Denomination (postage stamp)

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This article deals with the price of a postage stamp. For other meanings of the word 'denomination' see Denomination (disambiguation).

A denomination is the price of a postage stamp. The denomination of stamps does not necessarily correspond to local currency denominations.

Often, as in the case of bi-secting stamps, brand "new" denominations are created that are nothing like – for instance – the decimal system the coins or currency are based on.

Also, as in the case of early United States postage stamps, stamps are not always based upon the same denominations as the coins or currency. Back then, the denominations were as follows: 1¢, 2¢, 3¢, 5¢, 10¢, 12¢, 15¢, 24¢, 30¢, and 90¢; which is basically based upon the rule of "three". With coins and bills, the "unit" of value is usually the one dollar bill or the one dollar coin (although the one dollar coin is rarely seen in circulation).

Stamps are based upon the values that the post office decides with the "unit", the price it takes to send a one ounce envelope through the mail, changing according to the financial marketplace or the plans of the post office.