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Postcards became popular at the turn of the 20th Century, especially for sending short messages to friends and relatives. They were collected right from the start, and are still sought after today by collectors of pop culture, photography, advertising, wartime memorabilia, local history, and many other categories.

Postcards were an international craze, published all over the world. The Detroit Publishin...

There are many types of collectible vintage postcards. Hold-to-light postcards were made with tissue paper surrounded by two pieces of regular paper, so light would shine through. Fold-out postcards, popular in the 1950s, had multiple postcards attached in a long strip. Real photograph postcards (RPPCs) are photographs with a postcard backing.

Novelty postcards were made using wood, aluminum, copper, and cork. Silk postcards – often embroidered or with a printed image – were wrapped around cardboard and sent in see-through glassine paper envelopes, and were especially popular during WW1. In the 1930s and 1940s, postcards were printed on brightly colored paper designed to look like linen.

Most vintage postcard collectors focus on themes, like Christmas, Halloween, portraits of movie stars, European royalty and U.S. presidents, wartime imagery, and photos of natural disasters. Not to mention cards featuring colorful pictures by famous artists like Alphonse Mucha, Harrison Fisher, Ellen Clapsaddle, and Francis Brundage.

With vintage postcards, subject matter, condition, and rarity, plus general desirability and demand, determine value.

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Recent News: Postcards

Source: Google News

Penfield Recreation to host 'Meet Opps' through Aug. 14
Penfield Post, May 24th

The event will include a presentation of a unique postcard collection, as well as a discussion of the benefits of collecting. Participants are encouraged to bring their own collections. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Chocolate is scheduled...Read more

History of Imperial buildings to be given at museum program
Imperial Republican, May 24th

Some of the old photographs he used for the slide show came from his extensive Imperial postcard collection, he said. Colton said the slide show will be presented several times Sunday afternoon, and he will take time to pause the slides to discuss...Read more

'Michigan Notable Authors Tour' visits Boyne City library
Petoskey News-Review, May 24th

The authors use vintage postcards, photographs, maps and other memorabilia to illustrate the journey through quaint towns, to hotels and cabins, tourist camps, state parks and other stops along the way. Byron is the local historical collections...Read more

Voices of the Class of 2012: I graduated... now what?
Boston.com (blog), May 23rd

My purple walls were painted white, my carpet, previously covered in childhood spills is re-done, and my postcard collection has been taken off of the walls and placed in piles in drawers. I was appropriately forced to sleep in the guest room,...Read more

Fast-growing website Pinterest gets $100M boost to jump into online selling
Hamilton Spectator, May 17th

Pinterest, the fast-growing website that started as a place to share vintage postcards, recipes and crocheted camera strap ideas, has jumped into e-commerce. Rakuten, one of the world's largest online commerce sites, announced Thursday it was leading a...Read more

Stateline Area Community Calendar
Beloit Daily News, May 17th

Program is Den Adler on vintage postcards. For more information, call 608-756-4509. ECOLAB RETIREES will hold a luncheon at 11:45 am at Domenico's in Beloit. For more information, call Duane at 608-752-3735. STATELINE SINGLES dinner meeting at 5:30 at...Read more

A Rummage Sale to Rescue a Rectory
Patch.com, May 11th

By Lynne Ranieri A vintage-postcard look at St. Stephen's Church, looking up Main toward the center of Millburn Maplewood residents can get involved in doing a good deed. In an October 2011 Patch article I wrote: "A late-1800s local newspaper noted...Read more

Greater Tulsa Antique Postcard & Paper Americana Show and Sale Opens May 11 in ...
PR Web (press release), April 30th

The Annual Tulsa Postcard Club show involves buyers and sellers from seven states bringing nearly one million antique postcards for sale, as well as buying collections and accumulations, and providing free appraisals of most all vintage postcards,...Read more

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