Roll of Stamps Cost: Current Prices & Fees

A roll of stamps, which USPS calls a coil, holds 100 stamps wound around a cardboard core. It is the standard format for people who mail a steady stream of letters, such as bill payers, small businesses, and anyone who sends cards in bulk. Because most rolls are sold as Forever stamps, the math is simple: the roll price is the single stamp price multiplied by 100.

That simplicity matters, because it means you cannot save on the postage itself by buying a roll instead of a book or a single stamp. What you save is trips to the Post Office. The sections below show the prices for each stamp format and what postage costs once a letter gets heavier.

The price of a roll follows the First-Class Mail letter rate. When USPS raises that rate, the roll price rises with it. The table lists the current prices by format so you can compare a roll with smaller packages.

A book of 20 costs exactly 20 times the single-stamp price, and a roll of 100 costs exactly 100 times. There is no volume discount at USPS. Some warehouse clubs and retailers have sold rolls at or slightly below face value in the past, but that depends on the store and on timing, and a price quoted before a USPS rate increase can be out of date after it.

A Forever stamp is always valid for mailing a one ounce First-Class letter, whatever the price is on the day you use it. If you bought a roll before a rate increase, your stamps still cover a one ounce letter afterward. That is the main reason to stock up before a scheduled increase, and also the reason a roll bought today holds its value for years.

Forever stamps do not cover everything. A letter heavier than one ounce needs more postage, and so do large envelopes and odd shapes. Keep a few additional-ounce stamps on hand, or combine Forever stamps to cover the weight.

A single Forever stamp pays for a one ounce stamped letter. Each ounce above that adds to the price.

The metered letter row is lower than the stamped rate. Metered postage is printed by a postage meter or a postage service and is not available to someone using adhesive stamps, so for personal mailing the stamped rate is the one that applies.

A thin envelope with two or three sheets of paper usually stays under one ounce. A letter with a thicker stack, a card with a gift insert, or a bulky envelope can slip over. If you are unsure, weigh it at home on a kitchen scale before sealing, or ask a Post Office clerk.

• USPS Postal Store online, which ships stamps to your address.
• Any Post Office counter or self-service kiosk.
• Grocery stores, pharmacies, and some warehouse clubs that resell USPS stamps.

Buy from USPS or a known retailer. Stamps sold by unknown third-party sellers at steep discounts can be counterfeit, and counterfeit stamps may not be accepted on mail. If a price looks well below face value, treat it with suspicion.

Think about how many letters you mail in a year. A roll of 100 makes sense when you send at least a few a month, because the stamps never expire. If you send only a handful a year, a book of 20 may last you longer than you want to hold them, though there is no penalty for waiting.

Some USPS programs deliver stamps on a recurring schedule, which suits small businesses that mail invoices every month. Check the Postal Store for the options available.

For return envelopes, thank-you notes, and bill payments, a roll keeps the cost per letter fixed and lets you stop thinking about postage. For postcards, the postage is lower than the letter rate, so a Forever stamp used on a postcard overpays slightly. Buy postcard stamps if you send a lot of them.