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What are US stamps worth by era?

Value generally falls as you move forward in time. Classic 19th-century issues hold the most value, the 1900s–1920s are mixed, and most stamps from the 1930s on are common unless they're errors or scarce varieties.

Which old US stamps are worth money?

The best candidates are unused 19th-century stamps, the high values of the 1893 Columbian and 1898 Trans-Mississippi issues, scarce Washington-Franklin varieties, early airmail and printing errors.

• The 1847 and 1851–1857 issues, in sound condition.
• The 1869 Pictorials, the first US stamps to show scenes rather than only portraits.
• Columbian Exposition high values (1893), from $1 to $5.
• Trans-Mississippi high values (1898), such as the $1 “Western Cattle in Storm”.
• Washington-Franklin varieties with scarce perforations or watermarks. See our guide.
• Early airmail, including the 1918 24¢ Jenny, whose inverted version is the famous Inverted Jenny.
• Errors such as inverts and imperforates. See error stamps.

What are 1, 2 and 3 cent US stamps worth?

Most 1¢, 2¢ and 3¢ US stamps are worth a few cents to a dollar, because they were printed in the billions for everyday mail. The exceptions are 19th-century issues, scarce varieties and unused, well-centered classics.

Low values were the workhorses of the postal system. The 2¢ stamp paid the first-class letter rate for most of 1883–1932, and the 3¢ from 1932 to 1958, which is exactly why they're common. The valuable ones are usually older printings, or versions that differ in perforation, watermark or printing method, such as certain Washington-Franklin 1¢ and 2¢ varieties.

The 3¢ Statue of Liberty (1954) and the 3¢ Jefferson from the 1938 Presidential series are among the most common stamps in American albums, and they're typically worth a few cents.

How do I look up a US stamp's value?

Find the stamp's Scott number, check its condition and compare recent sale prices. A stamp identifier app can find the issue from a photo, which is the slowest step when you're starting out.

The Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps & Covers is the standard reference, and dealers and auctions describe US stamps by Scott number. For the Washington-Franklins and other issues with look-alike varieties, you'll also need a perforation gauge and a watermark tray. See how to identify stamps.

Can I still use old US stamps for postage?

Yes. US postage stamps issued since 1860 remain valid at face value, so common unused stamps are still useful even when they have little collector value.

If you have sheets of common unused stamps from the 1960s–1990s, using them on mail usually returns more than selling them. Keep anything older, rare-looking or misprinted aside to check first.

What are US airmail stamps worth?

Most US airmail stamps from the 1940s onward are common. The valuable ones are early issues: the 1918 Jenny stamps, the 1930 Graf Zeppelin set and the 1933 “Century of Progress” Zeppelin, especially unused and well centered.

The Graf Zeppelin stamps were expensive when issued and relatively few were sold, which is why they're still sought after. Fakes and regummed copies exist, so certificates are common for well-centered unused sets. Airmail stamps on flown covers, envelopes carried on notable flights, can be worth more than the stamps alone, so keep those intact.