Additional Ounce Stamp 101: What is it & Value (USPS Postage Rate 2023)

Harold J. Yates

Buying birthday cards for family and friends is an awesome thing to do. However, you might have been in a situation where you bought a wild birthday card. Yes, there are simple cards that can get your message passed to your loved ones.

You might want to spread more love in words to these people, you need more pages of birthday cards, some even come with more pop-ups, trinkets, and many more to make it special. After getting these kinds of cards ready, you cannot deny the fact that they are superb, special, and awesome. However, don’t you think there will be a little negative side to these cards? This is where the weight of such cards becomes a reality that they have downsides too.

An additional ounce stamp is commonly used whenever you want to mail any letter or card that is more than one ounce by weight. Shipping companies always offer this option to customers who are mailing weighty cards, letters, documents, etc. There are different prices attached to the additional ounce stamp. One good thing is that you can get an additional ounce stamp that weighs up to 3.5 at most. The costs are always stable.

You might have a lot of questions about the Additional ounce stamp, or you’ve tried sending cards, letters, and documents and the shipping company told you to use the additional ounce stamp because it weighs more than one ounce but you don’t know much. You just have to relax and continue reading to get the necessary information and answers to your questions.


Table Of Contents

What Are Additional Ounce Stamps?

You can make use of the Additional ounce stamp when you are trying to mail a card, document, or letter that weighs more than one ounce. In 2023, we have found out that the cost of one extra ounce for each letter is on average $0.20 and you can send up to 3.5 ounces. You should know that you don’t need the additional ounce stamp if the card you want to mail is just one ounce or less. However, an extra once requires you to pay more and this is where the additional ounce stamp is introduced.

For instance, You might have written a very long letter or arranged a document to mail that is 2.0 ( the weight might be as a result of additional decorations or packing to it done by yourself). You don’t have to worry about the cost of the first one because it will be covered by your forever stamp. However, you are still supposed to pay up for the additional ounce by using an additional ounce stamp.

USPS Postage Rate Increase 2023

Each additional ounce for a First Class Mail letter will remain at $0.20, no change from 2021.

Post Office/Retail Rates   Stamps.com Rates
Letters 2022 Postage Rates 2021 Postage Rates*   2022 Postage Rates 2021 Postage Rates*
First-Class Mail letter (1 oz.) $0.58 $0.58   $0.58 $0.53
First-Class Mail letter - each additional ounce $0.20 $0.20   $0.20 $0.20
First-Class Mail Flat/Large Envelope (1 oz.) $1.16 $1.16   $1.16 $1.16
First-Class Mail Flat/Large Envelope - each additional ounce $0.20 $0.20   $0.20 $0.20
Postcard $0.40 $0.40   $0.40 $0.40

What Are the benefits of using the Additional ounce stamp?

If you are thinking that the only use of the Additional ounce stamp is to cover extra postage costs and make sure what you mail gets to the final destination safely, then you might be wrong because it has more benefits such as a way to save your money.

You might be wondering how the additional ounce stamp saves you some money. Take for instance you want to mail a birthday card that weighs 2.0 ounces. The usual price for a forever stamp per ounce is $0.58 and an additional ounce stamp is $0.20. This means that if you want to mail your birthday card using two forever stamps will be $1.16 while if you use an additional ounce stamp for any extra ounce is $0.78. you see that you have saved $0.38 while using an additional ounce stamp.

Can I use two additional ounce stamps for a 2.0-ounce birthday card?

There are two things you need to know about how additional ounce stamps work. First, you can use it as the initial means of payment when you want to mail. You can also only use the forever stamp first. An additional ounce stamp can also be introduced when the card, letter, or document weighs more than one ounce.

Secondly, you can make use of two additional ounce stamps when you are about to mail a letter that is about 3 ounces. One forever stamp and two additional ounce stamp will sort it out perfectly and save you money rather than using 3 forever stamp.

Is the additional ounce stamp valuable forever?

Most of the stamps you find from shipping companies like USPS for example are valuable even when there is a change in postage cost. Stamps with the value of dollar printed on them do not fall under this category. This simply means that even if you have bought the additional ounce stamp for a long time, and at the time you want to send a birthday card, there is a change in the fee of mailing, you can still use the stamp for whatever amount you bought it. The value remains valid. You will only adjust when you are buying a current stamp.

Typical you can still refer to the additional ounce stamp as forever. However, for simple understanding, it is called an additional ounce stamp. You also need to know that while sending a standard letter, a forever stamp might not be enough for the purpose. You will still need to use an additional ounce stamp to make sure it covers all your mailing costs.

Where can I buy additional ounce stamps?

It is easy to get additional ounce stamps. If you are the busy type or you want to save time and energy, you can order from the official website of USPS online. You can also decide to take a walk or drive to your local post office and buy the stamp. For people not too familiar with the internet and are too busy to go to the post office, you can place a call to get yours. 1-800-STAMP-24 (1-800-782-6724) are the numbers you can call. You can still call USPS through the phone to get yours. You can order from Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm and Saturday between 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Can I use only an additional ounce stamp when I want to mail?

Yes, you can decide not to use the forever stamp at all when mailing. However. It is quite different when using the two. If you decide to use only an additional ounce stamp to mail then you might end up paying more. 3 additional ounce stamps cover one ounce of letter to mail. This means that when you want to send you need to buy an additional ounce stamp worth $0.60 which is more expensive than a forever stamp of $0.58. Nevertheless, it becomes profitable when you are mailing more than one ounce.

The logic behind it is, to use one forever stamp for mailing the one-ounce weight of the letter, then you can introduce the additional ounce especially when the weight is not a whole number.

How much is an additional ounce stamp in 2023?

There are different ways you can buy additional ounce stamps using USPS for example. You can decide to buy the stamp individually anytime you wish to use the stamp or buy it in the collection. You can get a sheet of these additional ounce stamps for $4 (20 stamps make a sheet). You can also decide to buy a roll which is $20 (100 stamps are in 1 roll).

We made use of the prices that USPS in this FAQ. These are the prices in 2023 but can change at any time. However, when you buy in bulk, you can still use them because in the future because the value will not regardless of the time you bought them.

Is it still good to make use of more additional ounce stamps while mailing?

It is always advisable you use enough stamps so that your postage will be delivered successfully. However, if you intend to use more stamps, you can make use of them. You need to know that using more stamps is okay but you will not get refunded when it is more than the cost of the postage. For instance, if your card or letter weighs 1.1 ounces, you will need to make use of one forever stamp and one additional ounce stamp. If you decide to use one forever stamp and two additional ounce stamps, it is fine and acceptable. When your mail gets to the destination, they will not refund you for the extra stamp you use.

Can I buy an additional ounce stamp from online retailers?

In the past, you can additional ounce stamps from the post office, USPS via physical purchase, or online. However, The US postal service saw the need to make it easier for customers to buy them without extra effort. There are some reliable online retailers like Amazon, Walmart, etc where you can buy additional ounce stamps. You can also get the forever stamps there.

However, you will have to buy them at retail prices. This means that it will cost you more when you buy from online retailers but it can still save you a lot of stress and even cost in the long run if you live far away from the post office.

What should I do if I find out that the additional ounce stamp I bought is defective?

Stamps are regulated by the postal service of the United States. They ensure the quality of their stamps. They are concerned about the consistency and quality of their products. If you have any defective additional ounce stamps, you can quickly contact the service with samples. You can do so by sending a mail to 475 L'ENFANT PLAZA SW WASHINGTON DC 20260-2436, describing it as QUALITY ASSURANCE.

Can I use the additional ounce stamp on international mails?

When it comes to international postage, the rules are different. You cannot use an additional ounce stamp for the US outside the states. You will need to use the proper additional ounce stamp used for the country you are mailing to. When you are identifying the stamp, you will see the USA sign on it which means you can use it only within the US.

How can I identify additional ounce stamps?

All stamps have different ways in which you can identify them. Just like the other ones, you can find an image in the middle of the additional ounce stamps where inscriptions like “Additional ounce,” “USA,” and the year in which the stamp has been released will be seen. You can also find two types of designs of additional ounce stamps from USPS.

The first design was released for use in the year 2017 where you can find the graphic top hats amounting to 8 using the “Uncle Sam style.” you can also find an oval shape of a face beneath each hat. Each face is designed to have different shades because they want to showcase the ethnic and racial diversity of the US. Then in 2021, the second design was released. This design is simple. It contains a little cottontail rabbit, a brush rabbit native to the west coast of the United States.


Conclusion

Additional ounce stamps are one of the best ways to cover extra costs of sending letters than weights more than one ounce. The use of this additional ounce over forever stamps reduces the cost of sending. You can also make use of extra stamps so you will not have issues before your letters, cards, or documents get to the final destination. Another good thing about additional ounce stamps is that they have stable value in the long run. This simply means that you can decide to buy in bulk so that you can use them in the future without the fear of them becoming valueless.

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