Can you use a stamp as currency?

Something I heard on The Office a while back, is it true and if so how much is a stamp worth?

You could, for about 30 days in 1862. But today, no. I tried to 'cash in' some old stamps that I had at the post office, but they told me, no refunds... I ended up buying more small stamps so I could send out letters with the old ones.

Postage Stamp Currency
The following article is from

The New York Herald newspaper
- dated Dec 15, 1862

--------------------------------------...

The Postage Stamp Currency - Its Redemption

Notice.

Post Office, New York, Dec 15, 1862

From and including this date postage stamps which have been used for currency will be received at this office for redemption upon the following terms and conditions, viz:-

1. - Only such as have been used for currency will be redeemed.

2. - Amounts under five dollars will be redeemed upon presentation.

3. - Amounts of five dollars and upwards must be in a single package, closely and securely put up, with the amount enclosed, and the name and residence or place of business of the owner plainly endorsed thereon.

4. - A receipt will be given for each package, numbered in the order of its reception.

5. - The stamps will, without delay, be carefully examined and counted in the order in which the packages are received. Those of the old issue, and those which have been once used for the prepayment of postage, if any, (which fact will be determined by this department), will be deducted from the amount of the package and destroyed. The balance will be retained and the amount thereof, as soon as ascertained, will be paid in government notes or postage currency, to the depositor, or his duly authorized agent, upon the production and surrender of the r receipt. Notice of readiness for payment will be affixed to the bulletin board of this office.

6. - Only one package will be redeemed for the same party.

7. - The stamps, before presentation, must be separated according to the different denominations.

8. - Stamps will be redeemed only on these conditions.

9. - The time for making applications for redemption is limited to thirty days from this date.

By order of the Postmaster General.

Abram Wakeman, Postmaster

I hope that helps.

If the other person is agreeable.

yes i bought my last car w/ 23,000 stamps. My tongue was killing me afterwards thou.

haha...no. well, maybe at a stamp collector's convention or something.

THE OFFICE! ha ha how could you take anything on that show serious..
no, sorry you can't use it as currency!

maybe tyhey were talking about food stamps???

You can use anything that someone will accept as value. Barter is not illegal. And stamps are worth their face value or whatever someone will give you for them.

nope, well unused ones are prob the only one worth trading in the office... As much as youll get them from a post office.

i dont think you can..

Only if the person you are paying it to accepts them- and usually they have to be on a postal order- for example you couldn't go into Tesco and buy your shopping with them! But i have allowed people on ebay to pay me small amounts with postage stamps simply because i can use them on postage for other parcels. A book of 12 first class stamps is about Â£4.00.

I have done it as a service to customers, both buying and selling, but it is more of a hassle than good business.

Stamps used in that fashion are usually heavily discounted and are worth less than their face value.

yes.......if you buy a postal order for someone, a stamp is sometimes added to make up the price......and when you cash it you get full cash back.

you can use nail clippings as currency, if the seller accepts it as payment

what you paid for it at the post office.
no more & no less.
stamps are legal tender, same as notes/coins.

Most situations state "No stamps accepted".

what kind of stamp?a mail stamp?

go to www.stamps.com

that way u can find the answer!

only if the other party accepts them.

nope.. only monies.. my friend george has the monies for you .. all Â£8.68 (the bloke on fonejacker.lol)

u can find very old currency, notes .. say Â£1 or Â£20 etc from YEARS ago,and the bank of england has to redeem it, like for like. as it says on notes "promise to pay the bearer"

yes you can at face value (the price on the stamp)

NO!, not true, only use to send mail.

theoretically, its worth the face value

If you're speaking of Food stamps, yes, you can use them as currency at the Grocery store for certain items. If you're talking about US Postal stamps, they can only be used to send mail through the US Post. Postal rates very per weight and size of package, so check with the local post office or go to usps.com

Not really,

According to the "Legal Tender Statute" (section 5103 of title 31 of the U.S. Code), "United States coins and currency (including Federal Reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal Reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues." This means that all U.S. money, as identified above, when tendered to a creditor legally satisfies a debt to the extent of the amount (face value) tendered.

Stamps do not fall into this category. However, most USPS post offices will buy back stamps at face value with legal tender currency.

Officially, no.

but, someone is ready to barter your valuable stamp, then, yes.

the better question here is how gay can one person be?

it is yes,.http://www.stamps.com

The Office is WHack!!!!!!!!

I like that show though. lol

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