Cost of a first class U.S. postage stamp

Cost of a first class U.S. postage stamp
compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last modified 11 July 2009

Historical U.S. first class postage rates*

year first class
postage rate,
cents (current) first class
postage rate,
cents (2009 $) CPI

1866 3 41.6 15.4

1867 3 44.7 14.3

1868 3 46.4 13.8

1869 3 48.5 13.2

1870 3 50.4 12.7

1871 3 54.2 11.8

1872 3 54.2 11.8

1873 3 55.2 11.6

1874 3 58.2 11.0

1875 3 60.4 10.6

1876 3 61.5 10.4

1877 3 62.7 10.2

1878 3 66.0 9.7

1879 3 66.0 9.7

1880 3 64.6 9.9

1881 3 64.6 9.9

1882 3 64.6 9.9

1883 2 44.0 9.7

1884 2 44.9 9.5

1885 2 45.9 9.3

1886 2 46.9 9.1

1887 2 46.4 9.2

1888 2 46.4 9.2

1889 2 47.9 8.9

1890 2 48.5 8.8

1891 2 48.5 8.8

1892 2 48.5 8.8

1893 2 49.0 8.7

1894 2 51.4 8.3

1895 2 52.7 8.1

1896 2 52.7 8.1

1897 2 53.3 8.0

1898 2 53.3 8.0

1899 2 53.3 8.0

1900 2 52.7 8.1

1901 2 52.0 8.2

1902 2 51.4 8.3

1903 2 50.2 8.5

1904 2 49.6 8.6

1905 2 50.2 8.5

1906 2 49.0 8.7

1907 2 46.9 9.1

1908 2 47.9 8.9

1909 2 48.5 8.8

1910 2 46.4 9.2

1911 2 46.4 9.2

1912 2 45.4 9.4

1913 2 43.1 9.9

1914 2 42.7 10.0

1915 2 42.2 10.1

1916 2 39.1 10.9

1917 2 33.3 12.8

1918 3 42.4 15.1

1919 2 24.7 17.3

1920 2 21.3 20.0

1921 2 23.8 17.9

1922 2 25.4 16.8

1923 2 24.9 17.1

1924 2 24.9 17.1

1925 2 24.4 17.5

1926 2 24.1 17.7

1927 2 24.5 17.4

1928 2 24.9 17.1

1929 2 24.9 17.1

1930 2 25.5 16.7

1931 2 28.1 15.2

1932 2 31.1 13.7

1933 3 49.2 13.0

1934 3 47.8 13.4

1935 3 46.7 13.7

1936 3 46.0 13.9

1937 3 44.4 14.4

1938 3 45.4 14.1

1939 3 46.0 13.9

1940 3 45.7 14.0

1941 3 43.5 14.7

1942 3 39.3 16.3

1943 3 37.0 17.3

1944 3 36.4 17.6

1945 3 35.6 18.0

1946 3 32.8 19.5

1947 3 28.7 22.3

1948 3 26.6 24.1

1949 3 26.9 23.8

1950 3 26.6 24.1

1951 3 24.6 26.0

1952 3 24.1 26.5

1953 3 24.0 26.7

1954 3 23.8 26.9

1955 3 23.9 26.8

1956 3 23.5 27.2

1957 3 22.8 28.1

1958 3 22.1 28.9

1959 4 29.3 29.1

1960 4 28.8 29.6

1961 4 28.5 29.9

1962 4 28.3 30.2

1963 5 34.9 30.6

1964 5 34.4 31.0

1965 5 33.9 31.5

1966 5 32.9 32.4

1967 5 31.9 33.4

1968 6 36.8 34.8

1969 6 34.9 36.7

1970 6 33.0 38.8

1971 8 42.1 40.5

1972 8 40.8 41.8

1973 8 38.4 44.4

1974 10 43.3 49.3

1975 10 39.6 53.8

1976 13 48.7 56.9

1977 13 45.8 60.6

1978 15 49.1 65.2

1979 15 44.1 72.6

1980 15 38.8 82.4

1981 18 42.2 90.9

1982 20 44.2 96.5

1983 20 42.8 99.6

1984 20 41.1 103.9

1985 22 43.6 107.6

1986 22 42.8 109.6

1987 22 41.3 113.6

1988 25 45.1 118.3

1989 25 43.0 124.0

1990 25 40.8 130.7

1991 29 45.4 136.2

1992 29 44.1 140.3

1993 29 42.8 144.5

1994 29 41.7 148.2

1995 32 44.8 152.4

1996 32 43.5 156.9

1997 32 42.5 160.5

1998 32 41.9 163.0

1999 33 42.3 166.6

2000 33 40.9 172.2

2001 34 40.9 177.1

2002 37 43.9 179.9

2003 37 42.9 184.0

2004 37 41.8 188.9

2005 37 40.4 195.3

2006 39 41.3 201.6

2007 41 42.2 207.3

2008 42 41.6 215.3

2009 44 44.0 213.3

year	first class postage rate, cents (current)	first class postage rate, cents (2009 $)	CPI
1866	3	41.6	15.4
1867	3	44.7	14.3
1868	3	46.4	13.8
1869	3	48.5	13.2
1870	3	50.4	12.7
1871	3	54.2	11.8
1872	3	54.2	11.8
1873	3	55.2	11.6
1874	3	58.2	11.0
1875	3	60.4	10.6
1876	3	61.5	10.4
1877	3	62.7	10.2
1878	3	66.0	9.7
1879	3	66.0	9.7
1880	3	64.6	9.9
1881	3	64.6	9.9
1882	3	64.6	9.9
1883	2	44.0	9.7
1884	2	44.9	9.5
1885	2	45.9	9.3
1886	2	46.9	9.1
1887	2	46.4	9.2
1888	2	46.4	9.2
1889	2	47.9	8.9
1890	2	48.5	8.8
1891	2	48.5	8.8
1892	2	48.5	8.8
1893	2	49.0	8.7
1894	2	51.4	8.3
1895	2	52.7	8.1
1896	2	52.7	8.1
1897	2	53.3	8.0
1898	2	53.3	8.0
1899	2	53.3	8.0
1900	2	52.7	8.1
1901	2	52.0	8.2
1902	2	51.4	8.3
1903	2	50.2	8.5
1904	2	49.6	8.6
1905	2	50.2	8.5
1906	2	49.0	8.7
1907	2	46.9	9.1
1908	2	47.9	8.9
1909	2	48.5	8.8
1910	2	46.4	9.2
1911	2	46.4	9.2
1912	2	45.4	9.4
1913	2	43.1	9.9
1914	2	42.7	10.0
1915	2	42.2	10.1
1916	2	39.1	10.9
1917	2	33.3	12.8
1918	3	42.4	15.1
1919	2	24.7	17.3
1920	2	21.3	20.0
1921	2	23.8	17.9
1922	2	25.4	16.8
1923	2	24.9	17.1
1924	2	24.9	17.1
1925	2	24.4	17.5
1926	2	24.1	17.7
1927	2	24.5	17.4
1928	2	24.9	17.1
1929	2	24.9	17.1
1930	2	25.5	16.7
1931	2	28.1	15.2
1932	2	31.1	13.7
1933	3	49.2	13.0
1934	3	47.8	13.4
1935	3	46.7	13.7
1936	3	46.0	13.9
1937	3	44.4	14.4
1938	3	45.4	14.1
1939	3	46.0	13.9
1940	3	45.7	14.0
1941	3	43.5	14.7
1942	3	39.3	16.3
1943	3	37.0	17.3
1944	3	36.4	17.6
1945	3	35.6	18.0
1946	3	32.8	19.5
1947	3	28.7	22.3
1948	3	26.6	24.1
1949	3	26.9	23.8
1950	3	26.6	24.1
1951	3	24.6	26.0
1952	3	24.1	26.5
1953	3	24.0	26.7
1954	3	23.8	26.9
1955	3	23.9	26.8
1956	3	23.5	27.2
1957	3	22.8	28.1
1958	3	22.1	28.9
1959	4	29.3	29.1
1960	4	28.8	29.6
1961	4	28.5	29.9
1962	4	28.3	30.2
1963	5	34.9	30.6
1964	5	34.4	31.0
1965	5	33.9	31.5
1966	5	32.9	32.4
1967	5	31.9	33.4
1968	6	36.8	34.8
1969	6	34.9	36.7
1970	6	33.0	38.8
1971	8	42.1	40.5
1972	8	40.8	41.8
1973	8	38.4	44.4
1974	10	43.3	49.3
1975	10	39.6	53.8
1976	13	48.7	56.9
1977	13	45.8	60.6
1978	15	49.1	65.2
1979	15	44.1	72.6
1980	15	38.8	82.4
1981	18	42.2	90.9
1982	20	44.2	96.5
1983	20	42.8	99.6
1984	20	41.1	103.9
1985	22	43.6	107.6
1986	22	42.8	109.6
1987	22	41.3	113.6
1988	25	45.1	118.3
1989	25	43.0	124.0
1990	25	40.8	130.7
1991	29	45.4	136.2
1992	29	44.1	140.3
1993	29	42.8	144.5
1994	29	41.7	148.2
1995	32	44.8	152.4
1996	32	43.5	156.9
1997	32	42.5	160.5
1998	32	41.9	163.0
1999	33	42.3	166.6
2000	33	40.9	172.2
2001	34	40.9	177.1
2002	37	43.9	179.9
2003	37	42.9	184.0
2004	37	41.8	188.9
2005	37	40.4	195.3
2006	39	41.3	201.6
2007	41	42.2	207.3
2008	42	41.6	215.3
2009	44	44.0	213.3

* Postal rates as of July 1, base rate for first 1/2-ounce or first ounce; CPI annual averages.

Sources:

Postal rate data: Scott Publ. Co., 2004, Scott 2004 Specialized Catalogue of U.S. Stamps and Covers, Scott Publ. Co. (Sidney, OH), supplemented by Dart, Andrew K., 2009, "The history of postage rates in the United States," Akdart, on line [http://www.akdart.com/postrate.html].
CPI data: 1913-2008 from U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009, "Consumer Price Index, all urban consumers (CPI-U)," on line [ftp://ftp.bls.gov/pub/special.requests/cpi/cpiai.txt]; 1866-1912 from Lawrence H. Officer, 2008, "The Annual Consumer Price Index for the United States, 1774-2007," MeasuringWorth, on line [http://www.measuringworth.org/datasets/uscpi/result.php].