Pepe Spadone, owner of PepePostcards , has a collection of more than 10, postcards. Other times it is more intriguing, perhaps a romantic liaison or love message.
I simply adore ones showing scenes and people of the circus or amateur dramatics and theatre. In addition to nuns and clergy, it was also popular to see actresses and actors on postcards in the early days. Mabel Love was a British dancer and stage actress in the late s and the first half of the s. It was later reported that she had gone to the Thames Embankment, considering suicide. You can find a list of shows at postcardhistory. Miller also recommends finding a local postcard club meeting, most cities have a dedicated group of collectors.
There are several factors to consider when assessing the value of a postcard. Signed artist cards can be extremely rare and valuable. The feel of a vintage postcard is a common reference point for serious collectors. Other clear signs are who published it and obviously if it has a stamp and postmark upon it. The clearer the postmark, the better. As you can see, there are many reasons to collect postcards.
With such a plentiful array of subject matter, age, condition and material, postcards present an opportunity for just about every collector to find something they love. Vintage postcards can also make unique gifts , too. Art nouveau and art deco glamour cards by artists such as Alphonse Mucha pictured in the image above and Raphael Kirchner pictured in the image below can sell for three-figure sums, as long as the condition is good. Postcard grading is far more important with subject cards than with topographical cards, as the market is smaller and the collectors tend to be more sensitive to the condition of the card.
Foreign cards: The average British collection contains very few foreign cards. At the present moment, there is a lot of interest in Chinese cards, as these constitute a rapidly expanding market. If the card is postally used, there is a chance that the value of the postal markings can outstrip the value of the image on the front of the card.
The same is true for cards emanating from areas where native usage was small, such as some of the Pacific Ocean islands. Many British collections contain cards sent home from British troops serving in France and Belgium during the First World War, but these cards are common and rarely have much value.
Superb Detail: An art nouveau style postcard from the 'Roma' set by prolific postcard artist Raphael Kirchner Generally, the answer is 'no' because postcard mailing from most countries was prolific. The stamps needed to cover the postage rate were also produced in vast quantities and are still very common.
However, occasionally we encounter a card with a desirable postmark, such as those mailed in advance for delivery on Christmas day, in Edwardian times. Knowing this takes expert knowledge, which is why it is essential to have your postcards professionally assessed by a valuer who has a detailed understanding of both postcards and philately.
Please email us or call to book an appointment. Or see our How to sell postcards guide for advice about how to achieve a quick and efficient disposal at current market levels. As you would expect, the condition of an old or antique postcard is an extremely important factor in relation to its worth - just as it is with old coins and stamps. Whilst postcard grading is a subjective area, cards which are worn, damaged or dirty tend to be less desirable.
If you acquire a damaged card, it may have little commercial value and is best thought of as a space-filler. When buying cards, be wary of descriptions which include terms such as 'average' or 'good for its age' because this usually indicates the card is in a 'fair' or worse condition. The following are commonly used postcard grading terms, accepted by dealers and collectors alike, that are used to described the condition of old, antique and vintage items:.
Mint: A perfect card which is just as it was when it was issued. As new, unposted and in a pristine state, without bends, creases, writing or postmarks. Postcard are a popular category of collectibles, with many divisions that make it easy to find an area of interest for just about anyone. Postcards, especially old ones, can be very collectible.
People are often surprised at the high prices some can command. For this reason, some collectors choose to limit their acquisitions to cards by specific artists and publishers, or by time and location. Do they have any value? A—Yes, but it depends on the stamp used and the postmark. Do not remove the stamps from the letters since collectors want the entire envelope as part of postal history.
Take the letters to a stamp bourse or stamp store to get some idea of value. Because age alone does not determine worth, historical photos are not considered valuable in their own right, but ''may have archival value—for study purposes,'' Lamb said.
Tips on how to identify old postage stamps. Find the country and date of issue. Doing that has to be cheaper than this lot because these are ten of the worlds most expensive postcards…. This is a Pioneer postcards, which was printed before July 1, , in the U.
The cards were used as advertising pieces and often carried information about a shop or a sale. They had writing on only one side since U. Most Ellen Clapsaddle postcards go for a tidy sum, but one that is in good condition and signed will obviously go for a lot more.
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