Table of Contents
How do I find the value of old postcards?
How to Assign Value to an Antique Postcard
- Examine the Card. Note the condition of the card, the picture on it, and identifying factors, and the age.
- Look Up the Card. Postcard price and identification guides are useful tools in determining the current market value of postcards.
- Assess Market Demand.
- Professional Appraisal.
How much are Real Photo Postcards worth?
Real photo postcards – black-and-white, with no printed dot pattern – are one of today’s hottest farm collectibles. Unusual examples often bring bids of $25 to $100 or more from serious collectors.
What can you do with old picture postcards?
How to sell old postcards
- Step 1 – Store your postcards properly.
- Step 2 – Research the value of your cards.
- Step 3 – Visit vintage markets & postcard fairs.
- Step 4 – Trade with a postcard dealer.
- Step 5 – List your items on eBay.
- Step 6 – Offer postcards for sale at auction.
- Step 7 – Sell to an auction house outright.
Are postcards worth more used or unused?
All unused postcards have some value. However, an unused one would be of more value to a deltiologist more so than a philatelist or postal historian due to lacking a postmark and / or stamp(s).
What postcards are collectible?
Some of the most valuable postcards include photos of ocean liners or railroads, as collectors are interested in making these rare images part of a collection. Photos from the early 1900s of homes, families and other personal scenes are also popular, falling under the name Real Photo Postcards.
How much do postcards sell for?
Sending a postcard is an extremely affordable way to communicate when you’re using the U.S Postal Service—regular postcards cost only $0.40 to mail!
Are there any postcards worth money?
How do I identify a postcard?
The easiest way to distinguish a real photo postcard is to look at it under a magnifying glass; it will show smooth transitions from one tone to another. Click here for links for dating real photos. Postcards with a divided back were permitted in the U.S. beginning on March 1, 1907.
When were photos put on postcards?
Although picture postcards first appeared in the 1890s, it wasn’t until very early in the 20th century that the format was used for commercial portraiture.
What post cards are worth money?
Some of the most valuable postcards are Pioneer postcards, which were manufactured between 1873 and 1897 in the U.S. These cards are unique in that you won’t find a message on the backside, only the address. The postal service prohibited writing messages on the back of postcards until the early 1900s.
When did postcards cost 2 cents?
What Did it Cost to Mail a Postcard in the Past? From November 2, 1917, to June 30, 1919, the rate for postcards and postal cards was 2 cents.
How do you date a real photo postcard?
Only the address could be written on the back. In the United States real photo postcards originated in 1901. The American design of postcards was regulated by United States law and can be dated in general by the text and designs.
When were photos printed as postcards?
Although the world’s first picture postcards date from the 1860s to the mid-1870s, most of the earliest American picture postcards extant today are those that were sold at the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois, starting on May 1, 1893.
What is the value of a picture postcard?
The oldest known picture postcard sold in 2002 at the London Stamp Exchange auction for just under $50,000 dollars. Posted in 1840, the postcard’s value lay in its significant age, as well as the fact that it was among the earliest cards printed and mailed.
How can you tell if a postcard is valuable?
If it is an early undivided back postcard, writing may appear on the front. The card may also have minor defects (such as album marks, signs of age and handling) but should show little or no discolouration. Most collectible cards are in this Very Good condition and should be worth about 20-25% less than an Excellent postcard.
Do postmarks affect the value of a business card?
However, the type and condition of the postmark can affect the value. An easy-to-read early postmark can indicate a card that is worth more than average. Postmarks made by machines that no longer exist, or from unusual places, can add value.
What is a good quality postcard?
Good: A postcard which has corners that are noticeably blunt or rounded with slight bends or creases, still collectable even if the condition is less than Very Good. Used or unused and showing noticeable defects (like handling or wear), it may have slight creasing and minor postal damage but this will not be detrimental to the overall appearance.