Stamp Price Increases: A Brief HistoryUpdated

EmailMoreKathryn Yao

AOL News Surge Desk -- Today, the U.S. Postal Service announced what would be its latest price increases, proposing to hike the price of a stamp by 2 cents to 46 cents. If the independent Postal Regulatory Commission accepts its request, the new rate will go into effect beginning in January.

In related news, the Forever Stamp, which is set to get a new look, seems like an increasingly smart investment.

Here's a look back at the basic stamp's seemingly inexorable climb toward the half-buck threshold.

A Decade of Postage Increases

•January 2001: The cost per ounce increases by a penny to 34 cents.

•June 2002: The cost per ounce jumps by 3 cents to 37 cents.

•January 2006: The cost per ounce goes to 39 cents.

•April 2007: The post office comes out with the "forever stamp," which carries the first-class mail postage rate for packages 1 ounce and lighter, making it easier for those who don't want to deal with the USPS's changing postage prices.

•May 2007: Another 2-cent increase sends the per-ounce price to 41 cents.

•May 2008: A more modest hike, as the USPS only raises the rate by 1 cent, to 42 cents.

•May 2009: Yet again, postage per ounce increases by 2 cents, to 44 cents.

•January 2011: The USPS has proposed to raise postage per ounce to 46 cents -- another 2-cent increase.