Starting your postcard collection - cartofilie

Many collectors start collecting because they have found an old album in the attic of grandma or grandpa.

What to collect?

If you want to start collecting you must first research which topic you prefer to collect. Many collectors start by collecting postcards of their hometown, or a place they have happy holiday memories of. If they already have an extensive collection, they expand their collection with topics related to their main theme.

Collecting old postcards is not limited to just collecting places. There are many topics such as advertising, forgotten professions, famous people, means of transport, illustrators, children, movie stars, exhibitions, sports. There are many possibilities it is up to you. Even we are sometimes amazed at what customers gather.

In early days you could find vintage picture postcards on fairs and auctions and in shops. There are many postcard dealers and collector/dealers.
The internet (perhaps that’s why you are reading this now) has changed postcard collecting. Thousands of postcards are easy to find, all categorized and pictured.

Why do people collect picture postcards?

For pleasure, interest and sometimes profit, are some of the reasons.
The hobby of collecting postcards is now divided into two worlds. That of Art and Subject Cards and that of Topographical. The latter group are more interested in representations of their own locality as it used to be.

How to store your postcards?

You can store your cards in albums or cardboard boxes. You can also consider to protect them in plastic sleeves (see) or in a modern plastic album (see). But some collectors prefer the old-fashioned Edwardian paper albums (see).

Investment

A hobby always costs money. To buy old postcards to make money is an exercise fraught with difficulties. Wait until you know a lot more about the hobby. But a study of past Catalogues and past prices will reveal that while some postcards have risen in price, others have fallen in value.

Modern postcards

The past 25 years have seen a growth in the production of modern postcards. Cards of every conceivable subject now being issued by leading companies. The great advantage of Modern Postcards lies in their price. You can also look out for free promotional cards given away by companies to promote their products.