United States domestic first class & postcard rates, 1863 -- present (USD) Date Introduced Letters (for first ounce) Packages (for first ounce) Additional (per ounce) Postcard rate Comments March 3, 1863. 06 (. 03 for ​ ⁄ oz). 06. 06 (. 03 per ​ ⁄ oz). 06. 02 per half ounce in drop boxes October 1, 1883. 04 (. 02 for ​ ⁄ oz). 04. 04 (. 02 per ​ ⁄ oz). 04 July 1, 1885. 02. 02. 02. 02 July 1, 1898. 02. 02. 02. 01 November 2, 1917. 03. 03. 03. 02 War Years July 1, 1919. 02. 02. 02. 01 Dropped back by Congress July 1, 1928. 02. 02. 02. 01 July 6, 1932. 03. 03. 03. 01 January 1, 1952. 03. 03. 03. 02 August 1, 1958. 04. 04. 04. 03 January 7, 1963. 05. 05. 05. 04 January 7, 1968. 06. 06. 06. 05 May 16, 1971. 08. 08. 08. 06 March 2, 1974. 10. 10. 10. 08 September 14, 1975. 10. 10. 09. 07 Last surface mail rate December 31, 1975. 13. 13. 11. 09 All domestic first class & postcards by airmail May 29, 1978. 15. 15. 13. 10 A Stamp Used March 22, 1981. 18. 18. 17. 12 B Stamp Used November 1, 1981. 20. 20. 17. 13 C Stamp Used February 17, 1985. 22. 22. 17. 14 D Stamp Used April 3, 1988. 25. 25. 20. 15 E Stamp Used February 3, 1991. 29. 29. 23. 19 F Stamp Used (also 4 cent F makeup rate stamp) January 1, 1995. 32. 32. 23. 20 G Stamp Used (also 3 cent G makeup rate stamp) January 10, 1999. 33. 33. 22. 20 H Stamp Used (also 1 cent H makeup rate stamp) January 7, 2001. 34. 34. 21. 20 Nondenominated Stamps Used July 1, 2001. 34. 34. 23. 21 Nondenominated Stamps Used June 30, 2002. 37. 37. 23. 23 Flag and Antique Toy Stamps Used January 8, 2006. 39. 39. 24. 24 Lady Liberty Flag Stamp Used May 14, 2007. 41 1.13. 17. 26 Shape - based postage pricing introduced; Forever stamps introduced; different prices for letters and packages for the first time May 12, 2008. 42 1.17. 17. 27 Price change announced February 11, 2008 May 11, 2009. 44 1.22. 17. 28 Price change announced February 10, 2009 April 17, 2011. 44 1.71 (3 oz). 20 (letters). 17 (packages). 29 January 22, 2012. 45 1.95 (3 oz). 20 (letters). 17 (packages). 32 January 27, 2013. 46 2.07 (3 oz). 20 (letters). 17 (packages). 33 Price change announced October 11, 2012 January 26, 2014. 49 2.32 (3 oz). 21 (letters). 17 (packages). 34 Price change announced September 25, 2013 May 31, 2015. 49 2.54 (3 oz). 22 (letters). 20 (packages). 35 April 10, 2016. 47 2.54 (3 oz). 21 (letters). 20 (packages). 34 Price change announced February 25, 2016 January 22, 2017. 49 2.67 (3 oz). 21 (letters). 18 (packages). 34 Price change announced October 12, 2016 January 21, 2018. 50 3.50 (4 oz). 21 (letters). 35 (packages). 35 Price change announced October 6, 2017
when did postage stamps go to 50 cents
January 21, 2018