Stamp values
Forever Stamp Value in 2026: What Your Forever Stamps Are Worth
Updated · 4 min read · By the StampGo team
Quick answer
A Forever stamp is worth the current First-Class Mail rate for a one-ounce letter, which has been 82¢ since July 12, 2026. That's true whenever you bought it, so a Forever stamp from 2007 mails a letter today. As collectibles, most Forever stamps are worth face value or less. Errors are the exception.
Key facts
- Value as postage today
- 82¢, the one-ounce First-Class letter rate since July 12, 2026
- Book of 20
- $16.40
- Previous rate
- 78¢, from July 13, 2025
- First Forever stamp
- Liberty Bell, on sale April 12, 2007, at 41¢
- Do they expire?
- No. They're valid for the current rate forever
- Worth more to collectors?
- Rarely. Printing errors are the main exception
How much is a Forever stamp worth in 2026?
82¢ of postage. Since July 12, 2026, a Forever stamp pays for a one-ounce First-Class letter in the US, the same as a stamp bought today.
A Forever stamp has no number printed on it because its value moves with the rate. When the US Postal Service raises the price of a letter, every Forever stamp you already own goes up with it. That's the whole point of the design: stamps bought at the old price keep working.
The flip side is that a Forever stamp never gains value beyond postage. It's worth what it costs to mail a letter, and no more, unless it's a collectible variety.
How has the Forever stamp price changed?
It launched at 41¢ in 2007 and has doubled since. The rate has risen eight times since August 2021, most recently from 78¢ to 82¢ on July 12, 2026.
| From | Rate |
|---|---|
| April 12, 2007 (first Forever stamp) | 41¢ |
| January 27, 2019 | 55¢ |
| August 29, 2021 | 58¢ |
| July 10, 2022 | 60¢ |
| January 2023 | 63¢ |
| July 2023 | 66¢ |
| January 2024 | 68¢ |
| July 2024 | 73¢ |
| July 13, 2025 | 78¢ |
| July 12, 2026 | 82¢ |
Are old Forever stamps still good?
Yes. Every Forever stamp ever issued is still valid for the current one-ounce letter rate, including the 2007 Liberty Bell stamps.
Older US stamps with a number printed on them are still valid too, but only for the amount shown. A 37¢ stamp from 2003 is worth 37¢ of postage, so you'd add more stamps to reach 82¢. Almost every US stamp issued since the 1860s can still be used this way.
- Forever (First-Class): the one-ounce letter rate.
- Global Forever: the rate for a one-ounce letter to any country.
- Postcard Forever: the postcard rate, which is lower than the letter rate.
- Additional Ounce and Nonmachinable Surcharge: the extra charge each one names.
Are Forever stamps worth more than face value to collectors?
Almost never. Forever stamps are printed in huge numbers and plenty are saved unused, so collectors pay face value or less for them.
Dealers regularly sell unused modern US stamps below face value as “discount postage”, because the supply is so large. Used Forever stamps sell for cents. This is the same pattern as most modern US stamps: the 1993 Elvis stamp is famous, but it's common.
The exceptions are printing errors. A Forever stamp with a missing color, no perforations where there should be some, or a major shift in the design can be worth far more than face value. See error stamps worth money for what to look for.
Why are Forever stamps sold online for less than face value?
Often because they're fake. Counterfeit Forever stamps are widely sold online at a discount, and the Postal Service can refuse mail that carries them.
- Be wary of books of Forever stamps priced well below $16.40, especially from marketplace sellers you don't know.
- Buy postage from the Postal Service, a post office, or retailers that sell stamps at the counter.
- Discount postage from stamp dealers is different. That's genuine older stamps, usually with a number printed on them, sold below face.
Step by step
How to check any US stamp's value with StampGo
Forever stamps are easy: they're worth 82¢ as postage. For older US stamps with a number on them, or anything that looks unusual, StampGo shows what you have.
- 1
Scan the stamp
Tap Scan Now and photograph the stamp flat, in good light.
- 2
See the issue and price range
StampGo shows the country, year, denomination, a 1–10 rarity score and a reference price range for the issue.
- 3
Keep track of the good ones
Save anything with a high rarity score to your collection so it's easy to find when you sell or have it checked.
Free to download on iOS and Android
Frequently asked questions
How much is a book of 20 Forever stamps in 2026?
$16.40 since July 12, 2026, when the one-ounce letter rate rose from 78¢ to 82¢. Before that, a book of 20 cost $15.60.
Can I still use Forever stamps I bought at 55¢?
Yes. A Forever stamp always covers the current one-ounce First-Class letter rate, however much you paid for it.
Is the first Forever stamp from 2007 valuable?
No. The 2007 Liberty Bell Forever stamp was printed in very large numbers. It's worth the current letter rate as postage and little more to collectors.
Where can I sell unused Forever stamps?
Stamp dealers buy unused US postage, usually below face value, and you can sell to other collectors. See how to sell stamps. Often it's best to just use them.
