Do you collect antique postcards? If so, you’re not alone. People collect these artifacts of history for a variety of reasons, but primarily they are attracted to the photographs, paintings and drawings on the front. Collecting postcards is also a fun hobby that it is relatively inexpensive, and your collection won’t take up much space!
Getting Started
You’ve settled on starting a collection of antique postcards, but how do you know which cards are valuable and which aren’t? Luckily, there are many postcard enthusiasts who are more than willing to share their knowledge on the Internet. Start off with these fact and picture filled websites to help you determine antique postcard values before you start shopping:
Postcard Values – provides information on collecting, values, price guides and how to determine the age of your postcard.
Vintage Postcards – site has over 15,000 photos of collectible postcards and their values.
The Postcard Guy – details how to collect and what should be looked for. Topics range from condition to rarity of various postcards.
You may also find lots of information on collecting antique postcards in price guides and collector guide books. These types of books will give you details on current prices for both collectors and resellers. Collector guides will give collectors basic information on what to look for when collecting certain types of postcards such as picture postcards, various illustrators or important postage and postmarks.
Where to Buy Antique Postcards
After you’ve gotten an idea on the types of antique postcards that you are interested in as well as their values, it is time to start shopping. There are several places that you can start looking, beginning with family members. Odds are, someone in your family collected postcards, since sending them was very popular in the early 1900’s. Check out your attic or ask your grandparents if they have a postcard collection they could share with you.
Other great places to find antique postcards include:
eBay– This site always has a selection of antique postcards up for auction and Halloween postcards are always popular. Insist on insurance if you purchase valuable postcards here.
Antique Stores – local antique stores almost always carry a selection of vintage postcards in their store. If you don’t see them, ask. They are probably tucked away somewhere in a shoebox!
Postcard Dealers – just like antique booksellers, there are postcard dealers too. The Internet is a good place to start looking.
Estate Sales– a great place to find albums or boxes of postcards at bargain prices.
How to Store Antique Postcards
After you’ve begun to accumulate antique postcards you’ll want to care for them so they will last a long time. Keeping them in a shoebox is okay when you start out, but eventually, serious collectors will want to upgrade their storage options.
The 2 Buds – A vintage postcard site that sells archival supplies. Items for sale include albums, sleeves, frames and boxes.
Archival Methods – sells ephemera boxes and polyethylene storage bags.Store your postcards in a cool and moisture free environment. This will prevent the growth of mold or discoloring that can occur if delicate paper good items are stored in basements or attics that have no air circulation. It is also important to store your collectible postcards out of direct sunlight. Direct sunlight can yellow certain papers and fade the coloring on postcards.
The best storage solution is to store individual postcards in plastic sleeves and in boxes made of acid free paper. This will ensure your valuable collection is preserved for the next generation of collectors.
Meet Fellow Collectors
Now that you have started collecting, perhaps it is time to meet other like-minded individuals. Sharing a hobby is fun, and it gives you someone to trade postcards with! Since this hobby is so popular, there are many national and local clubs to choose from. The following is a list of postcard clubs with sites on the Internet:
Deltiologists of America
Taconic Postcard Club
The Postcard Pages – lists email addresses and addresses of postcard clubs without an Internet site
Picture postcards have been around in the United States since 1893. There are literally hundreds of antique postcards to choose from as well as new ones that appear on the market each year. Start collecting today, and who knows? The postcard you collect today may be worth a fortune tomorrow!
