I don't run a checkout on this site. Instead, every card I sell is listed in my eBay store, and each card's page here links straight to its listing. You pay through the marketplace, with its usual buyer protection, and I pack and ship the card myself.
eBay: the main shop
Most of my vintage postcards are listed on eBay. I organize them three ways, depending on the card.
Single listings for special cards
Real photo postcards, scarce small-town views, early cards, unusual topics and anything in exceptional condition get their own listing. Each one has scans of both sides, a date range with the evidence behind it, the publisher or photographer when known, an honest condition description and a transcription of the message.
"Choose your card" listings
Many good cards aren't rare enough to need their own listing, but they still deserve a good home. For those, I make one listing per town, state or topic, with each card as a separate option you can pick from a menu, each with its own photo. If you're looking for a particular hotel, street or depot, these listings let you browse a whole town's cards at once and buy just the one you want.
Lots
Duplicates, common views and cards with heavier wear are grouped into lots by state or topic. Lots are good value for junk journalers, crafters, teachers and anyone who enjoys sorting through a stack of old cards to see what turns up.
Finding a card from a particular place
If you're looking for a specific town, start with the town's name and state on eBay together with "postcard." Every one of my listings uses the town and state in the title, so searching my shop by town works well.
Once my catalog is up and running, every card I list will also have a page on this site, filed by state and town, with both sides shown and a link to its listing. That makes it easy to see everything I have from one place, including cards that have already sold, which stay on the site as part of the archive.
How I describe and ship cards
Every listing follows the same standards.
- Both sides scanned. You see the front and the back, flat, at a size you can read.
- A real date. Each card is dated from the evidence on it, with a short note on how. My guide on how to date an old postcard explains the method.
- Honest condition. Corners, edges, creases, stains, album marks, writing and postal wear, described in plain words.
- Posted or unposted. Always stated.
- Careful packing. Sleeve, rigid holder, stiff mailer.
How to read one of my listings
Every listing follows the same pattern, so once you know it you can scan a page in seconds.
The title leads with the place: town, state, then the subject ("Main Street," "Railroad Depot," "Hotel"), then the era and the card type. If it's a real photo postcard, the title says RPPC.
The photos are scans of the actual card, front and back. Zoom in: the scan is detailed enough to read the postmark and the message.
The date line gives a year or a range ("c. 1907 to 1915") and the clue it comes from, for example "divided back with a white border" or "AZO stamp box, four triangles pointing up."
The publisher line names the company or photographer when the card shows one, along with any printed code.
The postal line says whether the card was mailed, and if so, gives the stamp and the postmark as far as I can read them.
The condition line comes last, with my grade and every flaw I can see.
The item number (a box-and-slot code such as B003-042) is how I find the card on my shelves. Mention it if you message me about a card.
My condition grades
Postcard grading isn't standardized, so here's exactly what my grades mean.
| Grade | What it means |
|---|---|
| Excellent | Sharp corners and edges, no creases, clean front and back, bright image. As close to new as a century-old card gets. |
| Very good | Light wear only: a slightly soft corner or tiny edge wear, no creases, clean image. |
| Good | Visible but minor wear: rounded corners, light toning, small album marks or a light bend that doesn't break the surface. |
| Fair | Obvious wear: a crease, stains, heavier corner damage, writing on the front, or small tears. Still a complete, displayable card. |
| Poor | Heavy damage: deep creases, missing pieces, heavy staining or trimming. Listed for the image or the history, priced accordingly. |
Whatever the grade, the specific flaws are always listed in words, and they always show in the scans. A grade is a summary. The scans and the description are the full story.
Searching tips
eBay's search works best when you give it the words my titles use.
- Town first. Search the town and the two-letter state code, such as "Brattleboro VT postcard." Add "RPPC" for real photos only.
- Try the old name. Many towns, streets and buildings changed names. Search the old one too.
- Use the subject. "Depot," "hotel," "school," "main street," "bridge" and "mill" are the words I use in titles.
- Save the search. If you're hunting for one town, save the search on eBay and turn on alerts, and you'll be told when a new card appears.
- Follow the store. Following my store puts new listings in your eBay feed.
Shopping by topic instead of place
Not everyone is looking for a particular town. If you collect a subject, search my store by the subject word plus "postcard": depot, lighthouse, covered bridge, courthouse, diner, gas station, hotel, school, church, mill, fair, flood or trolley. For real photos only, add "RPPC." For a particular era, add the card type: "linen," "white border," "divided back" or "chrome." Every one of my titles uses these same words, so they work as filters. Combining a subject with a state, such as "depot VT RPPC," narrows things quickly.
Buying a card as a gift
A postcard of someone's hometown, old school or family church makes a wonderful gift, especially framed. A few suggestions:
- Frame it with the back visible if the message is interesting. Double-sided frames or a simple mat with a photocopy of the back both work.
- Use UV-protective glass and hang it out of direct sunlight, particularly for real photo postcards, which fade in strong light.
- Choose acid-free mats and backing, so the card doesn't yellow over time.
- Don't glue or tape the card. Use photo corners or a sleeve, so it can always be removed undamaged.
When your card arrives
Old cards travel well when they're packed properly, and I pack every order the same careful way.
- Inside the mailer you'll find the card in a clear protective sleeve, held in a rigid plastic holder, so it can't bend in the mail.
- Leave it in the sleeve while you look it over. The sleeve is archival quality, so it's also a fine way to store the card long term.
- Check it against the listing. The card should match the scans exactly, flaws included. If anything looks different from what you expected, message me through eBay and I'll make it right.
- If the mail is slow, remember that postcard-sized envelopes sometimes take a day or two longer than packages. Tracking information is on your eBay order.
Storing your cards at home
A card that has lasted a hundred years can easily last a hundred more with a little care.
Sleeves and albums. Use sleeves or album pages made of polypropylene or polyester, labeled acid-free and PVC-free. Avoid old "magnetic" photo albums, whose adhesive yellows and damages cards.
Boxes. For larger groups, archival postcard boxes with dividers let you file cards by state and town, the same way I do. Stand the cards upright rather than stacking them in a heavy pile.
Light. Daylight and fluorescent light fade inks and photographs. Keep cards in a box or a closed album, and if you display one, rotate it every so often.
Temperature and humidity. Steady, moderate conditions are best: the main part of the house, not an attic, a garage or a basement. Damp causes foxing and mold, and heat makes paper brittle.
Handling. Hold cards by the edges with clean, dry hands, especially real photos, whose surfaces show fingerprints.
Why eBay, for now
I sell through eBay rather than running my own checkout for a few simple reasons.
You're protected. Purchases on eBay are covered by eBay's own buyer protection. If a card doesn't arrive, or doesn't match its description, eBay's Money Back Guarantee has your back, on top of my own promise to make things right.
Checkout is familiar. You can pay the way you already pay on eBay, with your saved address and payment method, and you never have to hand your details to a new website.
Collectors are already there. eBay is where postcard collectors search, save searches and follow sellers, so listing there puts my cards in front of the people most likely to want them.
This site's job is different: it's the permanent catalog. Every card I list gets a page here, filed by state and town, and stays here after it sells, so the history travels on even when the card does.
Questions about a card
The fastest way to ask about a listed card is through the marketplace's message button on that listing, which reaches me directly. I'm one person, not a company, so you'll always hear from me.
Learn before you buy
If you're new to old postcards, a few minutes with my collector's notes will make you a sharper buyer:
- How to date an old postcard: the back designs, stamp boxes, publisher codes and postmarks that tell you a card's age.
- Real photo postcards, explained: how to tell a real photograph from a printed card, and why small-town real photos are so sought after.