How Many Stamps In A Book? | Complete [2022 Guide]

If you have mailed a letter lately, you had to purchase a stamp to cover the postage on that letter. Many people keep first-class stamps at home so that they don’t have to visit the post office every time they need to send a letter in the mail. They purchase a book of stamps and use one when they have a letter to mail. But, how many stamps are in that book and how much will it cost you? Keep reading as we give you all the details about buying a book of stamps from USPS.

 

How Many First-Class Stamps Are In A Book?

A standard book of first-class postage stamps contains 20 stamps. One of these stamps can be used to send first-class mail weighing less than one ounce. Each additional ounce will cost you an extra $0.20. Stamp booklets have contained 20 stamps for many years. Some commemorative stamp booklets may contain fewer than 20 stamps. This is because those stamps are sometimes larger in size than a normal stamp. Since the stamps are larger, a book often does not contain as many as a book of regular stamps.

If you frequently mail letters, then 20 stamps might not be enough to last you very long. In that case, you might consider purchasing a roll of stamps. A roll contains 100 stamps and can be purchased at the post office just like a book of stamps. Sometimes you might hear this called a coil of stamps. Most stamp sheets and booklets contain self-adhesive stamps, but a coil often contains stamps that must be moistened on the back to activate the adhesive. USPS also sells coils of stamps that contain 3,000 or even 10,000 stamps. These are usually purchased by businesses as most individuals have no need for that many stamps at their homes.

 

How Many Forever Stamps Are In A Book?

A book of Forever stamps contains 20 stamps, just like a book of regular first-class stamps. The number of stamps contained in the book does not change just because they are Forever postage stamps. As we previously mentioned, some special types of stamps might come with a number other than 20 in the book, but both Forever stamps and first-class stamps included 20 in a book. If you do not need a full book, you can also purchase individual stamps or single stamps.

Years ago, a book of stamps included a cardboard cover with the stamps inside. Today, a book of stamps is more like a folded sheet of stamps. The booklet is much simpler and really cuts down on packaging material. The self-adhesive stamps are simply attached to a backing paper. In most cases, the booklet is not even folded. The stamps are included on both sides of a single sheet, and the stamps are peeled from the backing paper and placed onto your first-class letter. This applies to both regular first-class stamps and Forever stamps.

 

How Much Does A Book Of Stamps Cost?

So, how much is a book of stamps? A book of first-class stamps in January 2022 costs $11.60. The current price of a single stamp is $0.58. Since most all books contain 20 stamps, the cost of a book is $0.58 times twenty. The U.S. postal service also sells additional ounce stamps and individual stamps of other denominations. Since many of those stamps are not included in a book, the cost depends on the amount of postage the stamp provides. Twenty-cent stamps are fairly common, but different kinds of stamps are also available in other amounts.

When it comes to Forever stamps, a book of Forever stamps also costs $11.60. There is one big difference, however. A Forever stamp will always allow you to mail a first-class letter regardless of future postage increases. You purchase these stamps at the current price of a first-class stamp, but their value increases in the future as the cost of postage increases. For example, you can purchase one now for $0.58. However, if postage increases to $0.60 next year, then your USPS Forever stamp will then be worth $0.60. The value of a Forever stamp is whatever the current first-class letter postage rate is.

 

Where To Buy A Book Of Stamps

So, where can you buy a book of stamps? They are available at many different places today, and you can even order them online and have them delivered directly to your home. Many people purchase their stamps at local retail outlets like grocery stores and pharmacies. Here are the most common places where people buy stamps.

 

— Post Office

This is the most obvious place to buy stamps. You can head down to your local post office and purchase a book of stamps. The post office is also likely to have the biggest selection of stamps in your local area. Most other local retailers only have basic stamps, but the post office will have commemorative stamps and specialty stamps. You can also purchase stamps through the official website of the United States Postal Service. You can find the largest selection of stamp designs at USPS.com. There are no additional fees attached to your purchase through USPS.com either, except for shipping charges in some cases. The stamp price is all that you will pay when you buy postage stamps using this method.

 

— Amazon.com

You can find a wide selection of stamps on Amazon. They offer different designs and different stamps than many retailers. You can sometimes even find older stamps here that are no longer carried by the post office. However, you are not likely to find discounted prices when buying stamps on Amazon. In many cases, the stamps are more expensive than face value. However, they often include free shipping, and they will arrive at your door within a couple of days if you are a Prime customer. If you are looking for a specific type of stamp, then this is the online store to visit. More than likely, you will be able to find what you are looking for. This is especially helpful for people who enjoy stamp collecting as they can sometimes find stamps that might not be available elsewhere.

 

— Grocery Store

Many people are not aware that you can purchase stamps at the grocery store. Why make an extra trip to the post office when you are probably visiting the grocery store anyway? Grocery stores sell stamps right at the checkout register in most cases. You won’t find them anywhere on the shelf, but all you have to do is ask the cashier for stamps. They will usually have a few books right there at the register that they can add to your purchase. If you need specialty stamps, then you might be out of luck. Most of the time, the grocery store will only have basic US postage stamps. The cost of a book of stamps at the grocery store will be $11.60. They do not mark up the price — they simply provide this as an extra service for their customers.

 

— Wal-Mart

Similar to grocery stores, you can also purchase stamps at Wal-Mart. Again, you likely won’t find them anywhere on the shelf in the store. Simply ask the cashier for a book of stamps as you are checking out. The cost of the book will be $11.60, just as if you were buying them at the post office. Wal-Mart also does not mark up the cost of stamps. The only time you will see a price increase on stamps here is when the postage rates at the postal service increase. If you need a specialty stamp other than the basic US Flag stamp, you will probably need to purchase your stamps elsewhere. Wal-Mart typically only has the standard first-class stamp books in stock. They also do not carry individual stamps in most cases.

 

Sending Letters Without Stamps

Is it possible to send a letter through the mail service without a stamp? Yes, although you still will be required to pay for postage. Instead of a stamp, you can use other methods to put the postage on the letter. This is often the way that businesses send mail when they need to send large volumes of letters. You can purchase a postage meter, and that meter will print the postage directly onto the envelope for you. When you do it this way, there is no need to affix a stamp to your letter. But, you are still paying for the postage to mail the letter.

You could also use a carrier other than the postal service. You could have FedEx or UPS deliver your letter. In that case, you would not use stamps. Stamps are only used to pay for postage from the postal service. FedEx or UPS would attach their own shipping label to your letter. However, you are likely going to pay much more to have your letter delivered by one of these carriers than by the post office.

 

Saving Money On Stamps And Postage

There are several different ways that you can save money on stamps. The first is by purchasing a commercial postage meter, as mentioned above in the previous section. This gives you a better postage rate than a regular stamp, and those savings can really add up if you send a large volume of letters. The next tip is to make sure that you use standard envelope sizes. Using an envelope that is too large will result in an additional postage charge. Keeping your envelope size as small as possible will help keep your postage costs lower by reducing the number of stamps you need.

You can also find postage savings through third-party postage providers like Stamps.com. Many people who sell items through eBay are able to get discounted shipping rates when they print their shipping label directly from PayPal. Also, avoid priority services like Priority Mail Express unless you absolutely need it. If you can wait a few extra days for your letter or package to arrive, then you can save a lot of money on postage. In some cases, it could cost you more than double the amount of postage to have your item arrive just a day or two sooner.

 

The Bottom Line

A standard book of stamps contains 20 stamps, although some specialty stamps vary in the number that are contained in a book. These may be commemorative stamps of historical events or famous people. A book of stamps will cost you $11.60, and you can purchase them at the post office, online, or at many other local retail outlets. Make sure that you use a standard-size envelope whenever possible to save on postage costs, and you could consider purchasing a postage meter to save even more if you mail a lot of letters.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Is it cheaper to buy stamps in a book?

No, the cost of a book of stamps is the same as purchasing twenty individual stamps. Most people go ahead and purchase a book of stamps because they like to keep some at their homes. This avoids a trip to the post office each time they need to mail a letter. However, if you need to purchase a stamp of a different value, then you will probably want to purchase a single stamp. You likely do not need an entire book of stamps in an odd value, and the post office does not even offer entire books in some values.

 

How much is a 100 book of stamps?

Typically, a book of 100 stamps is called a roll of stamps. A roll of 100 stamps will cost you $58.00. Again, you do not save any money by buying in bulk. A single first-class stamp or Forever stamp will cost you $0.58. Since you get 100 of them in a roll, the cost will be $58.00. If you purchase these stamps at a retailer other than the post office, the price may vary slightly. This is especially true if you are buying rare or collectible stamps.