S. for free with Forever stamps on postcards.
So postcard stamps are forever stamps. Do you have to use postcard stamps to mail postcards?

Do I Have to Use Postcard Stamps to Mail Postcards?

No, you don’t have to use postcard stamps to send postcard.
Even though postcard stamps are explicitly made for sending postcards, you can also use other ways to pay for postage.
You can use regular Forever stamps or any other stamp worth enough to cover the postage for a one-ounce letter to send a standard-sized postcard within the United States.

Postcards are charged the same amount for postage as one-ounce First-Class Mail letters.
Postcard stamps may be helpful because they are priced for postcard sending, but you don’t have to use them.

You can pay for postage with a mix of regular stamps and other values as long as the amount of postage on the postcard meets or exceeds the given rate.
How many stamps do you need to put on?
Find out the answers to your questions by reading on!

How Many Postcard Stamps to Mail a Letter?

The answer is:
If you want to send a standard-sized letter within the United States with postcard stamps, you will usually need to use more than one stamp to meet the postage requirements for a one-ounce letter.

Pay attention:
In June 2023, mailing a one-ounce letter will cost 60 cents. But most stamps on postcards have lower prices, like 36 cents.
To figure out how many postcard stamps you need, split the postage rate you want by the value of the stamps. You would divide 60 cents by 36 cents in this case. About 1.67 is the answer.
Since you can’t use a part of a stamp, you must round up to the nearest whole number.

So, you must use two postcard stamps to meet or review the mailing requirements for a 1 oz letter.
This is how you determine how many domestic stamps you need for a postcard.
So, how many postcard stamps do you need to send a letter to another country?
Read more!
As of June 2023, it will cost $1.45 to mail a foreign postcard. We still do the math based on the 36-cent value of the letter stamp, so we need 1.45/0.36 = 4.03.

So, you would need five postcard stamps to meet or go over the postage standards for a 1 oz international letter.
You already know how many postcard stamps you need to send your letter.
Wait a minute before you rush to the post office to mail a letter to a loved one or friend.
There are many ways to buy stamps for postcards. I’ve put together a list of them for you.
Let’s move on to the next part, which is about where to buy postcard stamps.

Where to Buy Postcard Stamps?

There are several ways to buy stamps for postcards:

1. Go to a post office. You can ask for postcard stamps right from the desk at your local post office. You can buy stamps with the help of the staff.
2. Online: The United States Postal Service (USPS) website lets you buy stamps online. Go to usps.com and click “Stamps & Supplies” to find your needs. From there, you can look at letter stamps and other stamps and buy them. Stamps will be sent to the address you choose.
3. Retailers: Stamps are sold in many places, like grocery stores, drug stores, and stationery shops. Check with the store’s customer service desk or stationery area to find out if postcard stamps are available.
4. Automated Postal Centers: Some post offices have self-service kiosks called automated postal centers. You can use a credit or debit card to buy stamps at these machines.
   Before you buy, make sure to check the current mailing rates and the availability of postcard stamps. The most up-to-date information about letter stamps and where to buy them can be found on the USPS website or by calling customer service.

Conclusion

In the end, much research has been done on the question of how many postcard stamps it takes to mail a letter.

We detail postage, talk about the difference between domestic and foreign mail, and show how easy it is to mail postcards with regular postage stamps. To determine how many stamps you need, you must know the current mailing rates and how much your letter weighs.

The goal is the same whether you use paper stamps or a mix of stamps with different values: to ensure your letters get where they need to go.

So the next time you want to send a particular letter, you can figure out how much postage you need and choose the correct number of stamps to match your message.

Happy posting!