Why Pay More For A Stamp Than You Should?

So why would anyone pay more for a postage stamp than they should. This entry is not about being ripped off by some unscrupulous stamp seller. It is however, about semi postal stamps.

A semi postal stamp is a stamp that is issued to raise money for some sort of charitable cause. The cost of the stamp is inflated above the cost of the normal postage stamp. Sometimes these types of stamp show the normal postage rate, but consumers pay a higher rate to help support the cause. Other times, a stamp will show two denominations that are joined with a plus sign. Purchasing these types of stamps is completely voluntary.

The first occurrence of a semi postal stamp was issued to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in Victoria and New South Wales. These 1897 stamps were sold for 12 times the face value of the actual postage.

In Switzerland and Belgium, stamp collectors prefer collecting semi postal stamps over regular postage stamps. Most of the time, these type of stamps out-sell regular stamps with the public as well.

The first semi-postal stamp was issued in the United States in 1998. This stamp helped support and bring awareness in the fight against Breast Cancer.