Collectables - Postcards
Did you know that in the last century, only the name and address of the recipient were permitted on backs of postcards by postal regulations? Messages on the front usually defaced the image. United States Postal Service began to permit the use of what is now known as Post Card in early 1900s. The back of the postcard got a line in the middle to provide space for both a message and the address.
This regulation started a national obsession that lasted for almost two decades. Postcards were sold at the rate of more than 700 million a year and it seems that customers were saving most of them. Often putting them in albums. Most homes had a special place for postcards, usually the corridor.
A number of highly detailed and beautiful postcards were made in Austria and Germany, where fine color reproduction was less expensive than elsewhere in the world. Regardless of the place where their postcards were printed, American publishers continued to strive for unique topics such as birthday greeting postcards and town views. Picture postcards were more than just a means of communication. They provided a portrait of life during the first two decades of the twentieth century.
Collectable Postcards has always been a popular collectable item and postcard collecting very popular hobby. Some of the rarest
collectables postcards cards can cost hundreds, others just a few pence, which is one of the main reasons for their popularity.
The most valuable collectable postcards show scenes of social history; these are known as “topographical” postcards. City scenes are less valuable than village views as fewer copies of these were produced. Printed views of well-visited locations or popular holiday locations are the least valuable, village scenes can cost enywhere from 5 to 50 dollars for those with real photographic views. Transport postcards are also very popular, particularly railways, ships and motoring. Again prices range from a few dollars to around hundered.
Regardless of how old they are, if they are antique or vintage postcards, 90% of them range in value from a few cents to 10 dollars. It really does not make a difference in value if the card has been through the post does or not, however postmarks and stamps do add interest to a card.
