Canceled stamps and envelopes
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
Whoever uses or to use in payment of postage, any canceled postage stamp, whether the same has been used or not, or removes, to remove, or assists in removing, the canceling or defacing marks from any postage stamp, or the superscription from any stamped envelope, or postal card, that has once been used in payment of postage, with the intent to use the same for a like purpose, or to sell or offer to sell the same, or knowingly possesses any such postage stamp, stamped envelope, or postal card, with intent to use the same or knowingly sells or offers to sell any such postage stamp, stamped envelope, or postal card, or uses or to use the same in payment of postage; or
Whoever unlawfully and removes from any mail matter any stamp attached thereto in payment of postage; or
Whoever knowingly uses in payment of postage, any postage stamp, postal card, or stamped envelope, issued in pursuance of law, which has already been used for a like purpose—
Shall be or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; but if he is a person employed in the Postal Service, he shall be or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 783 (PDF, 39 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(G), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB).)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime to reuse canceled postage stamps, to remove cancellation marks so stamps can be reused or sold, or to knowingly have or sell such stamps with intent to use them. It is also a crime to willfully remove a stamp from any mail.