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I am thinking this is the best place to ask this random question...
We are sending out wedding invitations and I took one to the post office and had the clerk weigh the envelope and let me know the cost to mail. He said $1.15 and I told him I'd buy the stamps online because they only had a limited selection there.
I'm on the USPS website and the only stamp listed is a "Global" stamp for $1.15. I'm assuming the answer is "no" but does the "global" verbiage make any difference or is the dollar amount paid all that matters? Here is the stamp: https://store.usps.com/store/product...ulent-S_564504
I know I could go back to the post office and ask, but figured I'd try here before I waited in line again!
Nothing matters on US stamps except the face value. They are marked "international" or "global" or "Easter" or whatever merely as an indicator to typical use. You could use 23 old 5-cent stamps if you wish.
Global is a global forever stamp, whatever rate is set for a letter going out of the country when the stamp is used is its monetary value on that day. The international flat rate is currently $1.15
The Global stamp simply has the face value of whatever the current international first class single ounce rate is at the time of use. Currently it's value is $1.15 but if that rate changes up or down, the value of that stamp will adjust with it. Unlike a traditional Forever stamp that will represent payment of a first class rate regardless of price changes, the Global is actually pegged to the price of that postage at the time you use the stamp for mailing. So if the first ounce international rate drops to $1.10, the Global stamp value will also be just $1.10. The "Forever" portion of the Global only applies to the international use of the stamp, so regardless how high or low the value goes, that stamp will always represent payment of the current once ounce international rate for international mailings.
...and on that, stamps without clearly marked face value were long for domestic use only. Brits don't care if a stamp is "Forever," they just want to know it was of proper sending value. That's changed just a bit recently.
Are the two postage stamps with what looks like distorted ink in the photo attached valid for postage? I read the verbiage in the USPS link below, but the terms "defaced" is nebulous to me.
Nothing matters on US stamps except the face value. They are marked "international" or "global" or "Easter" or whatever merely as an indicator to typical use. You could use 23 old 5-cent stamps if you wish.
Yes, but they don't give a face value. The information just says "This Global Forever® stamp can be used to mail a one-ounce letter to any country to which First-Class Mail International® service is available." It doesn't say anything about also being OK for use on domestic mail. Logically it should be OK, but since the USPS doesn't or won't verify it, I would just stick to using two regular Forever stamps and a 5¢ stamp, to avoid any possible problems.
This has been a grey area for a long time. Back in the days when I used to actually mail things, I thought that it would be convenient to use a single Air Mail stamp, instead of a First Class stamp, plus an Additional Ounce stamp. But I always elected to just use the appropriate stamps instead. If one single postal worker decides to, he can return your mail, if he thinks it's the wrong stamp to use. Better to not take a chance.
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