Consider this: a book of 20 stamps costs around $13 to $15 these days. That’s less than a decent movie ticket, but it can send 20 different messages across the country. You can make 20 people’s days for the price of one sad popcorn combo.
It’s also a tiny piece of infrastructure. Every stamp is a little contract with the government that says “I paid my dues, now carry this letter to Aunt Karen in Tucson.” That’s surprisingly powerful for a piece of gummed paper.
The Old-School Mystery
Before 1992, books of stamps were different. They used to come in panes of 100, and you had to lick the back. Gross, right? Now we peel and stick, and we never think about the woody flavor of 1980s glue.
So the next time you hold a stamp booklet, ask yourself: Am I hoarding 20 tiny obligations, or 20 tiny adventures? The answer is both. It’s a book of possibility.
How Many Stamps Are There In A Book Of Stamps at Edith Carter blog
