Zazzle stamps and USPS Forever stamps are not the same product. Zazzle historically sold authorized customized photo postage, but USPS records that the U.S. Customized Postage program ran from 2005 through 2020. Today, Zazzle’s “stamps” category primarily refers to rubber stamps, self-inking stamps and related stationery products—not new USPS postage stamps.
Zazzle postage then and now
| Feature | Historic Zazzle customized postage | USPS Forever stamp |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Customized PC Postage indicia supplied through an authorized vendor | USPS-issued postage stamp |
| Custom image | Previously available within program rules | No; uses an official USPS issue design |
| Forever value | Do not assume; value depended on the purchased indicia | Tracks the applicable Forever rate category |
| New custom postage available today | No; USPS records the program ending in 2020 | Current USPS issues remain available through normal channels |
| Current Zazzle search results | Often rubber stamps, self-inking stamps, embossers or stationery—not postage | |
Were old Zazzle custom stamps real postage?
Yes, when produced under the authorized Customized Postage program, they represented genuine postage payment. USPS formally classified customized postage as a form of PC Postage rather than a conventional stamp. That technical distinction matters for collectors, cancellation requests and comparisons with USPS-issued Forever stamps.
Can you make a new personalized postage stamp on Zazzle?
No current USPS customized-postage program supports creating new personalized U.S. postage there. Zazzle still offers products called stamps, but the live categories describe tools that apply ink to paper. A custom rubber stamp can decorate an envelope or add a return address; it does not pay postage.
Are old Zazzle postage labels Forever stamps?
Not automatically. “Forever” is a specific USPS pricing feature. Historic customized postage could carry a fixed denomination or indicia appropriate to the rate purchased. Do not treat an old customized label as a current domestic Forever stamp merely because it once mailed a letter. If its value or usability is unclear, ask USPS before relying on it.
How to identify what a listing offers
- Check whether the item is unused postage, a rubber stamp, an ink pad, an embosser or a collectible.
- Look for a stated postage denomination or indicia rather than decorative artwork alone.
- Confirm whether “custom stamp” means a tool that prints ink.
- Do not buy a reproduction or novelty label expecting it to pay postage.
- For ordinary mail, compare a genuine USPS-issued option whose rate category is clear.
Practical alternatives
For postage, use current USPS-issued stamps or other accepted postage-payment methods. For personalization, use a custom rubber stamp, printed envelope, return-address label or decorative seal separately from the postage. Browse our Forever stamps collection for USPS-issued designs.
Official and current sources
The USPS publication The United States Postal Service: An American History records Customized Postage availability from 2005 to 2020. A USPS Postal Bulletin notice explains that customized postage was PC Postage, not a conventional stamp. Zazzle’s current stamps category describes rubber and self-inking products.
Program and marketplace information checked September 1, 2026.