Collecting Postcards

Deltiology

Vintage postcard collecting has become more popular in recent years. Collecting vintage postcards is an affordable hobby that almost everyone can enjoy. Postcards can be collected on almost any theme including postcards from a certain state or region, postcards with holiday themes, postcards with animals, etc. While some postcards can be quite expensive, most still sell in the few dollar range and at times can be purchased much more inexpensively. Vintage postcards do not take up a lot of space and can be easily displayed in a number of ways. This combination of generally low cost and ease of display and storage makes vintage postcard collecting an easy hobby to start and enjoy.

Finding postcards for collecting is as simple as visiting antique shops or logging onto eBay. With the increase in popularity of vintage postcard collecting, postcards are commonly seen for sale at antique shops and malls and online (a quick look at eBay’s postcard category under collectibles showed almost 150,000 listings!). These retailers are great for looking for specific postcards and for the occasional bargain.

For those who love the thrill of the hunt when searching for a bargain, here are some tips for finding inexpensive postcards. Yard sales, garage sales, rummage sales, and estate sales are all possible place to find great deals on postcards. Smaller auctions which will likely draw less competition can also be a great source for vintage postcard collectors. Flea markets are a good compromise between the low price of yard sales and the selection of antique stores and online retailers. A large flea market will almost always have some old postcards at reasonable, if not cheap, prices. Ask vendors with old books and similar items, they may have some in a box under the table or in other areas not displayed.