You’re standing at the counter or staring at an Amazon listing, wondering why the price of a little sticker for an envelope feels like it's constantly shifting under your feet. It used to be simple. You’d walk in, drop a few bucks, and walk out with a coil of stamps that lasted a year. Now? It’s a bit of a financial calculation. If you're looking to grab a roll of 100 postage stamps today, you are looking at a price tag of $73.00.
That is the official United States Postal Service (USPS) rate for First-Class Mail Forever stamps as of the most recent 2024 and 2025 price adjustments. Each individual stamp costs 73 cents. Multiply that by 100, and you hit that $73 mark.
It’s a chunk of change.
But here is where things get weird. If you search online, you will see "deals" for $30 or $40. It looks tempting. It looks like a steal. Honestly, it probably is a steal—just not the kind you want. The market is currently flooded with counterfeit stamps, and the USPS has gotten incredibly aggressive about tracking them down.
Why the price of a roll of 100 postage stamps keeps climbing
The USPS is in a tough spot. They have to deliver to every single address in the country, even the ones at the bottom of the Grand Canyon or in the middle of a Montana wilderness, but mail volume is dropping. To keep the lights on and the trucks moving, the Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy, has implemented a "Delivering for America" plan. Part of that plan involves frequent, incremental price hikes.
We used to see a price increase maybe once every few years. Now? It’s basically a bi-annual tradition.
The last big jump happened in July 2024, pushing the price from 68 cents to 73 cents. Before that, it was 66 cents. If you bought a roll of 100 postage stamps five years ago, you likely paid around $55. Today, you’re paying nearly $20 more for the exact same service.
The beauty of the "Forever" stamp
The one saving grace in all of this is the "Forever" designation. If you bought a roll back when they were $55, those stamps are still valid today for a one-ounce letter. They don't have a denomination printed on them for a reason. They represent a unit of service, not a specific dollar amount.
If you have some old ones lying in a junk drawer from 2019, you just made a great "investment." You’re essentially using a 73-cent service for the 55 cents you paid years ago. This is why people tend to hoard rolls right before a scheduled price increase. It’s one of the few ways to beat inflation in a very literal sense.
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Spotting the "Too Good to Be True" online deals
You’ve seen the ads on social media. "50% off Forever Stamps!" "Clearance Sale: $35 for 100 Stamps!"
Don't do it.
The USPS does not "clearance out" stamps. They don't have "overstock sales." A stamp is essentially currency. You wouldn't expect a bank to sell you a hundred-dollar bill for fifty bucks, right? Same logic applies here.
Most of these ultra-cheap rolls found on third-party marketplaces or shady websites are high-quality counterfeits. The USPS actually updated its terminal equipment and sorting machines recently to detect these. If you use a fake stamp, your letter might be intercepted. It could be returned to you, or worse, delivered to your recipient with a "Postage Due" bill that they have to pay to get their mail. That’s a quick way to make a birthday card feel like a debt collection notice.
Where is it actually safe to buy?
If you aren't going to the physical Post Office, stick to authorized retailers.
- Costco and Sam's Club: They sell rolls of 100, but don't expect a massive discount. Usually, you save maybe 25 to 50 cents on the entire roll compared to the post office. It’s mostly about convenience.
- Grocery Stores: Places like Kroger, Publix, or Safeway usually sell books of 20, but many pharmacy counters will sell you the full coil if they have it in stock.
- Staples or Office Depot: Reliable, but again, you're paying the standard market rate.
The math of the "Coil" vs. the "Book"
Technically, there is no price difference per stamp whether you buy a book of 20 or a roll of 100. It’s 73 cents across the board. However, the "roll" (technically called a coil) is designed for high-volume users.
If you are a small business owner or someone who still sends out handwritten thank-you notes, the roll is the way to go. It fits into those little heavy ceramic dispensers that sit on a desk. Books are flimsy. They get lost in folders. A roll has a certain weight to it. It stays where you put it.
Shipping costs for rolls
If you order your roll of 100 postage stamps from the official USPS Store (The Postal Store), keep in mind that they usually charge a small shipping and handling fee—often around $1.50 to $3.00 depending on the total order. So, your $73.00 roll might actually cost you $75.00 by the time it hits your mailbox.
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If you’re trying to save every penny, just walk into a local branch. No shipping fees there.
Is there a cheaper way to send mail?
Sorta. But it involves sacrifice.
If you are sending something that isn't a "letter"—like a postcard—the price is significantly lower. A postcard stamp currently costs 56 cents. If you can fit your message on a 4x6 card, you save 17 cents per mailing. On a roll of 100, that’s a $17 savings.
Then there’s the "Metered Mail" rate. If you have a postage meter (like a Pitney Bowes machine), the rate is actually slightly lower than the retail price of a stamp—usually around 69 cents instead of 73. But unless you are sending thousands of pieces of mail a month, the monthly lease fee for the machine will eat those savings for breakfast.
Presorted Standard (The "Junk Mail" Rate)
You’ve probably noticed that businesses send you mail that says "Presorted Standard" where the stamp should be. They are paying way less—sometimes as low as 19 to 30 cents. But you can't do this for personal mail. It requires a permit (which costs hundreds of dollars), a minimum of 200 pieces, and you have to sort the mail by zip code yourself before dropping it off. It’s a logistical nightmare for the average person.
The psychological hurdle of the $73 roll
There is something about crossing the $70 mark that makes people hesitate. When stamps were 40 cents, a roll was $40. It felt like "grocery money." At $73, it feels like a "bill."
But let’s put it in perspective. The USPS is still one of the cheapest postal services in the developed world. In the UK, a "First Class" stamp (Royal Mail) is currently £1.65, which is roughly over $2.00 USD. In Germany, it’s about 85 cents (Euro), roughly 92 cents USD. We actually have it pretty good, despite the frequent hikes.
The reality is that we are paying for a massive infrastructure. The person who drives the truck, the person who sorts the mail at 3:00 AM in a cavernous processing center, and the person who walks through the rain to your porch—they all get paid out of that 73 cents.
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What to do before the next price hike
The USPS usually announces price changes months in advance. They almost always happen in January and July. If you see news in May or June that the "Postal Service is filing for a rate increase," that is your signal.
Go to the store. Buy two rolls of 100 postage stamps.
By locking in the current price, you are effectively "pre-paying" for your future mail at a discount. If the price jumps to 76 cents in six months, your $146 investment (for two rolls) just gained $6 in value. It’s not going to make you rich, but it’s better than giving that money away for nothing.
Practical Steps for Stamp Buyers
If you need a roll right now, here is the smartest way to handle it:
- Check your local Costco first. They often sell "bundles" (usually 5 books of 20) for a few cents under the official USPS price. It's the only place where you get a legitimate discount.
- Verify the "Forever" mark. Ensure the stamps you are buying are actually Forever stamps. If they have a price printed on them (like 73c), they will require additional "cent stamps" if the rate goes up in the future.
- Avoid eBay and random Facebook ads. I cannot stress this enough. The likelihood of getting counterfeits is nearly 90% when the price is significantly lower than $73.
- Store them in a cool, dry place. The adhesive on stamp rolls is sturdy, but extreme humidity can make the whole roll stick together, turning your $73 investment into a very expensive paperweight.
- Consider a dispenser. If you buy the roll, spend the $5 to get a plastic or ceramic dispenser. It keeps the coil from unravelling across your desk and protects the edges from tearing.
The days of cheap postage are likely gone for good. As digital communication takes over, the cost of physical delivery will only continue to rise. Owning a roll of 100 stamps is a bit of a throwback to a slower era, but as long as we have birthdays, weddings, and tax returns, that $73 roll remains a household essential.
Just make sure you're buying them from someone wearing a blue uniform or a reputable grocery clerk.
Next Steps for You
- Check the current date: If it is nearing January or July, search for "USPS price increase 2026" to see if a hike is imminent.
- Audit your current stock: Look for any non-Forever stamps that might need 1-cent or 2-cent "makeup" stamps to be valid.
- Calculate your usage: If you send fewer than 10 letters a year, skip the roll. The adhesive can degrade over 5-10 years, and you’re better off buying a small book of 20 at the grocery store.