Postcard Stamp Dates
 

After seeing enough postcard sales over the past several years, it appears that the vast majority of those postcards which contain date stamps on the back were mailed out during the same year of issue. What percentage do you think that would be the case for?

I am wondering if this would be a pretty accurate barometer for those postcards where determining a date of issue is very difficult?

Yeah, you'd think that would be the case, but then again, I could ship a 1908 Ty Cobb PC in the mail right now if I really wanted, too. ;) I'd say 90%+ were sent the same year. I think it's a great barometer for helping with the year it was made.

It's probably the best way to determine a year of issue for sure.

I prefer a used postcard than a clean one. Makes me feel closer to the time when I get one that's been mailed.

That is the kind of vendor to be. Just imagine the money to be saved on packaging. Just slap a stamp on the Post Card and drop it in the mail box. Easy Peasy:D

I prefer a used PC as well; I just find them to have a charm missing from an unused item.

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibit...eau_%20Lou.jpg
http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibit...Lipset%201.jpg

As for dating, the most it does is set a "no later than" date for the printing that the mailed item came from. I don't think you can hope to quantify what % of them were postally used when issued, etc. Also, PC makers could possibly reprint PCs for years; they weren't issuing one-year sets like a gum card maker. Some of the restaurant promo PCs were made over long periods of time if the establishment had a long history, like Jack Dempsey's restaurant. Figuring out what is scarce and what is not is an art in itself. I've been collecting PCs for a few years now and I'm just scratching the surface. Even the established PC collectors are always finding new stuff.

NY
 

My only stamped PC...