Public acceptance of the Forever Stamp (Liberty Bell), first issued in 2007, has been so successful that the U.S. Postal Service has decided that all future one-ounce, commemorative first-class postage stamps will be “forever” stamps. The Postal Service is meeting the needs of customers who appreciate the convenience of knowing when they buy stamps, they’ll be good forever. Customers want to buy stamps and not have to worry about future price changes; now there is no need to purchase make-up stamps when prices change.

The Forever Stamp first went on sale in April 2007. Since then, 28 billion Forever Stamps have been sold. Starting on January 22, all new first-class mail commemorative stamps will be “forever” stamps. As the name suggests, “forever” stamps can be used to mail a one-ounce, first-class letter regardless of when the stamps are purchased or used and no matter how prices may change in the future.

“Forever” stamps are always sold at the same price as a regular first-class mail stamp. Currently, “forever” stamps are sold at 44 cents. The Postal Service developed the “forever” stamp as a customer convenience, to help consumers ease the transition during price changes. Commemorative stamps issued in the future will all be “forever” stamps.

“Forever” stamps are available for purchase at Post Offices nationwide, online at www.usps.com, and by phone at 800-STAMP-24.

Customers can use “forever” stamps for international mail, but since all international prices are higher than domestic prices, customers will need to attach additional postage. The value of the “forever” stamp is the domestic first-class mail letter price in effect on the day of use.

Stamp collectors will be pleased since a greater variety of stamps will be used on mail. The philatelic community can use the expansion of the “forever” stamp program as a springboard to excite others and get them interested in the world’s most popular stamp program.

For more information about purchasing stamps, stamps by mail, postal regulations, a free subscription to USA Philatelic magazine, Post Office events, the location of the nearest postal store or contract unit, or for answers to your specific Postal Service questions, contact USPS at 1-800-275-8777, or visit www.usps.com. To schedule a presentation for your community, club or group on how the Postal Service brings the Post Office to your home or office computer, call 239-573-9638.

# # #

Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/welcome.htm.

A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With 32,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, usps.com, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $67 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 29th in the 2010 Fortune 500. Black Enterprise and Hispanic Business magazines ranked the Postal Service as a leader in workforce diversity. The Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency six consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute.