The short answer
Most old postcards sell for small amounts, especially common tourist views, landmarks, greetings and mid-century cards that were printed in huge numbers. The cards collectors pay more for usually combine an uncommon subject with good condition: real photographic cards of small towns, street scenes, shops, transport, local events and people at work, as well as some artist-signed, advertising and novelty cards. Subject matters more than age alone.
1. Sort by subject first
Postcard collectors mostly collect by topic or place. Sort your cards into piles such as:
- Topographical views: town and village views, main streets, railway stations, shops and local buildings. Small places that were rarely photographed often interest local collectors more than famous landmarks.
- Social history: people at work, trades, markets, parades, disasters and local events.
- Transport: trams, trains, early cars, ships and early aviation.
- Artist-signed and illustrated cards: some illustrators and publishers are collected in their own right.
- Advertising, political and novelty cards: cards from companies, campaigns, and unusual formats such as cards with moving parts.
- Greetings and holidays: very common overall, though some designs and publishers are wanted.
2. Real photo or printed?
Real photo postcards were made by printing a photograph directly onto postcard-backed photographic paper. They were often produced in small numbers by local photographers, so a real photo card of an ordinary street can be scarcer than a printed view of a famous place. To tell them apart, look at the image with a magnifier:
- A printed card usually shows a pattern of dots or lines under magnification.
- A real photo card shows continuous tones with no dot pattern, often with a slight sheen, and sometimes silvering at dark edges.
- Real photo cards often have a photographic paper maker's name in the stamp box on the back, which collectors use to help date them.
3. Date the card from the back
- Undivided and divided backs: early postcards often had an undivided back meant only for the address, with any message written on the front. Later cards have a back divided into message and address halves. The date the divided back was allowed varied by country: in Britain it came in 1902 and in the United States in 1907.
- Postmarks and stamps date a used card, though the card may have been printed earlier.
- Printing style: in the US, textured "linen" style cards are typical of the middle of the 20th century, and glossy colour "chrome" cards of the later decades. Both are generally common, with exceptions for wanted subjects.
- Publisher details printed on the back can help you find a series and date range.
4. Condition
Check corners for rounding and bends, look for creases, tears, stains, trimmed edges, pin holes and album marks, and note writing on the picture side. Writing on the back is normal and does not usually hurt value; sometimes the message or a local postmark adds interest. Never remove a stamp from a postcard: the stamp, the postmark and the card can matter together, and some stamps have value of their own. Our guide to old stamps covers what to check.
5. Price from sales of similar cards
Search the place and subject, the publisher if printed, and "real photo" if it is one. Look at sold results and compare cards of the same place or subject, the same type and similar condition. Common cards are usually priced as lots; it is the occasional strong card that is worth listing on its own. Read how to research sold prices for filtering tips.
6. Where to sell
- Single cards with strong subjects can be listed individually online, with a scan or photo of both sides.
- Lots grouped by place, topic or era suit common cards. See how to bundle items to sell.
- Postcard fairs, collector clubs and specialist dealers suit large accumulations and old albums. Albums can be worth showing to a dealer intact before you split them up.
Where WorthAI fits
WorthAI identifies an item from a photo, estimates a value range and shows the marketplace listings behind that estimate, so you can check the evidence yourself. For postcards, it gives you a quick first read on what a card shows and what similar cards sell for. It cannot always tell a real photo card from a printed one or read a faint postmark, so check the card under a magnifier, tap Refine Result if the place or type is wrong, and look at sales of the same subject before you price.
Frequently asked questions
What old postcards are worth the most?
Usually cards that combine an uncommon subject with good condition, such as real photo cards of small towns, shops, street scenes, transport and local events, along with some artist-signed, advertising and novelty cards. Common tourist views and greetings cards usually sell for little.
How do I tell if a postcard is a real photo?
Look at the picture with a magnifier. Printed cards usually show a pattern of dots or lines, while real photo cards show continuous tones with no dot pattern, and often have a photographic paper name in the stamp box on the back.
Does writing on the back lower a postcard's value?
Not usually. Writing and postmarks on the back are normal for used cards and can even add interest. Writing on the picture side, creases, tears and worn corners have more effect.