U.S. Postcard stamp rate increase to 35 cents on May 31

Well, this came out of nowhere (I do pay attention to these things!):

The postcard stamp rate for domestic postcards in the USA will increase from 34 cents to 35 cents on May 31, 2015.

Thank you, Letter Writers Alliance, for alerting me to this surprise change! Read all about it on the LWA blog. Essentially only metered mail (and eww, ick, who uses that for fun mail?) and postcard stamps will increase in price. I searched for new 35-cent postcard stamps but haven't found any yet, so I sense this change went through pretty quickly. Well, add on some 1-cent stamps to those USA postcards, and cross your fingers that the new postcard stamp design will be as awesome as the current hummingbirds.

UPDATE: thanks so much to FinnBadger for alerting me to some more information about the new stamps: New US stamps planned for new rates. Very interesting concept: postcard stamps will now be "Forever" at the postcard rate, as will additional ounce stamps. I am still undecided as to how I feel about this. Thoughts, anyone?

New postage rates for 2014

For my USA readers: postage rates changed on January 26, 2014. Yes, I am a month late announcing this news here on Ye Olde Blogge, but I hope this fabulous graphic makes it worth the wait. Thank you to Donovan of the Letter Writers Alliance for sharing this lovely image detailing the new rates, and for making it Creative Commons licensed so we can all share the love; you can see her full post here.

Here's the breakdown of the new rates, for sending letters and postcards:

Postcards within USA – 34 cents

Letters within USA (up to 1 oz.) – 49 cents*

Letters within USA (1-2 oz.) – 70 cents

Letters additional ounces – 21 cents

International letters and postcards – $1.15

*Oddly enough, metered letters are 48 cents instead of 49 cents. But isn't a stamp prettier than that ugly meter label, and worth another penny?

New postage rates for 2013

New U.S. postage rates, effective today! My favorite visual reference for the new rates comes from The Letter Writers Alliance, seen in the handy chart above.

For domestic letters and postcards, the rate changes are miniscule - one cent up each. International is a bit steeper, up to $1.10 for letters (up to one ounce, of course) and postcards alike, with no discounts for Canada and Mexico as there have been in the past.

I am perhaps not as well-versed in the package increases as I should be, though I do know that first class international packages are now going to cost quite a bit more. It's worth it. We still have a world-class postal service and I think they deserve to be paid fairly for their good work.

There are some great new stamps coming out, including the new circular international first class stamp, but my post office is unlikely to have any of them any time soon. The postal workers at the counter said they often don't get new rate change stamps for months, because for some reason they're supposed to USE UP the old ones that they have? I recall having to wait ages last year for the $1.05 stamps to be available for purchase at my post office, so I just went ahead and ordered a bunch of the new release stamps online. Can't wait until they show up in my mailbox...

Happy mailing!

Postage rates go up next week, in the U.S. mail and in my etsy shop

You may be aware that U.S. postage rates are increasing on January 27, 2013. (Earlier this month I mentioned a great rate change guide from Beyond the Perf.) Any "Forever" stamp will be good for the new first-class one ounce rate, but that price does go up from 45 to 46 cents. Additional ounce and international rates go up as well.

I've held off raising the shipping rates in my etsy shop for a while, but now the time of shipping rate increases is at hand. I've mailed a few things lately at a loss - my fault, of course - and I need to raise my rates on almost all my items. The shipping increase shouldn't be too significant on anything except larger vintage stationery boxes, especially those heading outside the USA - but I won't change my shipping rates until Friday, January 25. (Or possibly not until Saturday, January 26 if my Friday spins out of control and the old day job, which it looks like it may do.)

So - if you're considering a purchase in The Missive Maven on etsy, now would be a great time to do it before the postage rate hike!

[I will be listing some new (or shall I say "additional," since it is not new but new to my shop) vintage stationery in the coming week, but it will be listed at the new postage rates. Items listed before January 20 will keep their current rates until January 25.]

Rate Change Guide from Beyond the Perf

Postage rates for first-class mail in the USA go up on January 27, 2013. Beyond the Perf has a nice Rate Change Guide, complete with pretty new stamp images, to help illustrate the rate changes. It's worth a peek. As for now, I'm trying to use up my Lancaster County international stamps that just debuted in January 2012.

International first class stamp rates to go up in January

Have I been under a rock (always possible, this time of year), or is this breaking news? I just learned that international first class stamps - currently $1.05 - will go up to $1.10 on January 27, 2013. Oh dear. It seems so recent that they just changed to $1.05, but I guess that was way back in January (2012).

To soften the blow, the new international first class stamps will be "forever" stamps, meaning they'll be valid for full postage with any rate change, just like the domestic "forever" first-class stamps. I guess that's pretty cool. The stamp design is round, which looks nifty to me:

You can learn more about the stamp on the Beyond the Perf stamp preview, which is also a lovely way to get a look at the new stamps to be released next year.

UPDATE: Thanks to Derrick for alerting me that regular first-class domestic stamps go up to 46 cents next month as well.

New U.S. postage rates today (2012)

Today is the day when the latest round of postage rate increases take effect. Don't ask me why the new rate starts on a Sunday, when there is no mail delivery or postmarks, because I have no idea. If anyone can answer that question, please, comment away! (Pictured above is the new 2012 international rate stamp, featuring Lancaster County, PA)

The new rates are as follows:

Letters within USA (up to 1 oz.) – 45 cents

Letters additional ounces – unchanged at 20 cents

Postcards within USA – 32 cents

Letters and postcards to Canada or Mexico (up to 1 oz.) – 85 cents

Letters and postcards to other international destinations – $1.05

Source: Postal Service Adjusts Mailing Services Prices for 2012

"Forever" stamps will reflect the current first-class rate. So, if you are using a numbered stamp, or a Zazzle-bought stamp etc and it says 44 cents, you'll need to make sure you add a 1-cent stamp. However, if you're using a Forever stamp, it becomes worth 45 cents so you don't need to add extra postage.

All postage released at first-class rate in 2012 will be Forever, and all of the later releases in 2011 were Forever stamps. As much as I miss the numbers, and combining old/vintage stamps to provide the proper face value, I have to admit that the Forever designation is handy and a good value.

Happy mailing!

U.S. Postage rate increase in January 2012

I blogged recently about the upcoming international first-class postage increase, and I (and other blog readers) have been curious about which other postage rates are going up, and by how much.

So here's the skinny.

As of January 22, 2012, the new rates are as follows:

Letters (up to 1 oz.) – 1-cent increase to 45 cents

Letters additional ounces – unchanged at 20 cents

Postcards – 3-cent increase to 32 cents

Letters to Canada or Mexico (up to 1 oz.) – 5-cent increase to 85 cents.

Letters to other international destinations – 7-cent increase to $1.05

Source: Postal Service Adjusts Mailing Services Prices for 2012

It is important to note that the U.S. Postal service "Forever" stamps will reflect the current first-class rate. So, if you are using a numbered stamp, or a Zazzle-bought stamp etc and it says 44 cents, you'll need to make sure you add a 1-cent stamp. However, if you're using a Forever stamp, it becomes worth 45 cents so you don't need to add extra postage.

All postage released at first-class rate in 2012 will be Forever, and all of the later releases in 2011 were Forever stamps. As much as I miss the numbers, and combining old/vintage stamps to provide the proper face value, I have to admit that the Forever designation is handy and a good value.

Use up your 98-cent international and your 29-cent postcard stamps while you can!

New 2012 international rate stamp: Lancaster County, PA

Behold, the new 2012 international rate stamp! This image features Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (Amish country, I believe?) as part of the Scenic American Landscapes series, according to the Stamp of Approval blog. The new rate is $1.05, up from $0.98.

UPDATE: Rates go up January 22, 2012.

Postal rate increase coming in April

First-class domestic letters will remain 44 cents, and international letters will remain 98 cents, but letters to Mexico and Canada are going up to 80 cents, and the domestic postcard rate is being raised to 29 cents.

And I just bought all those Zazzle stamps at a 28-cent postcard denomination rate!

I can't parse through the USPS website to find their full info on this, but my information comes from Your Postal Blog, which I consider a pretty darn reliable source.

Update: Thanks to Eliza Ward for guiding me to the Official USPS source for this!

I am humbled. A Canadian blog reader shows me this. Thanks, Eliza!

Wax seal: gold sun on Crane envelope

My wax seal envy continues. Here's a really fine sun with a sharp, clear impression on beautiful gold sealing wax. I love the concentric circles of the wax, and am proud of myself for successfully capturing the embossed "Crane & Co" logo. I'm a great fan of Crane's 100% cotton papers.

On another note, thanks to all my viewers, new and returning, for making yesterday the highest-traffic day I've had yet. (Gee, I wonder if it was my review post on FPN?)

Finally, a mail nerd moment: I have planned a trip to the post office this afternoon to pick up my new Simpsons stamps!! Today is the release date. Don't forget: postage rates go up on Monday. First-class letter rate goes up to 44 cents.