US Postage Stamps
A vintage postage stamp is any postage stamp that is more than 20 years old.
Absolutely. However, there are some rules you must follow.
1. If mailing in the US, it must be a US postage stamp
2. It must be an unused postage stamp.
3. The postage value on the stamp or collection of stamps must equal the cost to mail your letter. The current cost to mail a single 1 oz first class letter is 73 cents. If you wish to use vintage stamps you must use enough stamps to total 73 cents. This could be any combination of vintage postage but an example might be four 20 cent stamps. This would total 80 cents and more than cover your postage requirements.
Brief and clear answer
A regular stamp will have it's postage value printed on the front of the stamp. This is typically what it was worth when it was printed originally. And even though it costs more to purchase, the postage value remains the same.
A forever stamp was introduced by the USPS in 2007. The stamp has the word FOREVER printed on the front instead of a postage value. It is purchased from USPS for the current first class 1oz rate but can be used forever for the current 1 oz rate.
For example, if you bought a forever stamp in 2007 for 41 cents. You can still use that stamp today and it will represent 73 cents without having to add additional postage.
This will depend on many factors. But the quantity of stamps do not matter. It is the postage value that matters.
Most stamp today are self adhesive. Vintage stamps have a water activated adhesive - essentially a lick and stick. But because they are so old and have been through many hands, I do not recommend licking these old vintage stamps. I prefer to use a glue stick.
Vintage and Collectible stamps are priced based on availability and condition. Some stamps are readily avaialby and easy to get. Others were printed in small numbers and others were just very popular and are now hard to find. This will affect pricing. My pricing will change as the market fluctuates.
A Mint Stamp is one that is in excellent condition, has never been used, it is free from odors, and is almost like new (considering age). Most of the stamps I sell for postage are considered mint stamps. If any stamps are not mint, I have priced them accordingly and have noted their condition.
A cancelled stamp is one that is used or has been marked as cancelled by the postal service. These stamps are still collectible but are no longer able to be used for postage.
Shipping
I typically ship out orders next day. If it is a large order, please allow extra time for packing.
If you need your stamps quickly, please reach out to me or leave me a note in the order. I will be happy to expedite your order. Also note that I offer upgraded shipping for quicker shipping times.
I current do not ship outside of the US due to the ongoing changes affecting shipping globally. However, I am willing to ship small orders in a small envelope with no tracking.
I currently work out of my home studio in Huntsville, AL. I was previously located in Franklin, TN.
I do. Please reach out to me directly to arrange a pickup here in Huntsville.
Custom Orders
I am happy to procure stamps for customers. The time frame to do this is about two weeks. Costs can vary depending on availability. But I will send an estimate with costs and time frame prior to purchase.
Large quantities are available on SOME stamps. Because some of the stamps I sell are collectible, I may not be able to procure large quantities of everything I sell. You can usually guess which ones are more difficult to procure by their price. More expensive = harder to get.
I have created custom collections in the past. This was something I really enjoyed doing. I plan to start selling pre-packed sets on my site shortly. I will consider custom collections towards the end of the year.
About Vintage Postage Shop
Yes! I am. I had the etsy store (Vintage Postage Shop) selling stamps for almost 10 years and over 40,000 sales. Etsy has recently changed their policies and usable postage is no longer allowed on their site. These changes have been in the works over the past couple of years as they slowly remove listings. While I will miss Etsy's marketing and customer base, I am hopeful that selling here will offer my customers much more in terms of a full range of products and search options within my large inventory of stamps.
I occasionally purchase from estate sales when an occasion arises, but typically I order from vendors that I have built relationships with over the years. These are companies that purchase large volumes of estate stamps and are looking to resell to smaller vendors like me.
For almost 40+ years. My father was a collector. As a little girl (in the 1970s) I would assist him with his collection. I inherited his collection when he passed in 1996. After college I started building on the collection for a hobby. Then in 2013 I put a few up on etsy to see there was an interest in vintage stamps. Now, in 2024, I still collecting and organizing the vast amount of stamps that come my way. Every week, I will find something new and beautiful that I have never seen before. It is an endless and beautiful hobby, even as snail mail disappears into the ether.