History of Postcards

Postcards have been used as means of correspondence for over 100 years. Some of the first postcards were printed in Germany in the mid 1800's. The more typical "divided back" postcards that most of us are familiar with began in March 1907.

The time between 1907 - 1915 is considered the Golden Age of Postcards. A majority of the cards were printed and distributed from Germany where lithography was a form of art. They were able to create elaborate and colorful Victorian designs. When the political climate changed prior to World War I, postcards began to be printed in the US and in England. Later, the telephone became a more popular form of communication. The typical cost for mailing a postcard during this time was 1¢.

White Border Postcards started appearing around 1915 and continued until the 1930's. The quality was not as high as the Golden Age Postcards. However, the advent of Photo Postcards did become very popular. Enthusiasts could turn a photo into a Post Card. The quality, because it was a photo, was fairly good.

From 1930 until 1945 Linen Postcards were the trend. They were very popular at tourist attractions. These textured cards tend to be more vibrant in color.

Printing technology changed once again with the advent of the Photochrome Era (1939 to the present day).  These Post Cards are of very high quality. This is when postal rates increased to 2¢ per stamp.