This summer I found a stash of old postage stamp booklets my dad had. For awhile he had a mail-order business where he sold stamps to collectors, and he probably acquired these are part of that business. With the upcoming postage increase to $.45 for first-class stamp yesterday I took the time to figure out what additional postage I would need to make up these stamps to the new rate, and order some make-up stamps.

First Class postage was 25 cents for the first ounce beginning in April 3 1988. This rate was valid through February 1991. At that point it went up to 29 cents. I have at least 80 of the 25 cent stamps, and 65 of the 29 denomination. There are a few of the other stamps of the past - 32 cents, 33 cents, 37 cents - but not in those large quantities.

This is one of the ones I have:


For this Christmas card season, I'm using 2 of the 22 cent stamps, hoping to use most of them up.

Someone is going to say I should save these old stamps for their collectible value. Like Beanie Babies, this is not going to happen in our lifetime, so might as well use them up.