A regular Forever Stamp is worth $0.82 in 2026, exactly twice its original 41-cent value. The stamp itself does not display a number because its postage value follows the current domestic First-Class Mail one-ounce letter price.
Forever Stamp price history, 2007-2026
| Effective letter-rate date | Price | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2007 | $0.41 | The first Forever Stamp went on sale April 12 at this upcoming price. |
| May 12, 2008 | $0.42 | Increase of 1 cent. |
| May 11, 2009 | $0.44 | Increase of 2 cents. |
| January 22, 2012 | $0.45 | Increase of 1 cent. |
| January 27, 2013 | $0.46 | Increase of 1 cent. |
| January 26, 2014 | $0.49 | Increase of 3 cents. |
| April 10, 2016 | $0.47 | A 2-cent decrease after the temporary exigent surcharge ended. |
| January 22, 2017 | $0.49 | Returned to 49 cents. |
| January 21, 2018 | $0.50 | Reached 50 cents. |
| January 27, 2019 | $0.55 | Increase of 5 cents. |
| August 29, 2021 | $0.58 | Increase of 3 cents. |
| July 10, 2022 | $0.60 | Increase of 2 cents. |
| January 22, 2023 | $0.63 | Increase of 3 cents. |
| July 9, 2023 | $0.66 | Second change in 2023. |
| January 21, 2024 | $0.68 | Increase of 2 cents. |
| July 14, 2024 | $0.73 | Increase of 5 cents. |
| July 13, 2025 | $0.78 | Increase of 5 cents. |
| July 12, 2026 | $0.82 | Current price; increase of 4 cents. |
What the timeline shows
- The one-ounce price moved from 41 cents in 2007 to 82 cents in 2026.
- The price did not rise every year; there were no changes in 2010, 2011, 2015, or 2020.
- April 2016 produced the only decrease in the Forever Stamp era, from 49 cents to 47 cents.
- Twice-yearly changes occurred in both 2023 and 2024.
- An older genuine Forever Stamp still pays the current one-ounce domestic letter price; its purchase price does not limit its present postage value.
Price paid is not the same as postage value
A marketplace checkout price can include delivery, seller markup, packaging, or a premium for a discontinued design. That does not change how much USPS postage the stamp represents. Compare an offer with the current face value, then verify the seller and exact quantity.
Sources and update method
The historical dates through July 2025 come from the USPS Historian table of domestic letter rates. The first Forever Stamp sale is documented in the April 2007 Postal Bulletin. The current 82-cent price and July 12, 2026 effective date come from the USPS 2026 price announcement and Notice 123.
Continue with the current Forever Stamp price guide, check whether older stamps expire, or use the letter postage calculator.
Timeline last verified August 12, 2026.