Introduction

This is a brief guide for those setting out to collect postcards as to how they might go about this task as painlessly as possible! From our experience we know that quite a few established postcard collectors became interested in the subject because they inherited an album or shoe-box full of postcards and snapshots from family members. To our mind there can be no better introduction to collecting cards. Both authors became interested in postcards by different routes, namely collecting photographs and postal history. Other collectors we know came to postcards via other interests such as railways or the history of their own district or locality.

No matter what your background or motivation towards collecting postcards, it is in your interest to familiarise yourself with some practical knowledge before setting out to build a collection. For a start, there are no retail outlets in New Zealand that specialise solely in postcards. Most sources of postcards over the counter (assuming it is old postcards you are after) are to be found with stamp and coin dealers, who are spread around the country. By the term ‘old postcards’ we mean second-hand items that have been postally used or are not contemporary. There are alternatives to this which we will mention shortly.

Generally speaking, the older the card the higher the price, although there are numerous exceptions. We therefore recommend that you start with making yourself familiar with stocks of postcards held by dealers. This will give you a feeling for subject matter and the costs involved. Very few cards from the early period can be acquired for less than a dollar. In fact, it is best to think of $2 to $10 as the basic cost for most postcards held in dealers’ stocks. Although it may prove costly if you decide to specialise in topics like post offices or trams that will cost you anything from $20 to $50, the knowledge you gain from simply looking at what is available over a period of time will soon pay dividends as you become familiar with some of the foibles of collecting postcards. Terms like ‘stamp removed’, ‘message on back’ or ‘undivided back’ will soon become part of your vernacular.

Seek out ‘Collector Fairs’.

Find out where they are held and their frequency. It is here you will see stocks of postcards held by several dealers and be able to compare the prices being asked. If your interest develops, you should then make an effort to join a club or society where you will be able to meet other collectors and share experiences or trade postcards to the satisfaction of both parties. Adding to your collection through postal auctions run by dealers or societies is something you should attempt after you have gained some basic knowledge of prices. Possibly cheaper methods of extending your collection would be to frequent second-hand shops or advertise in local papers. If you find all this rather daunting, there is another way of beginning collecting postcards that will lead able collection that will lead you to gaining a sizeable collection that won’t break the bank. Start by buying new postcards which are available at stationers, posts shops and tourist centres.

An even cheaper method is to periodically check local cafés or other venues that have ‘give-away’ postcard racks. These are more visually interesting than the standard pictorial postcard and won’t cost you anything! Other good sources of contemporary postcards are museums, and art gallery shops, which carry a fair number of imported cards, albeit focused on art and ethnic themes. (Source: page 112, Wish You Were Here – The Story of NZ Postcards by William Main & Alan Jackson, 2004.)

What to collect:

One can collect: by area, by subject or theme, by artist, by publisher, by style or type, open-ended (anything goes!). Almost every conceivable subject may be found on postcards. Publishers competed with each other to produce the most attractive subjects such as: actresses, advertisements, animals, art, aviation, children, churches, comic, film stars, greetings, industry, military, novelty, occupations, postal, royalty, silks, social history, street scenes, sports, towns, transport, views and villages. BUT let us not forget the back of the postcard. Often postcards conveyed very descriptive messages regarding social conditions and events that happened, while others were simple and short messages saying things like, ‘Happy Birthday Jim’, or something to that effect. Postcards that were posted through the post office would have had a stamp or two and these were cancelled, therefore the postmark(s) have an added interest; many are very collectable.

Where to obtain postcards:

Online auctions (TradeMe, Ebay, Delcampe), collectors fairs, secondhand shops.