Sending things across geographical spaces via the post office, like every other channel of communication, requires the sender to pay a particular sum to take the message from Point A to point B. These tiny pieces of gummed paper known as postal stamps purchased from the post office, and stuck to your package before posting it, vary in price, depending on the content of the package you’re sending. The higher the content value, the higher the price of the postal stamp.
What are USPS 70-cent Stamps?
The USPS 70-cent stamp is a postal stamp sold by the United States Postal Service (USPS( to persons seeking to post items that weigh 2-ounce or cannot be sorted by the USPS mail sorting machine. These stamps were available for sale in 2014 when the postage rate for packages that weighed up to 2-Ounce was 70 cents. The 70 cents postal stamps came in two types: the wedding collection that had things like flowers, cakes, and other wedding-related items, and the non-machinable collection that features butterflies.
The wedding collection variation of the 70 cents stamps sold by the USPS, were sold to couples who had bulk and heavier invitation cards to send. These stamps come with wedding cakes or flowers. When they are weighed, their weight equates to 2-ounce hence the 70 cents postal stamp is the appropriate stamp for such packages, as it covers the postage of 2-ounce packages.
It is not so hard to tell that a stamp is 70 cents, this is because on some of the stamps, “70 cents” is written while on others, “Two Ounces” is written. While stamps that carry the “Two Ounces” label will cover packages that weigh 2 ounces, regardless of the current posting rate or possible changes in the future, those carrying “70 cents” labeling will require additional postage (posting fee) because the package may weigh more than 2 ounces and you will need to pay the extra postage cost. Or in some cases, it might be a non-machinable package and the extra sorting charges will be required since they cannot be sorted using the USPS sorting machine.
Unlike the wedding variation of the 70 cents stamps that comes with flowers or wedding games, the non-machinable variation comes with butterfly and are so-called because they do not fit into the sorting machine. This is owing to the irregular size of the package. Packages like these are considered to not meet the designated USPS standard sizes. They include square greeting cards, which are the most common example of the non-machinable variation, rigid cards attached with pens or keys, or any other letter not in concomitance to USPS standardized letter size.
According to USPS, your letter must meet the following requirements to make it a machinable letter capable of being sorted by the sorting machine. Else, the process of sorting will be manual and takes a longer time. Hence the surcharge of 0.30 dollars. The machinable letter must meet the following requirements:
Must not be more than 3 inches high, 5 inches long with a thickness of 0.07.
Must not have strings, claps, or buttons.
It should not be rigid
The delivery mail address must not be parallel to the shorter side of the mail piece.
The letter must be paper only and not enclosed in a plastic or poly material.
It must be rectangular, not square.
Does USPS Currently have 70 cents stamps?
As of the time of this publication, USPS no longer sells 70 cents stamps. But they still accept these stamp and their postal value of 70 cents remains the same but their market value has changed. These stamps are no longer made but if you’re looking to buy them, there are a few places you can get them. Heads up, you will certainly not get them at 70 -cents because their scarcity has made sellers sell at higher rates. Also, you will need an extra postage fee for these stamps. You can get 70-cent stamps from any of these stores:
Mystic Stamp
Esty
Amazon
Two Ounces Stamps Currently Available for Sale in USPS
If you are still in need of some 2-ounce stamps not necessarily 70 cents, you can get the following from USPS:
Katherine Graham Stamps = $15.60
Sunflower Bouquet Stamps =$15.60
How Can I Buy USPS Stamps?
There are several ways to buy USPS Stamps. You can select either of the options available. You can buy:
In-Person from a USPS Location
Visit any USPS-approved location to purchase the stamp.
The Postal Online Store
To purchase stamps from USPS’ online store, visit www.usps.com, search for the stamp you intend to buy, select it, and follow the prompts.
Through Phone Request
Here you can put a call across to the customer care center to request a stamp. According to USPS users, this method is most convenient and was largely subscribed to. It wasn’t until the Covid-19 pandemic error this method was discontinued. The alternative is to use the online store.
Stamps Purchase by Mail
Purchasing stamps by mail makes it possible to order stamps with your email using Postal Stamp Form 3227-A. A stamp order is handled by the post in your local area, and delivered by your letter carrier. Upon order, stamps will be delivered within two to three days excluding the day the order was received.
Before delivery, all payments must be sent to the address on the form.
Conclusion
USPS 70 cents stamps are stamps stuck to wedding-related items or butterflies with non-machinable letters. There are a few sites you can purchase 70 cents stamps from, but you will be asked to pay higher than the face value. This is because they are no longer widely circulated as they were in 2014 but are still in use. The value in terms of postal service remains the same but you will need extra postage when using 70 cents postal stamps.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I buy 70 cents stamps from USPS?
No, you can’t. 70 cents stamps are no longer produced and are sparingly sold. USPS does not sell them but you can get them from other stores like those mentioned in the article. See the related paragraphs above.
2. How much does a 70 cents stamp cost?
70 cents stamps do not have a specific price. They are only available based on pre-orders and the price is dependent on the seller.
3. What are Non-Machinable items?
These are items that cannot be sorted by the USPS sorting machine. These items either do not meet the standardized size of USPS, or they contain contents that if ran through the machine, can be ruffled.
