Reminder: New postal rates go into effect Sunday

Here's a brief reminder that the new rates for all classes of mail began on January 7, 2001. New 34-cent letter rate stamps are on sale now at your local post office. The first of the new stamps

Thursday, January 4th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Here's a brief reminder that the new rates for all classes of mail began on January 7, 2001. New 34-cent letter rate stamps are on sale now at your local post office. The first of the new stamps will be marked " USA FIRST-CLASS". In later stamp printings, the phrase "FIRST- CLASS" will be replaced by the 34-cent amount. Over two billion one-cent stamps are available for customers to use up supplies of older 33-cent stamps.

The new cost of mailing a two-pound Priority Mail package increases to $3.95, although a new one pound rate is now also available at $3.50. The cost of mailing a one half pound Express Mail package increases to $12.25.

Overall, rates are rising 4.6 percent, although price increases vary some by class of mail in accordance with the legal mandate for each class of mail to cover its own cost. The cost of mailing a letter will increase from 33 to 34 cents. Each additional ounce will decrease from 22 cents to 21 cents. The cost of mailing a postcard will remain 20 cents. International rates will also rise on January 7.

A comprehensive list of all new rates is available (in PDF format - 500k) by clicking here.