For almost 100 years the price of a stamp remained stable.
And then in the last 50 years ... bang-zoom! Can't wait for gov't h/c ...
![](http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/2010/07/06/news/economy/postal_rate_increase/chart_stamps.top.gif)
Yes, you make a good point--the USPS has raised rates slower than inflation, so it's a better deal than in the past. (Sorry that the graphs don't line up right but I'm not going to take the time to rescale it. :-)
![](http://www.opengoldexchange.com/0903/img/consumer-price-index-chart.jpg)
![](http://i2.cdn.turner.com/money/2010/07/06/news/economy/postal_rate_increase/chart_stamps.top.gif)