How can you tell how old a postcard is?

The postage stamp can help you figure out an approximate age of your postcard. There may be an exact amount of how much postage required to mail the postcard printed on the back of the postcard in the stamp box.

When were penny postcards used?

Relief for mailers and Post Offices alike came on May 19, 1898, when Congress approved a special one-cent rate for postcards — the same rate in effect for postal cards — beginning July 1, 1898. As privately-printed postcards became more and more popular, the Department issued more one-cent stamps to keep pace.

What are penny postcards?

The Penny Penates is a postcard made of paper. The front features a hand-drawn colour illustration showing a gathering of caricatured postal clerks with huge pens seated around an enlarged inkwell marked “Official.” To the left and right of the inkwell appear the words “Penny” and “Penates”, respectively.

When was the golden age of postcards?

1907 to 1915
In fact the period from 1907 to 1915 is now known as the Golden Age of Postcards. During the peak of the craze, the U.S. Postal Service estimated that a billion penny postcards were mailed each year and many more were sent in letters or purchased to be added to collectors’ albums.

How do I know if my old postcards are valuable?

Rarity. As with all antique items, rarity brings up the value of postcards. If only a few of the cards were printed or only a small number have survived the ages, your card may be very valuable. However, rarity goes hand-in-hand with other characteristics; if only a single card was printed, that makes it rare.

What is considered a vintage postcard?

Vintage Photograph – A vintage photograph is a photograph that was made around the same time as the negative was made. Example: If a picture was taken in 1903 and the image was then printed in 1903, then that photograph would be a vintage one.

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.

What year were postcards 2 cents?

Allmer states (p. 17) that postage was raised briefly from 1 cent to 2 cents in 1917-1919 and in 1925-1928; the conclusive raise to 2 cents was in 1951.

When were postcards colorized?

In the 1880s, many postcards were printed with small sketches or designs (called vignettes) on the message side, initially just in black, but increasingly also in color. Slowly, Germany came to dominate the industry of chromolithography, with many postcards being printed there.

Can old postcards be valuable?

What to do with old unused postcards?

Get crafty and recycle or upcycle your old postcards for a creative project such as:

1. #1 Scrapbook. Scrapbooking is basically a creative way of recording your story.
2. #2 Decoupage.
3. #3 Hang them up.
4. #4 Pin board.
5. What other paper crafts can you do with postcards?
6. #9 Photo album.
7. #10 Travel Boxes.
8. #11 Shadow Box.

When did the old national museum postcards come out?

This page provides a few general methods for determining a time period or date for postcards. Postcard of the Old National Museum, by Capitol Souvenir Company, April 13, 1939, Smithsonian Archives – History Div, SIA2011-2285 (front) and SIA2011-2286 (back).

When was the first postcard issued to the public?

Congress passed legislation on June 8, 1872, that approved government production of postal cards. The first government-produced postcard was issued on May 1, 1873. One side of the postcard was for a message and the other side was for the recipient’s address.

When did postcards with a divided back start?

Early Divided Back Era (1907-1914) Postcards with a divided back were permitted in the U.S. beginning on March 1, 1907. (Britain had already pioneered this in 1902.) The address was to be written on the right side; the left side was for writing messages.

What was the price of a postcard in 1898?

This rate for privately produced postcards went down to $0.01 on May 19, 1898, with the passage of the Private Mailing Card Act. Postcard of “The Wedding Procession of Prince Dara-Shikoh”, by Unknown, 1997, Smithsonian Archives – History Div, SIA2013-07761 (front) and SIA2013-07762 (back).