Prominent Americans series, 1968
1¢ Thomas Jefferson stamp
Scott 1278
Around face value; ~35¢ retail
The green 1968 Prominent Americans stamp. Common copies sell near face value; the untagged precancel is worth checking for.
See the guideThe stamps in your shoebox
Everyday US stamps: what they're really worth
Most US stamps issued since 1940 sell at or around their original face value, according to the American Philatelic Society, because many were printed in the hundreds of millions or billions. Each guide below shows what yours is most likely worth and the one variety worth checking for.
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Value guides for common US stamps
Presidential ("Prexie") series, 1938
3¢ Thomas Jefferson stamp
Scott 807
Around face value; ~35¢ retail
The purple 1938 Prexie that paid the letter rate until 1958. Genuine copies are common; a period counterfeit is worth more.
See the guideProminent Americans series, 1971
8¢ Eisenhower stamp
Scott 1394
Around face value; ~50¢ retail
Three 1971 versions plus two 6¢ cousins, all common. Missing colors on the multicolor sheet stamp are the errors to check.
See the guide1932 regular issue, and older 3¢ violets
3¢ purple Washington stamp
Scott 720
Around face value; ~50¢ retail
Usually the common 1932 Scott 720. The older 1908–22 violets include true rarities, so check the perfs and paper.
See the guideLiberty series, 1954
2¢ Thomas Jefferson stamp
Scott 1033
Around face value; ~35¢ retail
The 1954 Liberty series 2¢. Common in sheet and coil form; the experimental Silkote paper printing is the one to know.
See the guide1847 to the 1930s
George Washington stamps
Scott 2, 389, 459, 519
Cents to six figures
Washington is on many of the commonest US stamps. Here are the few that are genuinely rare, and how to spot them.
See the guideWhy common US stamps are worth so little
The American Philatelic Society puts it directly: "Most U.S. stamps issued since 1940 sell today at or around their original face value," and "just because stamps are old does not mean they are extremely valuable." The reason is supply. The 1938 1¢ Washington was printed in more than 25 billion copies; the 1861 3¢ Washington in about 1.75 billion.
Demand followed postage rates. The stamp that paid the letter rate was used on almost every envelope: 3 cents from 1932 to 1958, 6 cents from 1968, 8 cents from May 1971. That is why the 3¢ Jefferson, the 3¢ purple Washington and the 8¢ Eisenhower turn up so often in old albums and shoeboxes.
Where the money hides in a shoebox
The APS notes that in an inherited collection "most of the value comes from a small portion of the collection." With everyday US stamps, that small portion is usually a variety of a common design rather than a different stamp altogether:
- Perforation varieties, like the 1911 3¢ Orangeburg coil, perforated 12 instead of 8½. See perforations.
- Watermark and paper varieties, like the 1917 2¢ Scott 519 on double-line watermarked paper or the 1954 2¢ on Silkote paper. See watermarks.
- Errors such as missing colors, imperforate pairs or missing tagging.
- Condition. In the vast majority of cases unused stamps sell for more than used, according to the APS. See mint vs. used.
A five-minute sort
- Set aside anything from before 1930 and anything that looks unusual: missing colors, no perforations, odd paper.
- Separate stamps with straight edges (coils and booklet stamps) from fully perforated ones.
- Measure the perfs of older coils with the perforation gauge and check older stamps for a watermark.
- Scan the keepers with StampSnap to get the country, year, series, denomination and an estimated value range, and save them to an album.
- Have anything that comes out as a rare variety checked by an expertizing service before you price it.
Common US stamps: questions
Are old US stamps worth anything?
Most are worth little: the American Philatelic Society says most US stamps issued since 1940 sell at or around face value. Older stamps and specific varieties can be worth more, so identify each one before deciding.
How much is a common used US stamp worth?
Usually a few cents. Dealers list sorted single copies of stamps like the 3¢ Jefferson at around 35 cents retail, but buy them in bulk for much less.
Should I sell common stamps by the piece?
Rarely worth the effort. Sort out the few varieties worth checking and sell the rest as a lot. Our guide on how to sell a stamp collection covers the options.
Sources & References
- Frequently Asked Questions - American Philatelic Society
- Inherited a Collection - American Philatelic Society
- 1938 Presidential series identifier - StampSmarter (1847usa)
- Postage stamps and postal history of the United States - Wikipedia
- Rates for Domestic Letters Since 1863 - USPS Historian
A useful estimate, not a professional appraisal
Stamp values are estimates for general reference. Actual value depends on condition, centering, cancellations, gum, authenticity, provenance and current collector demand. For rare or potentially valuable stamps, consult a qualified philatelic expert or appraiser.
Sort a shoebox faster
Scan the stamps, keep the ones that matter
StampSnap identifies each stamp from a photo with its country, year, series, denomination, rarity and an estimated value range. Save the keepers to an album and export your collection for free.
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