Using Very Old Stamps

When I get stamps from a dealer, some use very old stamps, sometimes as many as ten on the envelope.
I've got some unused old stamps, Elvis 29C for example. Two of those would be more than the fifty cents now required for first class letters.
Will the USPS accept them ?

You can use almost all old stamps on the mail


Peter

With very few exceptions, any unused US postage stamp issued since the start of the Civil War is still valid. But you will still need to pay the current postage rates, so for your 29¢ stamp, you would need to add another 21¢ to mail a letter.

You will also find if you order a minimum value stamp from a dealer (say 3¢) and pay 20¢ for it, do not be surprised if the envelope has the same stamp.

One caution about using some of the real older stamps. If none of the stamps are tagged it is possible that the letter will be rejected by the machines and tossed aside until someone can look at it in a week or two.

Is a #14 envelope, a larger envelope, considered 98 cents + 21 cents per ounce?

Are all new USPS issues tagged? Wolf-==-

The size is 5 x 11 for the #14

yup

No, not all new issues are tagged. Only the first class and related issues are tagged. There is absolutely no need to tag precancels or high value stamps,

Peter

Peter, I agree that many stamps are not tagged, especially those whose supposed denomination is 10-cents or less. The new lemon coils do glow a blue-white under short UV, but I assume that likely has to do with the paper being used rather than any tagging. But I don't understand your comment about higher denomination stamps. I believe that all of the priority & express mail stamps are tagged along with the 2 & 3 oz. rate stamps and the global forevers.

John, 2 & 3 oz rates along with the Global rate are first class related? I may be mistaken about the high values though,

Peter

I thought I read somewhere that special delivery stamps are not valid. Is this true?

I don't know if there is any official ruling on this, but I have a friend who has had express mail franked with special delivery stamps accepted at the PO.

I suppose that I should checked before writing this. My friend's use of special delivery stamps is not valid, even if he has gotten away with it.
https://pe.usps.com/archive/html/dm...htm#Rfj42718 says:

I always wondered about the fact that I bought postage due stamps from the post office for "face value" but the actual face value was -5c, -10c, and was not usable as postage. It cost a postage value that it did not have. hmm....



PS: The postal teller was very bewildered at my request for postage dues. They were being pulled off sale the next day. Maybe I could have convinced her of their "lack of value" and made an offer for the whole folder she had....... lol