U.S. Postage prices increase Published Jan. 17, 2012 By U.S. Air Force in Europe Postal Operations RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- On January 22, 2012 it will cost a penny more to mail letters to locations in the United States. The new price increase will affect First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, Periodicals, Package Services and Extra Services. The new single-piece First-Class Mail pricing, effective Jan 22, 2012, include: - Letters (1 oz.) - one-cent increase to 45 cents - Letters additional ounces - unchanged at 20 cents - Postcards - three-cent increase to 32 cents - Letters to Canada or Mexico (one oz.) - five-cent increase to 85 cents - Letters to other international destinations - seven-cent increase to $1.05 This is the first price change for First-Class Mail stamps in more than two and a half years, said Lionel Rivera, U.S. Air Forces in Europe postal operations branch public affairs officer. The Forever stamps are sold at the First-Class Mail stamp postage rate at the time they are purchased. The advantages of a forever stamp to the consumer include the ability to stock up on first class postage at the current rate and use them until your supply is exhausted. As postage rates increases, it is no longer necessary to buy one or two cent stamps to add to the old postage stamp. For example, Forever stamps purchased prior to Jan. 22, 2012, are valid for the full 45-cent, first-class postage rate, despite having been purchased for 44 cents. To purchase the Forever Stamps, visit your local post office. If looking for a specific stamp, the USPS Postal Store (on line) offers a great selection of Forever Stamps and can be purchased for 44 cents until Jan. 22, 2012. The Postal Service offers coils, booklets, and holiday stamps, with almost 85 percent of its stamp program being Forever Stamps. Since the first Forever Stamp, featuring the Liberty Bell, was issued in April 2007, 28 billion Forever Stamps have been sold.