Guide to Postal Cards

While this website does not normally encourage the use of price guides for postcards, the specific category of government issued postal cards have been well documented and collected by those with Philatelic interests for many years. Postal cards have developed more stable and uniformly recognized prices than ordinary postcards. The values found below, along with the numbering system are based upon Scott’s U.S. Specialized Catalog 2006, which provides a gold standard for collectors. This information is not presented in the same format as found in Scott’s and further information is available from the original source.

At the Austro-German Postal Conference held in Karlsruhe, Baden in 1865, Dr. Heinrich von Stephen suggested that a single sheet of stiff paper could be used as a way of conducting inexpensive written communication. While this idea drew much interest many were concerned about privacy issues, that this open form of communication would lack strong public appeal and nothing came of it. The idea however continued to be lobbied for by economics professor Dr. Emmanuel Herman in Vienna. Eventually the economic benefits of using such a card took sway and the world’s first postal card (Correspondz Karte) was introduced by the Austrian Postal Administation on October 1st, 1869. While the list below shows the date individual Countries adopted the postal card, details will only be provided for the early cards issued in the United States.

1869 - Austria
1870 - Prussia, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Baden, Bavaria, and Great Britain
1871 - Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Canada
1872 - Russia, Chile, France, and Algeria
1873 - France, Serbia, Romania, Spain, Japan, and the United States
1874 - Serbia, Romania, and Italy

Debated for years, President Grant finally authorized postals in 1872, and on May 12th, 1873, the United States Government released our first official postcard. The words Postal Card were printed on its back along with a one-cent denomination. Only government issued cards were allowed to use in the words Postal Card by law. The side with postage was designated exclusively for the address, the other side for the message. Until 1910 when the Government Printing Office began printing all materials for the Post Office Department, many postals were contracted out to private printers based on a biding system. This often created uneven results in quality, which sometimes led to litigation. Postals proved to be successful for they were soon selling at the rate of a million per day. Prier to 1893 postals were almost always used by advertisers who lobbied hard for this card, with a rare few used as greeting cards. Although postage rates have increased substantially these cards with pre-printed postage are still in use. Their printed postage, once confined to Presidential portraits, eventually became more varied in design to attract stamp collectors.

When the General Postal Union was created in 1874 a common set of regulations was established at their World Congress meeting that replaced the inconsistencies of the individual treaties that governed correspondence between nations up to this time. They agreed to set standards for postcards which all 22 member countries would accept. A standard size of 3 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches (90 by 140 mm) was established for government issued postals. Postals would also be allowed to cross international borders at the same rate of postage, and each country would accept the value of the issuing nation’s cards.

In 1875 the Post Office Department began selling postals in uncut sheets. This allowed them to be purchased by those who wished to continue printing on them as the could still be fed into a large press. Most of these sheets were purchased for the purpose of advertising. These cards were not always cut apart properly and the pre printed stamp may be found out of proper alignment. These are only curiosities and are of minimal value.

Values are for unused cards as sold by the Post Office, without printed or written address or message, and used cards with Post Office cancelation when current. Used cards with postage added to meet higher rates sell for less. Used cards for international rates are for proper usage. Those used domestically sell for less. Values for mint cards appear in the third column and values for used cards in the fourth column. All values are as of 2006.

PC1  1 cent Liberty  May 1873

One card is documented canceled May 10 in Owensboro, KY; another May 11 in Providence, RI; and Another May 12 in Springfield, MA.

PC1  1 cent Liberty  July 6, 1873

This card contains a small U S P O D watermark (53x36mm)

The watermarks on UX1, UX3, and UX4 are found in normal position, inverted, reversed, and inverted & reversed. These watermarks are often dim, especially on UX4, but listed values are for clear watermarks.

UX3a is not known unused. Cards offered as such are either unwatermarked proofs, or have a parcial or vague watermark.

PC2  1 cent Liberty  1875

This card contains a small U S P O D watermark (53x36mm), and is inscribed WRITE THE ADDRESS.

PC2  1 cent Liberty  1875

PC2  1 cent Liberty  Oct. 17, 1881

Inscribed NOTHING BUT THE ADDRESS.

PC3  2 cent Liberty (For International Use)  Dec. 1, 1879

PC3  2 cent Liberty  Jan. 25, 1897

Earliest documented use: Apr. 17, 1897

PC3  2 cent Liberty  1898

PC4  1 cent Jefferson  Aug. 24, 1885

This card was printed in many shades of brown ink. Earliest documented use: Aug. 29, 1885.

PC5  1 cent Jefferson (Centered on Card)  Dec. 1, 1886

PC5  1 cent Liberty  Oct. 17, 1881

PC6  1 cent Grant  Dec. 16, 1891

Two types exist of UX10. Earliest documented use: Dec. 23, 1891

PC6  1 cent Grant  Dec. 16, 1891

Cards printed in black instead of blue are proofs. Earliest documented use: Dec 21, 1891

PC7  1 cent Jefferson  Jan. 2, 1894

Two types of UX12 exist: flat bed printing and rotary press printing.

PC8    Dec. 1, 1897

PC9  1 cent John Adams (Library Card)  1898

PC10  1 cent McKinley  1902

Earliest documented use: May 27, 1902.

PC11  1 cent McKinley  1902

Earliest documented use: July 14, 1902.

PC12  1 cent McKinley  1907

Earliest documented use: June 28, 1907.

PC12  1 cent McKinley (Correspondence space on left)  Jan. 2, 1908

PC13  1 cent McKinley (Backround shaded)  1910

A UX21 card exits wath a Philippines UX11 printed on the back.

PC14  (Same as PC13)  Apr. 13, 1910

PC14  (Same as PC13)  Aug. 10, 1911

PC15  1 cent Lincoln (Solid backround)  Jan. 21, 1911

PC15  1 cent Lincoln  July 29, 1913

PC16  2 cent Grant  Oct. 27, 1911

PC16  2 cent Grant