British postal card, used in 1890Greetings from Pikes Peak, Colorado: A "large-letter" style American postcard from the linen eraA typical "saucy" postcard by Donald McGill
Find exceptional unique birthday gifts for men. Our collection includes many unique birthday gifts for him from collectbiles to many more birthday gifts for men.

Postcards

A postcard or post card is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope and at a lower rate than a letter. more...

Home
Knives, Swords & Blades
Militaria
Science Fiction
Tobacciana
Trading Cards
Transportation
Automobilia
Aviation
Airlines
Air Canada/TCA
Air France
Alaska Airlines
American
Braniff
British Airways
Cathay Pacific
Continental
Delta
Eastern
Freight Carriers
Japan Airlines
KLM
Lufthansa
National Airlines
Northwest
Other Airlines
Pan Am
Piedmont
Qantas
SAS, Scandinavian Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Southwest
TWA
United
Western
Airships
Hot-Air Balloons
Manufacturers
Military
Desk, Shelf Models
Other
Photos, Prints
Pins, Wings
Postcards
Other Aviation
Private
Bicycles
Boats, Ships
Buses, Taxi Cabs
Maps, Atlases
Motorcycles
Other Transportation
Pins, Buttons
Railroadiana, Trains
Scooters
Signs
Subway
Trucks
Videos

Stamp collectors distinguish between postcards (which require a stamp) and postal cards (which have the postage pre-printed on them). While a postcard is usually printed by a private company, individual or organization, a postal card is issued by the relevant postal authority. The United States Postal Service defines a postcard as: rectangular, at least 3-½ inches high x 5 inches long x .007 inch thick and no more than 4-¼ inches high x 6 inches long x .016 inches thick; however, some postcards have deviated from this (for example, shaped postcards).

The study and collecting of postcards is termed deltiology.

In the art world the postcard can also be translated into an art object. The art form is called mail art.

Brief history of postcards in the United States

John P. Charlton of Philadelphia patented the postcard in 1861, selling the rights to H. L. Lipman, whose postcards, complete with a decorated border, were labeled "Lipman's postal card." Nine years later European countries were also producing postcards.


The United States Postal Service began issuing pre-stamped postal cards in 1873. The postal cards came about because the public was looking for an easier way to send quick notes. The USPS was the only establishment allowed to print postcards, and it held its monopoly until May 19, 1898, when Congress passed the Private Mailing Card Act which allowed private publishers and printers to produce postcards.

Initially, the United States government prohibited private companies from calling their cards “postcards,” so they were known as “souvenir cards.” Although, in 1901, this prohibition was rescinded, not until 1908 could people write on the address side of a postcard.

The first postcard in the United States was created in 1893 to advertise the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Shortly thereafter the United States government, via the United States Postal Service, allowed printers to publish a 1-cent postcard (the "Penny Postcard"). A correspondent's writing was allowed only on the front side of these cards.

Postcards, in the form of government postal cards and privately printed souvenir cards, became very popular as a result of the Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago in 1893, after postcards featuring buildings were distributed at the fair. In 1908, more than 677 million postcards were mailed.

1901 brought cards with the word "Post Card" printed on the reverse (the side without the picture). Written messages were still restricted to the front side, with the entire back dedicated to the address. This "undivided back" is what gives this postcard era its name.

Read more at Wikipedia.org


Set of 7 Postcards Depicting Sea Planes Unique! $6.99 Usa, Italian Officials On Italian Front. Old Postcard $5.50
Lot Of 10 Mint-Unused Vintage Military Plane Postcards! $6.00 1992 The People Want Harkin 92 1 3/4" Pin $4.29
1940s Advanced Trainer Craig Field Selma Alabama $8.99 photgraph card Fairchild C-119 Usaf near mint cond $14.44
Republic Rf-84F Thunderflash Recon arcade card 50s $6.34 Pilots Sent Postcard,Fw.56 Airplane,Wwii, Magdeburg $29.00
3 Redstone Rocket Mercury Capsule Nasa Rockets postcard $11.98 Lockheed U S Navy R7V-2 Constellation arcade card 40s $6.34
Lockheed Yc-130 Cargo Plane Usaf arcade card 50s $6.34 Grolier U S Air Force Scarce Variety Card 31-13 $1.99
Martin Matador B-61 Pilotless Bomber arcade card 1950s $6.34 ~Curtiss P-6E~ - "Hawk" - '30s Pursuit Plane - Mint Pc $3.99
~Douglas A-1E~ - "Skyraider" - Viet Nam Fighter - Mint $3.99 ~Bell P-63E~ - "King Cobra" - Fighter Trainer - Mint Pc $3.99
~Curtis P-36A~ - "Hawk" - Wwii Fighter Plane - Mint Pc $3.99 ~Westland "Lysander Iii"~ - "Lizzie" - 1936 - Mint Pc $3.99
~Northrop P-61C~ - "Black Widow" Wwii Night-Fighter Pc $3.99 ~Beech Uc-43~ - "Traveler" - Wwii Courier Plane - Mint $3.99
~DeHavilland D.H. 4~ - Wwi Fighter Plane - Mint Pc $3.99 ~Verville-Sperry M-1~ - Messenger" - Wwi Dispatch - Pc $3.99
~Bleriot Type Xi~ - Wwi Trainer - Mint Pc $3.99 ~North American A-36-A~ -"Invader" - Wwii Dive Bomber $3.99
~Loening Oa-1A~ - San Francisco Amphibian - Mint Pc $3.99 ~North American T-6G~ "Texan" - Wwii Trainer - Mint Pc $3.99
~Ryan T-22~ - "Recruit" - Wwii Primary Trainer Mint Pc $3.99 ~Stearman Pt-17~ - "Kaydet" - Army Air Corps - Mint Pc $3.99
~Thomas-Morse S4B~ - "Scout" - Mint Pc - "Tommies" $3.99 ~Boeing P-12E~ - Wwii American Fighter Plane - Mint Pc $3.99
~Douglas O-38F~ - Air Corps Observation Plane - Mint Pc $3.99 ~Noordyn Uc-64a~ - "Norseman" - Wwii Fighter - Mint Pc $3.99
~Douglas A-26C~ - "Invader" - Wwii Fighter Plane - Mint $3.99 British Warplane **Fairey Gannet As6** Old Postcard! $3.90
Boeing Rb-47E Stratojet Recon & B-47E arcade card 50s $6.34 Fairchild C-123 Avitruc Assault Transport arcade card $6.34
Mint International Military Aircraft Markings Cards $11.50 North American T-28B Trainer U S Navy arcade card 50s $6.34
France Beaufighter War Airplane Nice Old Postcard $5.00 Saturn V Moon Rocket Nasa Huntsville postcard Box Of 3 $9.98
Grumman's Goal 97 Postcard Set $400.00 Douglas A-26 Invader Attack Bomber Postcard $5.00
Military Dar-1 Airplane, Anti-Nazi Parade,1945 Postcard $14.00 Japanese Fighter Seaplane World War Ii ? Rppc $8.00
Aviation Art Ww Ii Military Airplane Cards $69.95 Set of Four Brand New Aviation Postcards $2.00
Test Pilot Larry Flint signed 3x5 card $7.95 Mol pilot Dick Lawyer signed 3x5 card $7.95
France Postcard Le Dirigeable Militaire $5.99 vintage B-36 aircraft Post Card over Kansas City $8.00
Yugoslavia/Germany; Wwii Airplane Bomber Me110 $24.99 Convair Convair-Liner 340 arcade card 1940s $6.34
Yugoslavia Soko J-20 Kraguj Sparrowhawk vintage photo $9.99 Boeing Kc-97G Stratofreighter Usaf arcade card 1950s $6.34
Bell X-5 Movable Wing Jet Usaf arcade card 50s $8.44
Click to see more Postcards items
Prices current as of last update, 11/21/08 3:05pm.


Home Contact Resources Exchange Links eBay