A broker mailing about 4,000 postcards a month found a site selling Flag stamps at $0.35 and bought 2,000 of them. Total outlay: $700.
They went onto "just listed" cards for a $500k property. Three days later the seller called: why did I get my own card back marked counterfeit?
The listing went elsewhere. The seller's reasoning was not about postage — if the agent cut corners here, what happens in the negotiation? $700 spent on the stamps, $15,000 of commission gone: a net $15,700.
Buy ahead, but be clear what that is
The useful habit is buying postage before a rate increase rather than week to week. It is worth naming precisely, because this gets dressed up as investing.
A Forever stamp stays valid for a one-ounce letter whatever the rate becomes, so postage bought early is postage you will send later at the old price. That is avoided cost on volume you were always going to mail. You cannot cash stamps in at the new rate, and buying beyond what you will send converts working capital into a cupboard.
Within your real forecast, though, the numbers are straightforward.
Best deals on Forever stamps
Buy the boring one
New commemorative issues are tempting and wrong for volume. The Flag coil is the workhorse for three unglamorous reasons:
- Availability. Always in stock in bulk. Themed issues sell out mid-campaign and leave you switching designs halfway through a mailing.
- Stability. A Forever stamp never loses value, so a surplus buy carries no timing risk.
- Discount. Because businesses liquidate them in quantity, surplus Flags run about $0.62 against $0.78 retail.
Rating your sources
| Channel | Verification | Typical discount | Use for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verified surplus reseller | Sealed coils, commercial invoice | 18%–25% | Campaign volume — buy and hold to forecast |
| USPS retail counter | Absolute | 0% | Certified and legally required mail |
| Unverified web ad | None | "50%+" — the tell itself | Nothing |
Buying 10,000 at a time from a verified channel means sealed coils you can spot-check with a UV light for the phosphor tag. Any offer framed as a going-out-of-business clearance is fiction — genuine surplus comes from overstock and liquidations, and those do not produce half-price postage.
One quarter, actual numbers
Stamps bought in advance at $0.62, against buying at $0.78 retail as needed:
| Month | Volume | At retail | Pre-bought | Retained |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | 4,000 | $3,120 | $2,480 | $640 |
| November | 5,000 | $3,900 | $3,100 | $800 |
| December | 2,000 | $1,560 | $1,240 | $320 |
| Total | 11,000 | $8,580 | $6,820 | $1,760 |
Note that every stamp in that table was actually mailed. That is what makes the $1,760 real rather than notional.
Where to buy
The USPS official store for certified and compliance mail, or a verified surplus channel such as Forever Stamp Center for campaign volume. Rate adjustments are reviewed by the Postal Regulatory Commission before taking effect, which is where your notice period comes from.
The short version
Forecast the volume you will genuinely mail, buy that much ahead at a defensible discount, standardize on Flags, and treat any offer past 25% off as what it is. The saving is real; the story about it being an investment is not.
More on buying Forever stamps
- 👉 What Your Business Stamp Usage Says About Your Operational Health
- 👉 Where to Buy US Postage Stamps for Sale at the Cheapest Price
- 👉 Why Shipping Accuracy is the Only Marketing That Matters
Stamp enthusiast and part‑time columnist based in Los Angeles. With a background in office administration and a personal passion for collecting Forever Stamps, she provides readers with practical tips on buying, storing, and using stamps effectively.
