Post Offices sold more than $870,000 worth of Breast Cancer Research Semipostal stamps in December, raising $142,483.59 for breast cancer research.

In October, Breast Cancer Awareness month, USPS generated more than $2 million in sales of the stamps.

Issued on July 29, 1998, the popular semipostal stamp has raised more than $78.3 million for breast cancer research since then. The stamp sells for 60 cents and can be ordered by calling 800-STAMP24 or online at usps.com.

A semipostal postage stamp is different from other stamps. Although the price of a semipostal stamp pays for the First-Class single-piece postage rate, by law, revenue from sales (minus postage and the reasonable reimbursement of costs to USPS) goes to the cause represented by the stamp.

Seventy percent of the net amount raised by the Breast Cancer Research stamp is given to the National Institutes of Health, and 30 percent to the Medical Research Program at the Department of Defense.

Similarly, the Postal Service donates the net proceeds from the sale of the Save Vanishing Species Semipostal stampto the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to support the Multinational Species Conservation Fund. In December, sales of the stamp raised $47,379.51 for international wildlife conservation. Since their inception, the stamps have raised more than $2.5 million for the cause.

The statutory authority permitting sale of the Save Vanishing Species stamp expired Dec. 31, 2013.