The "forever" first class stamp

[Sagitta]

I heard that the US post office is going to be offering a first class stamp that will never go up in price - ever! THis is great for me as I use stamps so often. Have you guys heard about it too? Do you know when it will be coming out?

 

[Peaches]

Never heard of it. I don't use stamps all that often, though. Or, if I do (mostly for sending letters to my brother and his girl), I go through them so fast that I'm not likely to be affected by a price increase. It doesn't bother me. I just think it's pretty cool that for about half the cost of a soda I can get something to the other side of the country. I cant' complain about that.

 

[Joe]

I think it's still up for approval.

 

[quixotedlm]

I've always been able to buy first class stamps with no postage cent value printed on it. It costs more than $3.90 per 10 stamps (closer to $5), but you don't have to buy new stamps when they bump up the postage to $0.41 or whatever...

 

[samina]

they still make stamps?

 

[Genesius Redux]

I don't know that the stamp will never go up in price--I think the idea is that once you've bought it, you can always use it. That is, they can raise the price, but the stamps you bought earlier will still be good. I *think* that's how it's supposed to work--but I'm not sure. Two problems:

1. What are they gonna do about speculators who buy lots of the stamps at an early time, don't use them, and wait for them to go up in price to turn a profit by selling them again?

2. That last scene in Fargo, where Frances McDormand's character tells her husband that his painting is still gonna be used on the 3 cent stamp will be totally lost.

 

[dancedude314]

I don't know that the stamp will never go up in price--I think the idea is that once you've bought it, you can always use it. That is, they can raise the price, but the stamps you bought earlier will still be good. I *think* that's how it's supposed to work--but I'm not sure. Two problems:

1. What are they gonna do about speculators who buy lots of the stamps at an early time, don't use them, and wait for them to go up in price to turn a profit by selling them again?

2. That last scene in Fargo, where Frances McDormand's character tells her husband that his painting is still gonna be used on the 3 cent stamp will be totally lost.

They already do sell first class stamps that have exactly the properties you are describing. I think they cost a little more than buying regular stamps, so I don't think there's a problem with people stockpiling. To make money that way, you'd have to pay more money for the first class stamps and then wait a huge amount of time for the price in stamps to go up to an amount that exceeds what you payed for. You might as well invest your money in CDs.

 

[Genesius Redux]

They already do sell first class stamps that have exactly the properties you are describing. I think they cost a little more than buying regular stamps, so I don't think there's a problem with people stockpiling. To make money that way, you'd have to pay more money for the first class stamps and then wait a huge amount of time for the price in stamps to go up to an amount that exceeds what you payed for. You might as well invest your money in CDs.

Not if you plant a nuclear device in the fort where all the other stamps are stored. When it goes off, the US will lose most of its stamps, making the value of supervillain Auric Stampfinger's stamps go skyhigh, so he can afford to hire more invulnerable evil Korean bodyguards who own bowler hats with razor sharp brims.

 

[Joe]

Lmfao!